Nice job! Thanks.

 

You don't have to! I did mine and my two sons and never touched the inner or outer primary. The '06 and later kit uses a longer trans lever than the earlier kits. To do the job RIGHT you have to change it. It keeps the symmetry between the shift lever and trans lever correct.

Here's how:
... remove the shift rod from the trans lever
... put some masking tape on the inner primary cover and trans housing
and mark the orientation of the trans lever
... remove the allen bolt on trans lever, I think it's 1/4", but check You need a long allen wrench , preferably on a socket. It's REALLY tight. might need a cheater bar on it. Don't strip the head on the bolt or you're screwed.
... The lever will not slide off...not enough room. You have to "toggle" it off.
... You have to spread the slot at the bottom of the lever that clamps to the trans shaft, even if it's only a few Thousandths of an inch. Sears makes a small right angle screwdriver that's straight on one end and Phillips on the other. Buy a couple of them, they break.
... get the straight part of the blade into the lever slot and spread the slot open a litttle. It's not easy, but you have to get it spread a little. The lever should be pretty loose on the shaft.
...This part is hard to explain....You have to use a LIGHT toggle motion on the lever towards the engine. To get the "feel" of the motion, extend your right arm, bend your wrist almost 90* to the left and pretend you're turning a key in the ignition with just your wrist. You have to move the lever out 1/8" to 1/4" and then toggle it back toward the engine. Just keep playing with it, but don't force it. If you have to , open up the slot a little more. It will be frustrating the first time, but it will come off.
... Once you get it off, reverse the motion immediately, to get the feel of what you're doing and put it on again, then take it off again.
...before putting the new longer lever on, open up the slot a little. It's much easier to do off the bike.
... while everything is off...look at how the bevel on the shaft and the small relief cut into the back of the lever to understand how it works coming off and going back on.
... If you're putting the black controls on, the lever is powder coated. You may have to open up the new lever a little extra to get it on and remove some of the coating around the back of the spline opening.

The first time is going to be a little frustrating, but hang in there, it will come off! The hardest part is getting that spline opened up.I can change one now in under 10 minutes.

Good Luck! AL

 

I would make an extension for the trans lever before I would remove the inner and outer primary! Too much work for too small of a gain.

 

I'm gonna try this. Now that I look at it more closely, it looks like there's room to "toggle" it out. It will be a bitch, though, but worth it if I can do it. Will post results one way or the other. Thanks

 

The key to this is getting the "jaws" of the trans lever spread open a little. it's a piece of cake after that!

 

Got it done today. Doing the lever swap over was easy. No cheater bar needed. Bolt came out pretty easy and lever toggled right off. I didn't have to spread the jaws of the lever either. New one went right on. Shifts feel just like my mid controls did. Safety wired the mid-lever down to a point on the frame so it doesn't flop around and installed the shaft cover on the outer primary. Thanks for all your help! Forwards are so comfortable!

 

You got real lucky not having to spread that lever. After the third one, I made up a tool to spread it. I'll get to try it on my nephew's bike as soon as he saves the money to buy the forwards. Good job...now it's done right.

 

Sorry for bringing this back from the dead, but its a good thread with lots of info for anyone else contemplating a forward control install, regardless of reduced, standard, extended, etc.

You can count me as another forward install complete (reduced reach) without removing the primary AND without cutting either.

What I did with the old mid-shift shaft was just put a small stretch of heater hose over the end of what was left (on engine side) and then pushed it back as far as it would go and let it drop down and rest where it may. Looks good and there is nothing sticking out of primary cover either because it is nearly flush. I may rig up a black cap to conceal it but it doesn't bother me much as that is not my favorite side of the bike anyway. Eventually, if I ever take the primary off, I will remove it completely but its not worth the hassle right now.

For the rear transmission shift lever, I was also able to "toggle" the new longer black one lever on. I did not have to open the jaws or anything. The set bolt loosened up easily and the stock lever came right out with a light toggle. However, I spent the next 30 minutes getting the new lever on. It would go on about half way and then I could not toggle any further. After trying to pry it on from every angle and endless toggling, I finally attacked it while standing up and looking down at it and then, out of divine intervention, it just slid right on with almost no effort. Not sure how that happened but I gave to whoever/whatever let it go on!
Total install time for me about 2 hours.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone in the thread for all the ideas. I do all my own work and would have tackled the job anyway but this thread surely saved me lots of time because I would have did it by the manual and took the primary off if I did not read this thread first.

I have pics too if anyone needs them. I updated my sig pic as well showing the forwards installed and my new place to hang my lid.

 

I did this about a year ago on my 2010 Dyna using Harley Forward Controls. Worked slick.

 

I wonder if this applies to new FLD footboard kit I just ordered.