I'm with ya on this one and that cover isn't going to keep that linkage from breaking eventually.........I got the chrome linkage with heim ends and hardware from HD for like $80.....just sayin

 

Went through the same ordeal about a year ago. Received a linkage cover as a gift from a friend, looked at it, thought it was pretty cool, and decided to put it on. I figured it couldn't be more than all of a 5 minute job, right? Wrong! I must have fiddled and wrestled with that damn thing for the better part of two hours; still with no success!!!! Either my hands were too big to get them where they needed to be to align the bolts or the damn bolts wouldn't 'catch' once I did get them aligned! After a few cold ones, I decided that it was far more trouble to me than it was worth. Being the stubborn person that I am, I gave 'er another go later that evening. Finally, success. The funny thing is that after all that, I ended up taking it off after only a couple of days and went out andgot a chrome linkage. The linkage cover came off in like 2 seconds! Arrrggh!!

 

Yeah, replaced the stock linkage with stainless steel and heim joints. Shifting feels much more solid now.

 

+1 same here, shifting difference is _definately_ noticable.

that factory linkage on my bagger was junk, with those rubber joints. last two bikes had stainless/heim joint linkage already... never even noticed till I got on this bagger.. that was the first mod I did was trash the factory linkage, and install the billet / bar&shield linkage.

99%r

 

Lol, can't believe I'm reading this. So, after all the crap I went through...... I ain't the only one.

I hate that POS cover, it still ain't installed. I even moved it the other day so it was outta site. Everytime I look at it I get pissed.

And my stock linkage had better not break. .........Well, at least it had better last until I order another one in decent metal.

 

I installed the chrome replacement one with the heim joints when my stock one broke. Didn't see the sense in the cover since I'd still have the crappy ball joints.

 

I had no problem with mine,Been on for a year or so now.

 

Replaced my linkage at about twenty five thousand miles,does indeed make a big difference in shifting.Didn't realize how sloppy it was til I changed the linkage.

Good Luck

Tom

 

I too had trouble putting the cover on so I just used some clear silcone along the inside and it went right on. 50 thousand miles later it was still their. I sold that bike and bought a new one and did not even try to mount the cover. Just put silcone on the inside and 7000 miles later its still on.

 

I installed the cover by using the reg bolt for the rear then the front would not catch for nothing in the world I ended getting a longer bolt from my toolbox tied it up then took it off and used the supplied bolt it has been there so far no issues.