This thread was originally posted yesterday in the Primary/Transmission/Driveline/Clutch forum. I'm reposting here because there's a lot more readers here on the Touring Models forum.

Original Thread: 6100+ miles on 2015 Road King, and the problem is, and always has been, once the bike is warmed up, and with every shift of every gear, either upshifting or downshifting, there is a very loud CLANK. Not a clunk, and not a clink either, but a very loud metal-on-metal CLANK. HD dealerships (two), who test rode the bike, have said, "They all do that." The loud CLANK will also occur when rolling on and off the throttle in all gears. The sound appears to be coming from the left side towards the front of the primary.

I have tried various fluids in both the primary and the transmission. The CLANK is always the same.

I'd like to hear opinions from other owners, especially those who have a Rushmore 103 motor.

Is there a mechanical fix for the CLANK?

P.S. So far, I received one reply yesterday to the original thread, and the suggestions were to check the primary chain, and also check for a loose compensator nut.

Has anyone else experienced this, and did a mechanical fix that cured the clank, or at least reduced it?

 

Have you checked those two things and eliminated them? I will observe having read a number of these threads on this very forum that often riders are not familiar with the clunky engineering on these bikes.

​​​​​​​But what I would throw out there is clutch adjustment or clutch drag.

 

I haven't checked or eliminated anything yet. When I take the bike to an indy shop, I'll ask them to check clutch, and clutch drag, but I thought it was adjusted during the 1k and 5k services.

 

My city bike would tick and stall when EITMS kicked in because the clutch was dragging ever so slightly. Single-cylinder mode didn't create enough power with a dragging clutch and it would TICK before stalling. A clutch adjustment cured the problem.

Clutches are responsible for more than people realize.

Ben

 

I have the EITMS turned off.

 

Does this happen when the drive line reverses load? Goes from pushing the bike forward to the engine becoming a brake and then adding throttle again to accelerate? There is a fair amount of accumulated "slop" in the drive line and when reversing load there can be quite a bump and clang when getting to the end of the slop. How much experience do you have with manual transmissions? There is no fluid coupling to absorb abrupt throttle inputs especially when changing from coast to drive and back. In a shift accelerating, if you close the throttle before pulling in the clutch, the engine slows and becomes a brake pushing the driveline into the coast mode with a jerk, after the shift, letting the clutch out abruptly will "slam" the driveline into drive again making another clank and jerk. Have you had a passenger? When you shift, does the passenger bump into your back as get ready to upshift and then jerk backward as you let out the clutch after the shift? If that happens more often than not, this is more operator factor than a problem with the bike.

 

Does this happen when the drive line reverses load? Goes from pushing the bike forward to the engine becoming a brake and then adding throttle again to accelerate?

Yes, and that's why I stated that the clank occurs when rolling on and off the throttle in all gears, so that the cause of this problem could be determined.

There is a fair amount of accumulated "slop" in the drive line and when reversing load there can be quite a bump and clang when getting to the end of the slop. How much experience do you have with manual transmissions?

I've had this bike for about a year, and prior to that, my manual transmission experience was with a 1991 Geo Tracker, and a 1979 Toyota Corolla. Prior to that, a Kawasaki 500.

There is no fluid coupling to absorb abrupt throttle inputs especially when changing from coast to drive and back. In a shift accelerating, if you close the throttle before pulling in the clutch, the engine slows and becomes a brake pushing the driveline into the coast mode with a jerk, after the shift, letting the clutch out abruptly will "slam" the driveline into drive again making another clank and jerk.

On acceleration, I've tried holding the clutch in for a two seconds, four seconds, six seconds, and then s l o w l y releasing the clutch and shifting the gears, and I've tried holding the clutch in very briefly, and then shifting gears, and I've tried rev matching RPMs with the previous gear, and I've tried speed shifting the gears, and I've tried preloading the heel shifter before shifting gears, and no matter how fast, slow or rev matched or preloaded I shift the gears, there is always a clank, and I'm sick of hearing the clank, and I'm looking for a mechanical fix, if one exists, to either cure the clank, or reduce it.

Have you had a passenger? When you shift, does the passenger bump into your back as get ready to upshift and then jerk backward as you let out the clutch after the shift?

No passengers yet. By the way, when I recently rode a friend's 10+ year old Electra Glide with a 96 motor, there was a very mild clunk when shifting gears, not a metal-on-metal clank.

If that happens more often than not, this is more operator factor than a problem with the bike.

Thank you for your reply.

 

It's the compensator, but there may be nothing wrong with the compensator... Try Formula+ in the primary; it should make a world of difference. If you're already on Formula+, Have the comp tightened.

 

I checked my receipt for the 1k service from that dealership, and at that interval, Syn 3 went in the primary, and Bel-Ray in the transmission. I just called two local dealerships, and spoke with service departments, and both said that a 2015's primary gets 20w50 "break-in" oil when new at the factory. Formula + is apparently 20w50 regular oil but I could be wrong. I might try the Formula + to see if it does make a difference.

I've tried several other varieties of 20w50 in the primary, both regular and synthetic oils, and nothing has quieted the clank. The 2nd dealership I just spoke with wouldn't recommend the Formula +, and instead he recommends Syn 3 for the primary. I'll definitely mention to the indy shop to tighten the compensator. I hope it's something that simple.

 

Those two changes quieted mine immensely.

Yes, Formula+ is dino oil.

The FACTORY actually recommends Formula+ in the primary (at least on 2016 models).

Here's my story - for 1,000 miles, there was "some" clunking, but not terrible. At the 1,000 mile service, performed at Rossmeyer, I mentioned the noise and was told "that's just the heavier comp in the newer models" (heavier compared to my 2010). After the 1,000 mile service, the noise got substantially worse.

Back home, I brought it to my home dealership, St. Charles Harley. I complained about the noise to them, and they took it more seriously. When they asked what fluid was in the primary, and I checked my receipt, they had filled it with Syn3. Under warranty, St. Charles opened the primary, tightened the comp (they said they found it a little loose), and filled the primary with Formula+.

It still makes more noise than either of my previous Harley's, but now at least it doesn't sound like jack-shafting or like it's about to break. 6,000 miles later, it hasn't gotten better or worse, and it's still tolerable.

I hope that helps.