| Author | Message | ||
     Nytrashman |
not sure if this is the right place to post this but if not please move to the proper place. i have been riding my blast quite a bit the past few weeks. yesterday i took my suzuki (DR200) out to do a little trail riding. first thing i noticed was how silky smooth the tranny was. no clunking going into gear, just smooth, positive shifts. if all the jap bikes can make there tranny's shift so smoothly why can't harley? don't get me wrong my blast shifts fine, it just clunks going into each & every gear. i have changed the tranny fluid to amsoil 20-50 and too be honest since doing so the tranny seems to clunk even more. now this could be me just getting used to the bike and now i hear more of the normal sounds the bike makes, compared to when i first got it. anyone know why harley can't make a silky smooth tranny? | ||
| Jackbequick |
I'd think the Blast tranny has something in common with the M2's. All H-D trannys (except the newest ones?) will clunk into low, and even a little in the other gears depending on how you shift. My M2 was smoothest when I just feathered the clutch a little (maybe pulled it for 3/4" or 1" of travel at the lever) and used a quick, positive (but not hard) stroke on the shifter. And my FXD seems the same way. The shifting on the M2 was not real good until I adjusted the primary chain, then the internal clutch adjusting screw (with the lever slacked off at the bar), then the clutch lever. I had to do all three adjustments in that order and then it was fine and stayed that way for a long time. I helped Dave (Hey Dave? You around? Call me, I lost your number!) adjust the clutch on his Blast once. I remember the adjustment technique for the P3's as being quite different from the M2 but it helped on his. A bad thing on constant mesh transmissions like these is to get into the habit of pulling the lever to the grip on every shift and then shifting when it is there. That creates a pause of sorts and lets the dogs get a little bit "back loaded" and that affects the sliding movement. When I feather the clutch I'm rolling off the throttle just enough to keep the RPM from rising as the lever is pulled and released. Try it under mild acceleration see if it helps, it quickly becomes one of those subconscious things. Some rice burner riders have a real problem with downshifts on H-D's. They want to just pull the clutch in, stab the lever, and get the next lower gear. And they expect that to happen that way every time. I've found throttle blips to be an essential component for reliable downshifts and smooth deceleration with MoCo trannys. Jack | ||
| Buellistic |
Nytrashman: The BLAST transmission is the same as the SPORTSTER and Tube Frame BUELLs ... The Factory may have changed the SPORTSTER transmission a little more when the Trap Door was deleted ... If you do not adjust the the clutch properly(correctly) you will get more of a CLUNK(LOUDER) than when it is adjusted PROPERLY(CORRECTLY) ... The Factory Manual will get you very close, BUT it is more of a experance/feel thing ... When you get used to this transmission you will find it is a strong/bullet prof transmission ... In BLASTing LaFayette | ||
| Naustin |
Its not that harley can't build a smooth tranny, its that they don't build a smooth tranny. That CLUNK is part of the style/image/heritage/character of the Brand. They build it that way on purpose. (Message edited by naustin on October 11, 2006) | ||
| Nytrashman |
i think i may not have adjusted the clutch properly. when i switched from the stock handle bars to a set of chapparel "daytona" bars the clutch needed to be adjusted. thinking back this is when i really started to notice the clunking sound. i'll have to read the service manual one more time and try it again. | ||
| Nytrashman |
forgot to ask, in the service manual it says to raise the rear wheel using the rear wheel support stand (part # B-41174) whats everyone using to raise the rear wheel? i'm sure no one has bought the stand, or am i wrong and i'm the only one without the stand? | ||
| Naustin |
Jack the bike up any way you can, and then stick a peice of 3/8 steel rod through the axel, and support it with jackstands. | ||
| Nytrashman |
Naustin........thats how i did the last time so i guess i did it right. now to get that clutch adjusted properly. | ||
| Swampy |
Naustin, you crack me up! Built that way....too funny! Nytrashman, adjust the primary chain first, go towards the loose side, when the chain is too tight it will c+o+c+k the clutch basket and bind the clutch basket bearing and not let the clutch release all the way. Then adjust the clutch, then when you pull the clutch count to 5, then put it in gear. Sorry about having to type it out c+o+c+k the ••••••• "V" chip is acting •••••• up | ||
| Nytrashman |
thanks swampy i will try that tomorrow. the bike shifts ok it just clunks going into each gear. it is nothing like my suzuki, which shifts so smooth........like butter. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Yep, it aint no Jap tranny! But you should find with proper clutch adjustment that only 1st & 2nd gear transitions suck, the rest should be good. The big gear ratio jump between the 1st and 2nd gears is what adds to the crunch problem. As far as HD not building better transmissions, the XB trans is greatly improved (though I havent actually ridden a new one). The new Big Twin tranny now shifts like butter. Very smooth. A far cry from the old Big Twins (which makes the old Sportster feel like shifting a Jap bike). This I do know from first hand experience. So, there you have it. HD can and have built a smoother transmission (they just aint put it in a Blast yet)! |
