Happens on a regular basis. Here's my story just a couple months ago out in the middle of nowhere by my whole shifter shaft came off. When I took my ride in, we also took my wife's 14 Road King in. She only uses the toe shifter and never the heel and her's was bad too.

HD ended up replacing my case as the paint was damaged from the shifter rod bouncing up and down on it.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/new-r...ot-happen.html

 

Happened on my buddy's 14 limited with 9500 miles, on his way to work in the transit lane in Dallas. He had to push it out of rush hour traffic. Dealers trailer was down so he went to another dealer, Bought the part and changed it himself.
A month later it happened again and this time the Dealer fixed it. Said It is happening on a lot of Bikes. He spent the $ for another spline shaft to keep as a spare.
I just changed to HD. What do we all need to do to force the hand of HD?

 

I had this happen to me. I came across this betterlever.com it fixed me last time. I just got a 15rg so I'm going to change this one out ahead of time so my splines stay perfect.

 

I use the heel shifter all the time. Hell, I've even used it to downshift when the front shift lever stripped out on my '13 Limited. Hooked the hee3l of my boot under the lever and pulled up to donw shift. This time it was the shift lever on the air cleaner side of the primary case that stripped out. So I was screwed any way I went.

 

Even with the abuse, bending and straightening the lever, those old dirt bikes never stripped out like these.

 

"This time it was the shift lever on the air cleaner side of the primary case that stripped out. So I was screwed any way I went."
This happened to my GF'S 2015 Street glide Special yesterday. Damn thing was stuck in first gear and the shifters were flopping around like a fish. No way to shift it period. Luckily we were a couple mile away from a dealer. They fixed it in a couple of hours. Makes me want to change that part out on mine.
Seems like the bikes cost more and the quality of parts keeps getting cheaper. Cheap Chinese metal probably.

 

Just happened on Saturday. On a 300 mile trip, buddy with at 14 RK - cruised into the dealership in 3rd gear.

Thankfully, the dealer had the part and was able to fix in in about 10 minutes

 

Im trying to understand the problem being discussed.

I understand it as splines on one of the input shafts are stripping.

What I don't understand is, what shaft?

Ive got female/ male splines on the shift lever, and more on the shaft to the transmission (tranny input shaft).

Which is stripping?

I ask so I know to keep an eye on it.

Thanks!

 

Mine stripped out at 11500 miles last week. On a trip coming back from Arkansas. Paducah dealer had parts but could not do the work til late following day and only if a mechanic freed up. My buddy went and got the shaft for me and had it going in 10 minutes when he got back. Oh Ya they said no warranty cause I was doing it myself. So what. 20 bucks. My 08 Ultra had 70000 miles on it and never went through a shifter shaft
Softer material from a cheaper supplier? My guess.

 

Londonbike- in my opinion, this is just not right. It might be worth a letter to Harley - let them know it stripped, dealer wanted to keep it overnight -and, you just replaced it.

I think they will give you your money back.

Bullast - let me try to describe where it is. Look at the center of the heal-toe shifter. The center is where the toe shifter rod and the heal shifter rod meet.

Now, there is a bolt that goes through the center of that connector and attached to a stem that connects to the long shirfter rod. It is that center bolt that is stripping.

Finalshot has a perfect picture of what we are talking about.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/new-r...ot-happen.html