Shifter Shaft - The essential service they don't tell you about...

[banquo]

There are clever people out there, who leave interesting tips on how to take your engine to bits, and more importantly, how to put it back together. Then there are people like me, who can leave only really basic tips, but might be some use to somebody....

If you have forward controls (anything with a shifter linkage) and there's no grease nipple on the shaft where your gear lever fits, sooner or later it's going to seize, and you won't be able to get any gears. You can get over this, by fitting a grease nipple to the bush housing, as illustrated by Harleyhog, here:
Grease Zerk

Alternatively, just make it part of your routine 5000 mile service interval to strip, clean and grease it. For the record, my '03 first seized up just after I'd collected it from a dealer service. When I called them, they said, "It's not part of the service routine", and in that, they were right, it's not, but it should be....

This is how to do it on an '03 Softail with pegs. Yours might be different, so use the manual if unsure. Mine looks like this:

Using a 7/16" open end spanner and a 1/2" ring spanner, slacken and remove the acorn nut and washer from the gear linkage.

Remove the shifter linkage and replace the nut and washer (saves losing them).

Mark the shaft where the gear lever fits, to show where it goes back on again. Make sure you use a permanent marker, and clean the area first.

Remove the pinch bolt from the gear lever, and pull the lever from the end of the shaft. Replace pinch bolt with washer in lever to avoid losing it:


Remove the plastic spacer, and the outer rubber o-ring, if it's easy. If not, remove the gear lever shaft, and see from all the rust and dried-up grease why it's seized solid, and then remove the outer o-ring. Note that the inner o-ring stays on the shaft:

Re-fit the pinch bolt and washer to the gear-shifter to avoid losing them:

[banquo]

Now it's time to clean the shaft very thoroughly. I washed it in paraffin, and then had to use some fine wet and dry paper to get rid of the rust and the burrs on the metal.
I cleaned the o-ring too, slipped it over the clean shaft, and then sprayed with dry-film lubricant, because I happened to have a tin of it lying around.

Next, it's time to clean the housing where the shaft fits. I used a cloth soaked in paraffin, then dried it with a clean cloth.

Note the outer o-ring, which needs cleaned too.

Next, grease the shaft with some light grease (copper grease doesn't work for this: I tried it):

... and then re-fit the shaft to the housing, making sure that the inner and outer o-rings are fitted, and the plastic spacer on the outside:


Note how I didn't use an indelible pen, and lost the markings from the shaft when cleaning it.... Yours will still be there, so refit the gear lever:

and then refit the shifter linkage:

Check your manual for torque settings for both fixings, tighten up, and the job's done:

Must get some new rubbers for that footpeg....

[Mike Benis]

Great job there with the photos. Clear as day!

Cheers

Mike

[Chris L]

You know what, I keep looking at mine on my Wide Glide thinking,'I must grease that up' Now I will get round to doing it. Thanks.

[MadMax]

Can't get a better explanation than that Banquo .. I did mine as on HH website ages ago. Greased it last June & never had to look at it since!

[BaZa ®]

Nice one Banquo will you send it and photos to the quin?

Would be good if you did.

Tech Tips to the quin: andy.woodside@btconnect.com

[banquo]

Bit basic for the 'quin methinks Baza.....

[BaZa ®]

Originally Posted by banquo

Bit basic for the 'quin methinks Baza.....

Are you saying the quin readers have more savvy/knowledge than us?

Good enuff for here so why not trim it down and remind them that they do need looking after with just a couple of photos?

Here you go what's wrong with this version?

To Tech Tips the quin:
If you have forward controls (anything with a shifter linkage) and there's no grease nipple on the shaft where your gear lever fits, sooner or later it's going to seize, and you won't be able to get any gears. You can get over this, by fitting a grease nipple to the bush housing, as illustrated by HarleyHog.





Alternatively, just make it part of your routine 5000 mile service interval to strip, clean and grease it. For the record, my '03 first seized up just after I'd collected it from a dealer service. When I called them, they said, "It's not part of the service routine", and in that, they were right, it's not, but it should be....

[Chris L]

Did mine yesterday,not quite the same as yours in I dont have the plastic spacers but other than that the same, now shifts sweet as a nut. Thanks for giving me the nudge I needed to get round to doing it.

[banquo]

makes it all worthwhile...