I am doing a bit of tinkering on a 1988 883 Deluxe that I purchased recently. The bike has forward controls. The shift linkage keeps loosening where it meets the lever attached to the transmission spline. There is what seems to be a brass allen bolt that tightens this link. It is knurled for finger tightening as well. Each time I snub it down, it takes the slop out of the linkage for a time, then loosens again. I am thinking about removing the bolt and replacing it with a stainless steel clevis pin arrangement, because it has backed off on the road a few times, and I have to stop to tighten it. There has to be a better way. I might be missing a lock washer or nylon nut or something...(waiting for the service manual to arrive). Any ideas on why this bolt keeps backing itself off? I sure can't cure the vibration! Thanks for any help.

 

I think I'd go with a steel bolt over brass, brass is a soft metal. A bit of blue Loctite might help as well. Maybe a nylock nut on the other side so it won't back out either. You're not describing the splined clamp on the shift shaft? Don't want that loose at all, it will mess up your splines over time.

John

 

It definitely is not the clamp/lever that attaches to the actual spline. That seems fine. It is the point where the clamp/lever attaches to the shift rod. The brass bolt seems to be original HD manufacture. I think a nylock nut and bolt would fix it, but I would rather use the correct hardware. I have no idea if this is an original HD forward control arrangement or if it is aftermarket. When the connection is tight, it shifts and returns well. It just backs off with vibration and the shifter gets sloppy, eventually coming loose.

 

OK, I checked with some folks who know, and they identified the forward controls as an HD setup. I backed off the spline clamp bolt, which (not surprisingly) was blocking good access to the shift linkage bolt, so I couldn't properly tighten it. It's not brass. The bolt was discolored. I was able to get good purchase with an allen wrench and tighten the linkage bolt thoroughly, and added some blue Loctite. Replaced the spline clamp bolt, and we will see how it works. Seems to operate properly (Yes, I checked!) Now to let the Loctite set up, and hopefully that is that.