Primary/Transmission/Driveline/ClutchFind answers to general Drivetrain and transmission questions here.
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What about the clattering / rattling in 5th gear on the touring models? Could that be related to the fact that the transmission is mated to a rubber mounted engine instead of one with a balanced crankshaft? It seems to me that the power transfer to the transmission via the primary would not be as smooth as from the "B" engine and that 5th gear - being a straight / spur gear - well, you get the picture.
There are 3 rubber "Isolators" to hinder vibration to the chassis (1 front, 2 at swingarm), and 2 alloy stabilizer links that are firmly attached to motor/chassis (Front and top of motor)
On the "B" models, you will hear the counterbalancers over the 1st and 5th gear whine.....
Take out the counter balancers and you will hear it definitively, along with picking up your fillings, entrails and whatever else gets rattled loose......
You hear it on all of the Cruise Drive transmissions...... Softail, Dyna (Rubber Mounted) and of course the Touring.....
The Touring is more pronounced due to chassis configuration, more compacted primary housing and Body Harmonics......
Hell, on the 06's and back, you could hear 1st and 4th whining, but people just got used to it .....
Well, the point I was making is that a rubber-mounted non-B engine vibrates more than a B engine - although it is effectively isolated from the frame by virtue of being rubber mounted, this vibration could still be making it's way to the transmission via the primary. Besides, the noise I'm experiencing is not a "whine" but more of a clattering / rattling sound in 5th that starts to diminish as I get close to around 60 mph.
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Well, the point I was making is that a rubber-mounted non-B engine vibrates more than a B engine - although it is effectively isolated from the frame by virtue of being rubber mounted, this vibration could still be making it's way to the transmission via the primary. Besides, the noise I'm experiencing is not a "whine" but more of a clattering / rattling sound in 5th that starts to diminish as I get close to around 60 mph.
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The 07 Ultra I road did the exact same thing, sounded like rocks in the trans while in 5th gear. Sound pretty much went away when I hit 55-60 mph. For the life of me I can't understand why the MoCo would put together something that sounded like it was getting ready to blow. The bike was nice, the 96" engine seemed to pull pretty decent down load and the 6th gear on the freeway made the ride smooth as silk. The 2 biggest faults I found was at traffic lights it cooked both the right and left inner thighs vs the pre 07's only cooking the right inner thigh, and the 5th gear noise.
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The 07 Ultra I road did the exact same thing, sounded like rocks in the trans while in 5th gear. Sound pretty much went away when I hit 55-60 mph. For the life of me I can't understand why the MoCo would put together something that sounded like it was getting ready to blow. The bike was nice, the 96" engine seemed to pull pretty decent down load and the 6th gear on the freeway made the ride smooth as silk. The 2 biggest faults I found was at traffic lights it cooked both the right and left inner thighs vs the pre 07's only cooking the right inner thigh, and the 5th gear noise.
Thank-you - for knowing EXACTLY what I've been talking about! I sure hope HD gets the message. I can live with the heat, I can live with a whine, but for me this "rocks in the tranny" sound is just the worst sound imaginable on a brand new $20k+ motorcycle. HARLEY - ARE YOU LISTENING?
I have the same problem with my 2007 FLHX Street Glide. I picked up this new bike on 7/31, and I noticed it on the ride home, and was hopeful that the noise would fade after some miles. Fast forward to today. The bike has 600 miles on it already. The noise seems to be getting louder. Dealer says they hear it too. Call Harley customer service, and the woman I spoke with said HD is aware of the noise and that it's "inherent in the design". I asked if she was kidding and she said no. I explained to her that the noise is very pronounced, and it sounds very much like a tin can with a bunch of bolts rattling around. She gave me the "inherent in the design" answer again. I asked how long it took the legal department to come up with that one, to which I didn't get a reply. I told her "inherent in the design" means a feature that is desirable, or at least acceptable, and if that is HD's position, why doesn't the brochure and advertising state they've added this great new feature of an obnoxious 5th gear transmission for our riding pleasure? She agreed to have the trans fluid replaced by my dealer at no cost. I'm sure this will be a long painful process.
Several of you have posted in this thread that you were going to take your bikes back to the dealer because of the transmission noise.
Have any of you had the opportunity to take them back? If so, what's the outcome? One member said if you can't fix it, sell it! What's the status on that?
I put a deposit on an 07' FLHR. It came in and I'm passing on it. I remember when the TC88 came out in 99' and had issues with the defective pinion gear. I wanted to be the first to get a RKC with the TC88. It spent a lot of time in the shop getting that issue resolved (although MoCo, did resolve it). It was rather disappointing having a new Harley with a potential component failure.
For now, I'm bikeless and drawing on my patience while waiting to see how this tranny issue plays out. Another headache and disappointment, I can do without.
Maybe this thread should be moved to the Touring and/or General chat to receive more exposure and determine if more of the 07 owners are having the same issue.
Have any of you had the opportunity to take them back? If so, what's the outcome? One member said if you can't fix it, sell it! What's the status on that?
I believe you are refering to me. I did take my 07 Ultra back to the dealer Tuesday morning. I just got off of the phone with the dealer today. He said he called the MOCO and they told him they were sending him a new transmission for my bike. He told me as long as he has been service manager at the dealer. He has never had the MOCO not give him any guff at all about a major component change under warranty. He was more than a little surprised. He said I should have my bike back in a week to ten days. I can handle the whine but riding something that sounds like Eli Whitney invented is too much to ask. I think this problem is a little more wide spread than it appears. http://bobbyhill.home.att.net
Anybody know how long before shipping date a bike comes off the line, I have a 07 roadglide ordered to be shipped from the factory on 9-10-06 and seems if harley is having this problem that they would start fixing them on the line rather than in the field. One more thing, harley has been pushing the syn3 in all three holes, but acording to the 07 catalog the same fluids are used in the 07's, you can use syn3 or formula+ in the trans, Ive heard many who say the thinner 20-50 oil makes the trans noisey even on the older models, redline shock proof in my 02 makes no noise.
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Have any of you had the opportunity to take them back? If so, what's the outcome? One member said if you can't fix it, sell it! What's the status on that?
I believe you are refering to me. I did take my 07 Ultra back to the dealer Tuesday morning. I just got off of the phone with the dealer today. He said he called the MOCO and they told him they were sending him a new transmission for my bike. He told me as long as he has been service manager at the dealer. He has never had the MOCO not give him any guff at all about a major component change under warranty. He was more than a little surprised. He said I should have my bike back in a week to ten days. I can handle the whine but riding something that sounds like Eli Whitney invented is too much to ask. I think this problem is a little more wide spread than it appears. http://bobbyhill.home.att.net
That's great, Captain Bob! My '07 Road King is at the dealer's shop right now - since I called and complained to HD directly they had a factory rep and the district manager come out today to check it out. I'm still waiting on a call from HD customer service - the dealer said I should be getting a call today or tomorrow; hopefully, they'll be as "generous" with me as they've been with you. I'll keep you all posted...
RE: 2007 Tranny problem!
