Mine strips out about every 40k miles. Just had it happen again. Pulled out the parts manual, picked up the new version of the front shift lever. Light as a feather. Weighed old and new on the kitchen scale. The old part weighs 8.6 oz, the new one is 3.7 oz. These POSs aren't even made of steel anymore!!! Call the dealer where I bought it and quizzed him about it and checked for alternate part for steel. He said thats the replacement part. I told him about the weigh in and that these cheap *** things are now aluminum and that there is no way they'll hold up. He said "you don't think so?". I said hell no, I know they won't. The steel ones only lasted 40k with regular tightening and service. That soft metal will strand my *** in the middle of no where again. He said, "i don't know why Harley would make a part that doesn't last". I laughed when he said that. Harley living off of selling parts and service maybe? I'm tired of these cheap *** parts and designs. Sorry to rant, but HD doesn't get the quality aspect.
I had mine loosen up a couple years ago while riding, was able to keep it on with my boot while heading home, tightened up to torque vale, and haven't had a problem since. Now I'm going to check it tomorrow when I can!
Mine was close to getting stripped--noticed a few times it was "loose" and had play in it. I read about adding a washer under the bolt that "clamps" the shifter onto that splined shaft. This is what I did and it hasn't come loose in a couple thousand miles. I check pretty often because I'm nervous about it stripping out. I also removed the heel shifter since I never used it and now just keep it in my tool bag "just in case".
My 2014 striped out at 16000, them my2015 striped out 14000. Dealer fixed it, but WTF the shaft is soft metal thats why. My next fix if it happens again is to drill it out and put a pin in the arm into the shaft. This **** has be going on to f...ing long HD needs to come with a fix
Uhh...30k on my lame *** shifter shaft and it has not failed nor is it loose and I'm sporting a size 15 clod hopper. Toe shift only, had the heal removed upon delivery.
No one wants to admit or perhaps even has a clue they are "*STOMPING*" on the poor innocent shifter shaft...but they sure aren't breaking sitting in the garage...
Maybe get one fabbed from titanium? Some people can break an anvil with a rubber mallet.
I tightened mine on my 2014 FLHTP at 12000 miles when I noticed the loose shift lever arms allowing the side-to-side movement of the shaft. While it was all apart, I added the extended rear shift lever arm. I used locktite to the bolts, and lubed the shaft as well.
Fortunately, I think I caught the issue before the shaft was damaged. My guess is that the combination of assembly without locktite, crappy metal quality of the shaft, fine knurling, and engine vibration makes the shift lever shaft a part that is susceptible to problems without regular maintenance/attention.
Thank you to all those who encouraged me to look out for it.
Edit: OK, I re-read the OP, ignore the rest of this, wrong bad part.
Mine fell off after 9 miles coming home from work. . . when I was pulling into my driveway! I replaced the shaft and arm both for $60 at Signature in Toledo, they were in stock. Not a great design, the pinch bolt deforms the first two or three splines each side of the gap and the rest don't tighten. Eventually those wear out dn it leaves the rest loose and just waiting to wear.
Summit sells a replacement, assuming it's not from the normal supplier under a different label.....
08-02-2015 | 05:31 PM
