I recently bought a 2008 FLHTC. After riding it about 800 miles, it has a spun wrist pin bushing. The service manual doesn't tell you how to inspect, replace or repair this problem. They don't even sell you the parts. What else have you found that they won't support on a new bike? I am asking because I am apprehensive about riding it again. I would have had to ship my bike home if it had happened somewhere far from home. Wondering what else may break and require transportation home from the far reaches of the country.

 

Carry a spare motor and trans. Either might break. Ship your bike home? Seriously -this is where roadside assistance comes in, do you not have that on your insurance policy? You seem like a prime candidate!

 

first off, it's not a new bike, is it? you said you recently bought it, and it's an '08, right? was there no warranty with it?

not having a service manual, I have no idea if it's covered in it. I have an independent mechanic to do all of that for me, if it ever happens.

and the dealer won't sell you a new wrist pin? if it spun, will you be replacing the piston also? now would be a prime time to do a stage 2 upgrade..... sounds like you're gonna have the case opened anyway.

the cheapest part of my insurance is the towing.... think it runs me about $6 a year.

just curious, how did you determine it had spun a wrist pin bushing? did you get piston slap?

 

How do you know it's a wrist pin bearing if you can't find out how to inspect, replace, or repair it? Do you have the service manual for the bike? Just wondering.

 

Like I said, it is not covered in the service manual. The engine is disassembled. The wrist pin fell out of the rod during disassembly. I disassembled it because it was hammering very loud. It is preowned with 10,000 miles. No warantee. It expired 3 months before I bought it. I do have towing on my insurance. It will tow you 75 miles. My mechanic does not stay within 75 miles of where I ride, so it is a concern. The stealership told me to pull the crank and send it to darkhorse cranks. That's a toyota type answer. That is what I have had to resort to. About $2000 during my first 1000 miles of ownership. HD does not have a wrist pin to sell me. If you haven't seen the rods yet, they are chopped off at an angle making it impossible to replace the bushing. I was just wondering if they won't support any other parts of my bike.

 

Why would the stealer tell you to pull the crank to replace the wrist pin and bushing? Do you have the cylinders off?

 

If the bushing fell out, a new one will pobably not work anyway. You will need a custom bushing to fit a newly machined rod end. That's if the rod end is repairable. The crank assembly is pressed together so if you can get the rod end repaired without pulling the crank assembly apart you'll save a lot of money. Harley would of repaired your issue if you had bought it new but you didn't.
Or, you could bore and stroke it while you have it apart. That's what I'm going to do and there's nothing wrong with my bike and I will be voiding my warranty.

 

exactly what i was thinking the wrist pin and bushing shouldnt need to have the crank pulled to replace them, only need to pull the top end and you can probebly do it yourself if your mechanicly inclined

 

Harley Davidson Piston Pin Part Number 22131-05

If your dealer couldn't find this part number I would change dealers. Took me a minute 45 seconds on the phone with Bumpus.

Are you seriously just gonna replace the piston pin?

Did you mark which piston came out or which bore, and the direction of the piston or did you just pull everything apart.

Harley replaces parts. I don't know any dealer with a machine shop. Does any one else?

 

I wasn't asking how to fix it. There is no fix for it other than pulling the crank. A couple guys said they have done it but it is difficult. Look on this forumnad others. John at dark horse said "go ahead and experiment, but not with my bike". He has a point. That part number is probably the twin cam 88" part number. There is no listed part number for the 96" engine. The same bushing would fit if there was a way to push a straight bushing into an angled hole. Any how, I was just wondering if there is anything else that would keep me from getting my bike home in less than a month. I guess I could go back in with a new rod of the same poor design, but I won't do that! It isn't the same as the last 100 years. They have made some "improvements" in the last couple years. Sounds like you guys all know better than I. Good luck if you spin a wrist pin bushing while on the road after waranty. By the way, you won't find tools listed for a wrist pin bushing change for bikes after 2006 either. Go figure.