who's been having to add transmission fluid?
#1551
09-08-2017, 07:46 PM
Road Master
1. I am not good at being diplomatic with any situation where I start to get the run around/corporate talk. Yeah at 55 I should be better at this, but no. I hoped the more time I gave the factory, the sooner a "fix" would develop. Then I wouldn't have to worry about my temper when confronted with blank stares or quotes of "that is impossible/can't happen", or "we've never heard of that before" etc.
2. Also I was determined to go to Sturgis this year come hell or high water. That accomplished, I'll enjoy a few more weeks of good riding weather before committing myself to the Corporate Merry-Go-Round that is the Harley Davidson Factory Warranty.
I sincerely doubt it will be fixed, although hope springs eternal. At that point we will see what next spring brings. Maybe I should start getting myself Psyched to be on another brand the last 20 years of my riding career.
Last edited by ocezam; 09-08-2017 at 09:03 PM.
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stixvrad (09-10-2017)
#1552
09-08-2017, 07:51 PM
Road Master
Hell yes! Most people complain about the clutch anyway. Personally I could take it or leave it. But if it fixed this BS I'd be in.
Pretty expensive fix though, I doubt if HD would own up to it.
Pretty expensive fix though, I doubt if HD would own up to it.
Last edited by ocezam; 09-09-2017 at 12:30 AM.
#1553
09-08-2017, 07:55 PM
Road Master
Finding the problem/solution is less than half of the problem. Expecting a corporate giant to do the "right thing" is even harder to accomplish sometimes.
Last edited by ocezam; 09-08-2017 at 08:45 PM.
#1554
09-08-2017, 07:58 PM
Road Master
Pisses me off that HD's biggist marketing claim is the "lifestyle". Really? What kind of "lifestyle" is it that I can't expect my 21st century machine to live up to the performance/maintenance standards of the 1970's?
#1556
09-08-2017, 08:01 PM
#1557
09-08-2017, 08:08 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Someplace around here there are pictures of the gasket side of the right tranny cover and the tranny trap door. You need to picture the 2 pieces together.. The outer cover has a machined surface that is at the same level as the gasket surface that covers the mainshaft bearing. Part of the issue is that the clearance between the 2 surfaces is only the thickness of the cover gasket. That area can fill with oil from oil being picked up by 1st gear and squirting out say both directions where they mesh.. This condition can push oil through the mainshaft bearing to the clutch pushrod side of the bearing. The gasket surface of the plate holds some of the oil around the clutch pushrod entrance n the mainshaft. This oil by itself probably won't migrate much. Maybe a few drops over period of 5-10 thousand miles. There isn't any seal between the clutch pushrod and the manshaft hole. As someone said. Drop the pressure in the primary through a leaky crankshaft and the mainshaft hole pulls oil through the mainshaft like a soda straw into the primary.
This issue will not occur on a mechanical clutch setup as the right tranny cover houses the release mechanism and there is plenty of clearance for any oil that migrates through the bearing to exit from around the clutch pushrod.
This issue will not occur on a mechanical clutch setup as the right tranny cover houses the release mechanism and there is plenty of clearance for any oil that migrates through the bearing to exit from around the clutch pushrod.
I now understand how the difference could be a part of this migration issue...
#1558
09-08-2017, 08:10 PM
Road Master
So what is your point? Your bike doesn't transfer oil, therefore he never heard from an HD rep? Not sure anyone could follow that train of "logic".
Last edited by ocezam; 09-08-2017 at 11:28 PM.
#1559
09-08-2017, 08:26 PM
Road Master
Fixes will be made in future production. Those with the problem now will be out of luck, and HD will lose a few thousand customers because of it. With the accuracy and effectiveness of the HD marketing department they may well lose almost nothing overall. There will still be more people to belly up to the bar and pay their money to have the "lifestyle" that HD promises. Heck, HD got away with it with several issues of the early Twin Cams. Didn't hurt the bottom line much at all.
But 20 years ago most HD dealers were marking up the MSRP by a ton. Harleys sold no matter what. But back then the motorcycle industry was in a huge upswing across the board. Now customer traffic in every manufacturers showroom is dwindling. It's like the motorcycle slump of the 80's. And Harley's core base just keeps gets older.
I think they should fix the bikes with the problem. I'm not sure they will see the wisdom in that.
Last edited by ocezam; 09-08-2017 at 11:29 PM.