Tranny woes . . .

I had mentioned this briefly on another thread and thought I would bring it up here. 4-speed tranny sometimes grinds when trying to shift into first. It also makes noises when I roll it around the shop to turn it around. I've timed the lid several times and I've had fellas on the ShovelheadUSA forum say it's likely a clutch problem rather than a timing issue. I did the following things to try and fix it: install a clutch tamer, clean and sand the friction plates and make sure the friction plates are releasing evenly. It worked for a day or so and now is back to its old tricks. It doesn't do it all the time, but enough during a day's ride

I noticed the last time I was inside the lid that the engaging dogs on the larger gears are worn, and I was told that the tranny would jump out of gear if they were worn too much. I think it may have done that only once during the past few years. Now the main seal is leaking again after 3 seal replacements. I think the seal is good and I may have to install one of Saddlebagrail's sprocket spacers with the Viton o-ring.

It has been suggested to sell the ol' thang and put that money toward a new 4 speed, but I don't think anyone would want to buy it as is. What could I ask for it?

I've been considering changing my old gear set for a Baker N1234 set which puts neutral before first (instead of between first and second). I believe they invented this for drag bikes, but riders who have a suicide clutch/jockey shift setup say you can never miss neutral when coming to a stop.

Of course, there may be other issues with the tranny, as you mentioned. If some or all the shafts, bearings and bushings need replacing, it might be better to go with a new tranny. A 5 speed would be nice as I always seem to need that extra 5th gear. But I would still like the Baker N1 gear set . . .

I have no way of knowing for certain what's really wrong with my gear box as I'm only an amateur mechanic and know next to nothing about what to look for.

I'll go on ebay and look around for some kind of solution, though I am leery of buying anything online anymore. Thanks for the input, HRK.

I found a '77 ratchet top on Ebay, (the same year as my motor), and almost went for it. It was under $900, but didn't look too hot from the pictures I saw of the inside of the gearbox. Anyway, I just got tired of doing nothing about the tranny and pulled the ol' thing out of the bike and went to Tattoo's shop and we spent an entire afternoon going thru it and found that the timing gear in the lid was off time. That meant we had to retime the shift drum as well. We weren't sure these adjustments were going to fix it, but everything was now set to factory specs and we could find nothing else wrong with it, for the exception of normal wear and tear. We put it all back together and now she shifts much better in all gears. There's a rebuild coming in the not too distant future, but I can ride her for now and not be concerned about grinding into first.

Congrats and enjoy the rides!

Yeah, that's how it goes! There is still some weeping at the tranny main seal, but not enough to leak on the floor. Since I have replaced that seal at least 3 times (and all of them leaked), I suspect that the shaft is worn or slightly bent. Anyhow, the rebuild this winter will include a new mainshaft and N1 gearset. I'm starting to save for it now . . . the gearset alone is $600+.

I might mention that I had a similar problem with the cone side of the motor. It was leaking oil inside the cam chest and getting it all over the points, etc. After replacing the cam seal about 3 times, I finally bought a new cone and mild performance Andrews cam. Had Paul hone the new cam bushing to fit the new cam. No more leak.

Thanks, Red. A bunch of us are going on a poker run today and I hear there could be about 150 riders. I'm not a big fan of these events, especially riding with that many. I always hang at the rear of the formation, having only one brake and suicide clutch. What gets me is that they always ride too fast. I don't like going more than the speed limit on this ol' thing, but I'm going this time because an old friend will be leaving the area and it will be our last ride together.

jb, I get that about group rides...one toy run a year is enough for me. Too bad about your pal moving away, but, heh, now you've got another destination to ride to.

Yup, I now have two friends who live in Tennessee. Getting there is another story LOL. Well, there were a lot of bikes on yesterday's ride, but not 150. Sometimes they got up around 70 MPH on 55 MPH roads (I was told later). I always arrived late at our destinations and was sometimes the butt of their good-natured jokes about draggin' ass. It also rained most of the time and we got soaked really good. The guys with fairings and windscreens fared much better than the rest of us. All the stuff in my wallet ended up on my dresser overnight drying out. I rode home the last 25 miles alone in the rain and it was pounding. Finally pulled over at a gas station and drank coffee until it let up some - boots had an inch of water in them - but the rain never stopped. Ahh, that's motorcycling, boys, and one ride I'll not soon forget. I was very pleased the ol' shovel held up . . .

I usually get a couple rides every season like that. Next day I found a bit of water in the pawl carrier. Took it apart and cleaned it up and reassembled it. There is still a very light mist of oil weeping from the tranny mainshaft seal, but not enough to be concerned about - I just wipe off the frame section below it and the rear wheel rim after a ride. It's a shovel, after all.

Once in a while, the tranny still doesn't want to downshift into first without ch-ch-ch-ch-chattering, no matter what I do. Tattoo and I are still scratching our heads over that one. I have a new set of 4 Alto steel clutch discs (not the friction discs) I will exchange for the anti-rattle discs that are in the bike now. It may help, because the anti-rattle discs may not be allowing the clutch to completely release. They are in there tight enough I have to use a screwdriver to pry them out of the clutch basket. I will gladly put up with the added noise if they work . . .

Well, installed the new steels and they helped. I also changed the way I downshift into first (from a standstill): I bring the jockey shifter back slowly until it stops just before going into first, and then ease it into gear. It has made a big difference. Beats me why, but I'll take it!

Downsfifting into N from 2 when coming to a stop is critical for me; fortunately, I don't miss it very often. When I do, I must kill the engine, come to a stop, get off the bike and kick it over. Most of the time, it's not an issue; but if there are motorists behind me I can sense the bad vibes coming my way. One time a guy went around me and shouted for me to get a horse!
My buddy Tattoo has never had shifting problems with his old 4-speed and thinks mine has an 'evil spirit' ha-ha.
Since mine has a home-made jockey shifter and has an open BDL belt driven primary, I suppose mixing and matching different componants is asking for trouble. Just about everything I have in the clutch is made by a different company.

I'd rather kickstart it all the time, plus I like the smaller, lighter battery and simpler electric system on mine. No modules (yes, it's possible to ride a bike with no modules or relays, like in the good old days), no ignition (just a hidden 30 amp on/off toggle switch), no frills. Figure when I get unable to kickstart it, then I'm probably too old to ride anymore.

The tranny operated flawlessly all day yesterday.

Always see them on the roads around here. I wonder how some of them ever got licensed. Incidently, on yesterday's ride the tranny chattered two or three times once at a stop. Guess the gremlims are still at work, but I've chased most of them away.

My tranny needs the following done to it (and maybe more):
At least two new studs in the bottom.
Gearset and shafts.
Bearings and bushings inside the gearbox as needed.
New seals and o-rings all around.

Everything inside the kicker side has been rebuilt in the past two years and should be okay.

I am still looking at 4-speeds on Ebay . . . But I won't know I'm getting a POS until I get it in the bike and test it out.

Been riding about 5 days since my last post and have had no problems with the tranny, so long as I let the revs drop to idle and shift it easy into 1st.

It's gonna get harder to save for my rebuild because my salary at school got chopped about 35%. Some of the fulltime teachers were let go. I think they kept me on because I do a lot of maintenance as well as teach. We have less than 70 students enrolling this school year, but we will become a charter school next school year and that should keep us open for a while longer. I expect it won't be the same, though . . .