Harley FLHTC, let out the clutch and no go?

I own a 1985 HD FLHTC. It started making some strange sounds almost like loose tappets. I took it in to the guy that just rebuilt the motor and he said that it was in great shape and the noise I was hearing was driveline noise and not to worry. RIGHT! Well I took it for a 100 mile run and late into it what I thought was the clutch slipped and she reaved a couple of times. Thought I better get it home. Well 20 miles from home on a busy freeway I loss all drive and had to coast to the side of the road. Placed it in every gear and let out the clutch. No go. I mean nothing. no grinding no chatter and no grab at all? it never ran so quiet LOL. Clutch cable was fine. I pulled off the primary cover and looked at the clutch disks. They were a little warn but not bad enough to loose all drive. I am now ready to pull off the primary chain and clutch basket. I hit a snag. The compensater bolt is it a left treaded? tell me I need to know. What else could the problem be. I will appreceiate any help on this. Thanks in advance.

No. The compensating is right-hand threads, the clutch nut is left-hand threads.

IF your compensating nut doesn’t fall off going down the road (like most folks) then the easiest way to get it off is by impact-wrench.

If you don’t have access to an impact-wrench then you will need a pry-bar of some type and you’ll need to keep the primary chain / driveline from moving/turning (ouch). 'They' have the right tool for jamming the chain, but, I've have used a door-stop a couple of times and it works O.K. (its just my way of doing it, I'm sure there are better ways)

Not to sound like a D***, but is your belt on? I had lost / broke my belt one day going down the highway and it was the quietest, smoothest sounding my bike ever was.

Thanks Killer-B
Yep the belt is on and is not damaged. I think I may know what the problem is. but i will have to get the primary chain assembley off to see for sure. I need to borrow an impact wrench. I think maybe the keyway key on the clutch mainshaft sheared. If that is the case and it didn't do to much damage I will be back on the road again soon. It is good to know the thread direction of the compensater sprocket bolt. Thanks. I called Redding CA Harley Davidson to ask them that question and they refused to tell me???? Whats up with that lol. I will never use them for any service in the future. Thanks again.

Yep

Yep, its a bit over 100 ft-lb's.

Compensating spocket nut is: 150-165 ft-lb's

The service manual is a good investment.

Thanks. Still have not got the sprocket off. But the rear wheel does not turn. The clutch basket turns and the clutch cable is working. hopefully as soon as i get the impact wrench I won't find to much damage. This sprocket nut will never fall off Ha ha What a bear.

hotroadking
I got the clutch assembly pulled far enough to see that the keyway key is trash. if i ever get this spocket nut off It should be a easy fix. But i will have to take a closer look to figure out why it ate the key. The shop that last worked on it should be calling me today.

This is a pretty common problem on the taper shaft clutch hubs. If the hub is split when you replace it have your local shop press a sleeve onto it. This makes the aluminum much stronger and less likely to crack.

Over torquing can crack it as will a bad main shaft.

Thanks CD
I ended up taking it to main street choppers. He said if I bought that new tire from him he would remove the compensator spocket nut for free. His air impact wrench didn't even budge it. He had to borrow a bigger impact wrench, buy a new socket which broke and it took him 4 hours to finaly get that bugger off. It was caked with RED locktight. Inside and out side the nut. By the end of it we attracted a pretty good size crowd. cheers all the way around lol. He is hanging the chewed up nut on the wall. Now i am waiting for the parts to come in and I will be set again.

No Go

If I read this right with all the hammering done on the compensator nut you might want to check the rotor and related parts for damage. Using air tools can knock the magnets lose from the rotor etc. Dutch

No kiddin' Dutch I wouldn't be surprised to see some loose magnets.

Was that hub cracked?

Yep. It did loosen up the magnets in the comp cup. I will need to replace that. Another $80.00. The clutch hub is not cracked but it did some spin damage on the tapered part were the key was. The hub is also a little warped ( side to side) not to bad but I am a little concerned about vibration. I had a new bearing pressed into the clutch hub. I took it for a ride and it was much more quiet but it did make a different sound going up grades. Maybe I don't have the clutch spring ajusted just right or that hub is just too warn. I am pulling it apart again today to make sure all the nuts and bolts are tight. Don't know how long it will last. It's going to take the big bucks to fix it right. New Mainshaft, Clutch baskit and hub, Compensator sprocket assembly. I just don't have the bucks now or maybe later. LOL.