Hi all,

I'm sure it's come up before in here, but just wanted to spread some info.

I was in Idaho on an around the country ride (more on that later) when i started up the bike at a gas station and started hearing a loud squeal coming from the primary. The squeal was present on the kickstand, but not when i stood it upright... at first.

I rode the bike to Salt Lake City (nearest dealer) to have them diagnose it.

The let me know that the noise was the chain compensator sprocket and that HD had recently obsoleted the part and had a replacement assembly.... but, they didn't have the parts available and the nearest dealer that did on my way was Central Texas Harley in Austin. (this just happens to be my home store) They assured me that it wasn't going to grenade in the bike and that it would get me home, but the noise would get worse.

So, they buttoned back up my Primary and I rode another 2000+ miles with the squeal to get home. (by way of california and colorado to finish 48 states in 10 days iron butt challenge)

Harley is replacing the part with the upgraded assembly under warrantee now.

 

Thanks for sharing this info, and congrats on your Iron Butt journey! Quite an accomplishment!

 

So what was the sprocket doing again that it was squealing? I had mine apart when I put the Baker adjuster and I don't see that sprocket squealing unless the bolt is backing out and the sprocket slips past the keeper behind it. When it goes that far I doubt the compensator is going to allow it to drive for long. Did they let you look at it while they had it apart?
If you look at the front sprocket you'll see what I call the keeper behind it with high ridges to keep it from spinning out of control:

 

Yes,
I got a look at it when it was apart on the lift while i was debating where to buy a new pair of underwear after hearing that noise the first time.

The front sprocket itself was fine. What you are calling the "keeper" with the ridges on it is the compensator sprocket behind the front chain sprocket.

On mine, you could see very shiny wear marks along the ridges where the "keeper" was wearing down. this is the assembly that HD has now obsoleted and has a re-design for.

While on the kickstand: if you turned the bike off you could hear 2 distinct "thunks" coming from the primary. This was the keeper letting go of the front sprocket. When the primary was opened we checked the torque on the shafts and it was good. After wiping off some oil it became apparent that the keeper was wearing down. This is apparently common enough for HD to obsolete it and make a redesign (guessing they needed to use a bit harder steel)
Techs at my local HD also confirmed this when i got back to Austin today. (unloaded bike and took it straight there)

 

Unloaded bike? You mean your gear out of your bike or bike from a trailer?

 

Unloaded my gear from the bike.

 

So this is a 12 SG, and the dealer said they obsoleted the compensator? 2011's and up were supposed to come with the upgraded compensator standard. Something's not right.

 

They have another updated compensator out now. Just came out with the 2014's. It has some upgraded oil passages and an oil slinger of some type now I think. There is a thread on it here on the forum somewhere.

 

Correct. The "upgraded" one on the 11's and 12's apparently wasn't quite upgraded enough. So, HD has obsoleted that design as well. The bike is back together and i'm heading to the dealership to pick it up later today when i can get a ride. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

I forgot about that.....

Just called my local dealer and asked. He isn't crazy about the new design. The extra oil passages are a good idea. But he said the "slinger" is glued in........ GLUED? Some kind of special 24 hour epoxy. That sounds like a problem waiting to happen....... especially on a retrofit. How clean can they get the surface of aluminum that has been soaking in oil for thousands of miles?