I had this happen last year on my way to work. I had to limp it back home basically reaching down and shifting with my hand on the linkage. Got it home and took everything apart, bought the new replacement parts I think total was like $60. It had 23000 miles when this happened. 2014 SGS
Bad shifter shaft and inner linkage
- Thread starter TomA
- Start date
Happened to me last week. 13k miles on the clock, 800 miles from home. Fortunately I was only about 11 miles from the hotel when I discovered the issue. Limped it in to the hotel and then 38 miles to the nearest shop the next morning. They clearly know it's an issue. I was in and out of the shop in less than an hour.
So is this basically something that can be avoided by checking on the bolt snugness on your front and back shift link levers?
I recently installed the Tallboy extenders for the floorboards on my SGS and now am considering adjusting front shifter down a notch on the spline since it's up higher with the floorboard change, and I was wondering if doing that could cause some premature failure problem with the levers like you guys have mentioned in this post by having the shifter at a different angle/setting.
I recently installed the Tallboy extenders for the floorboards on my SGS and now am considering adjusting front shifter down a notch on the spline since it's up higher with the floorboard change, and I was wondering if doing that could cause some premature failure problem with the levers like you guys have mentioned in this post by having the shifter at a different angle/setting.
This happened to me on a trip through New Mexico, lucky I noticed and tightened. Later my buddy's voltage regulator was acting up so went to local dealer and there were several bikes there with shifter problems....hmmmmm,I call it highway robbery.
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Yes , check them along with the heal / toe levers , as long as the damage hasn't already been done.
The problem is at the transmission linkage. The pinch bolt can lossen over time and strip the spline. Requires a complete primary tear down to replace.
Adjusting the shifter arms won't aggravate anything as long as the splines match up correctly.. my dealer readjusts mine very service. Pisses me off.
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I have now officially replaced the heel and toe shift pegs, removed the bolts to the shift level arm and used locktite, and then snugged them down. And... While I was at it, this was a good excuse to basically deal with the whole system and get the fancy chrome shift linkage I've been wanting.
Here it is
Here it is
Bad shifter shaft and inner linkage
Hulkss does that Pengel shaft help prevent the stripping of the splines or does it just allow the shaft to move more freely? Are you using it on your bike? I've gone through 2 shafts already and been stranded once. Now I carry a spare. Very crappy design by H-D that has been present for a long time. My parts guy says the part# dates back to 1982. Not sure if that's right but it wouldn't surprise me.
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Hulkss does that Pengel shaft help prevent the stripping of the splines or does it just allow the shaft to move more freely? Are you using it on your bike? I've gone through 2 shafts already and been stranded once. Now I carry a spare. Very crappy design by H-D that has been present for a long time. My parts guy says the part# dates back to 1982. Not sure if that's right but it wouldn't surprise me.
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This thread is kind of a PSA for checking the torque on these bolts. A lot of people aren't aware this is a problem until it's too late.
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Mine were both done by the dealer but I've become smart enough to check it myself now.
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Could someone help me out please. Where in the service manual is the procedure for replacing the shifter shaft? My inner side stripped out on me today while I was on Skyline Drive. I am planning to go to the dealer and get a replacement shaft tomorrow. It looked like a pretty straight forward replacement so I am confused as to the comment above referencing having to completely tear down the primary.
Thanks
Thanks
I believe the tear down of the primary was to replace the shifter shaft that goes into the trans , quite the job compared to the front one.
No need to disassemble the primary to replace the shaft. More than likely, your shaft and shifter shaft lever will need to be replaced. Here's how to do it:
1. Remove heel and toe shifters.
2. Remove small pinch bolt from shifter shaft lever and remove lever.
3. Remove shifter shaft from primary.
4. Reverse procedure for installation of new parts.
Note: Use heavy duty grease on new shaft before installing.
Torque heel and toe shifter bolts to 18-22 ft-lbs and shifter shaft lever pinch bolt to 90-110 in-lbs.
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