| Author | Message | ||
     Italialaw |
Hello all, I was out riding this past weekend on my 1998 Thunderbolt. I was traveling at about 35mph in second gear and all of a sudden it felt like I was in neutral. I slowed down and dropped down into first and the same thing, like the bike was in neutral. I pulled off into a driveway and again tried to move the bike starting from a stop position. The bike would not move and it made a grinding noise from underneath the crankcase cover. In fact, I could let the clutch all the way out in first gear and the bike acted as if it was in neutral. I could also physically roll the bike in any gear as if it was in neutral. The bike has the HD "extended warranty" and I am hoping it will be covered (I believe transmission failure is covered). My question is: do the above symptoms indicate my tranny is shot? Also, is this a problem with tube frame Buells? I don't remember ever reading about a recall on the transmission. Thanks! | ||
| Dave |
Perhaps primary chain tensioner self-destructed?? DAve | ||
| Henrik |
No recalls on the transmission, but as Dave mentioned, there is an upgraded primary chain tensioner. I guess chunks of it could have locked the clutch in the "pulled in" position ?? Have you checked the splines on your output shaft/front pulley? Henrik | ||
| Reepicheep |
The tranny in a tube framer is easy to get at, and pretty easy to understand (with the service manual) at least. It's interesting that it failed into neutral, I would expect a catastrophic tranny failure to be locked into a particular gear. The chain tensioner could have broken and wedged itself somewhere interesting, and locked things up in a neutral position. It's possible, but seems unlikely.  Are you sure you did not break a belt? | ||
| Mikej |
This is under the heading of "do what works for you within your own best judgement". If you feel comfortable working on your own bike then you can simply remove the clutch inspection cover or the primary chain inspection cover (or whatever the correct terms are) and have a look to see if you can tell the condition of the primary chain or tensioner. If the tensioner self destructed you would still have the primary chain intact and wouldn't be able to roll the bike in gear easily. If you do not feel comfortable working on your own bike then park it and call the shop and have them come retrieve it. Your profile doesn't say what country or region you're located in so it's hard to know what sort of local service you might have available. Let us know what you find out. | ||
| Buellistic |
"EXTENDED WARRANTY" will take care ot the problem !!! LET US ALL KNOW WHAT THE "PROBLEM WAS" !!! | ||
| Road_thing |
Is the belt OK? Could be a clutch or maybe a primary chain issue. Or maybe the crank sprocket has come loose. Or maybe the transmission's toast. Lotsa help, aren't I? Really, none of the above should be a real big or expensive deal (except the trans, but I doubt that's where the problem is). If you're still in warranty (on a '98?) that'd be great. rt | ||
| Road_thing |
Well, it's easy to see who checks BWB while they're still ono their first cup of coffee: Henrik, Bill, Mike, Lafayette and me! Let's see who else chimes in! rt | ||
| Italialaw |
Reep and Road: I did not check the belt at the time of break down. My local Harley/Buell Dealership picked me up within an hour of the breakdown. The dealer is Western Reserve Harley/Buell in Mentor, Ohio. They have not diagnosed the problem. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks | ||
| Xldevil |
My idea: your detent plate fell off,because of that stupid retaining ring. Ralph | ||
| Rocketman |
The splines have probably failed on your output shaft. If they don't cover it under warranty it's a simple repair for the competent home mechanic. All you need to know for now is once the primary is stripped the transmission comes out complete on the trap door. Four bolts give or take, and you don't disturb any of the gearing \ selector etc. Rocket | ||
| Sparky |
It might be stripped splines on the front drive pulley. That happened to my 96 Lightning while on the freeway. There was just enough friction left that I was able to limp into the dealer a few miles away. Fortunately the output shaft splines were OK. I forget what the dealer said was the problem; it might have been a batch of pulleys with poor hardening on the splines or the factory revised the procedure for tightening the locknut (after they built my bike). Whatever was the cause, it was covered under warranty. Sparky | ||
| Reepicheep |
Lets all root for the detente plate. That would be the literal 79 cent solution to the problem. Was it working when you put it into neutral, then could never leave it? That would fit your symptoms exactly. | ||
| Italialaw |
Reep, I could shift down one and up to two and three while the bike was stopped and running (like normal). It's just whatever gear it was in, and you fully disengaged the clutch, it just sit still, as if it was in neutral | ||
| Italialaw |
Hello all, The dealer said my "transmission sprocket" is toast and needs replacement. They stated the transmission is fine. They said it should be an hour job. What's this stock part cost? | ||
| Reepicheep |
I'm trying to remember what bits are in there, and how you could trash that sprocket (simple and cheap) without trashing the 5th gear drive assembly splines (not simple and not cheap). I remember a plate over a bolt secured by smaller bolts, and that holds on the actual sprocket somehow. But it's plausible. Sounds like it is not bad at all, I am guessing that sprocket is maybe $50 bucks (it has simple machining and some custom hardening) and the other hardware is $15 or so. Thats great news! | ||
| Buellistic |
The GEAR ASM, 5th mainshaft is harder metal than the countershaft sprocket and the splines will strip out of it ... Like the pinion shaft worm gear will wear out before the oil pump gear ... | ||
| Sparky |
Italialaw, been there. Your warranty should cover it. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks for the explanation Lafeyette... glad they got it right on this one, they got it backwards on the pinion gear... Should be an easy and cheap fix! | ||
| Italialaw |
Thanks all for the help. | ||
| Kahuna |
Italialaw, not sure what size front sprocket your bike has, but I would try to convince your dealer to put a 29 tooth for you. Way nicer than the 27, especially for touring... | ||
| Steveshakeshaft |
This can be caused by running the drive belt too tight. We had quite a few of these in the UK in the earlier tuber days. We (at www.ukbeg.com) don't hear of many now because we tell all our tuber riders to run their belts loose. Often the shaft splines are OK because the pulley splines are softer and wear first. (Message edited by steveshakeshaft on May 08, 2006) |
