I have been doing some research on this and I am going to go for it.

After quite a while in the Search looking for answers I still have a couple of questions.

1. Do I need to mess with the clutch or is there enough room to remove the primary chain by removing just the chain adjuster?

2. When you remove the material in the primary so too be able to get out the parts of the old compensator what did you do to keep the aluminum chips from getting into something they shouldn't?

Thanks for you help!
08 SG

 

I think you need to at least remove the clutch nut so you can slide the basket out and slip the engine sprocket off (at least on mine). I don't think there is enough side to side slack in the chain to let that happen. If you do have that much, might be time for a new chain.... lol. I just wound up removing and installing the whole thing as one assembly. Seemed to be easier than hanging the clutch basket off the end of the trans shaft.

As for the aluminum chips, just cover your rotor hub and trans shaft with rags, then clean everything out before you try to remove it. Not much material has to come off, so there shouldn't be a ton of mess.

 

If you sop up all the oil from in the primary, you can vacume the aluminum chips out.

 

you have to remove the clutch and compensator together.
you'll need a pair of spring clip pliers to remove the retaining clip on the clutch.

The clutch hub nut is 1 3/16"
You will also need a torque wrench that will let you torque the compensator bolt to 140 lbs/ft.

I removed the excess case material with a course 1/2 round rasp and then followed up with a 1/2 round bastard to make it pretty again. You don't have to remove very much.
I cleaned mine out with a parts brush and my shop vac

I just did mine two days ago

 

Believe it or not, shaving cream foam works really well trapping metal shavings, and it is easy to clean off and does no damage.

You can also rig a shopvac hose very near the grinder tip to catch the shavings.

Either way, flush inside of primary with something like brakeclean before you start to remove oil that might trap the shavings, then flush again after grinding.

 

The comp can be removed without removing the clutch basket, at least on my softail. Take the tensioner off and remove the comp bolt, cap, and extension shaft. This provides enough slop in the chain to completely remove the comp sprocket and chain at the same time. Reverse order to install. As a precautionary measure use lots of duct tape on the bottom lip of the inner primary gasket face. That damn chain can really gouge it up with removal and replacement since there's so much slack. Chip control can be done lots of ways but make sure that oil hole for the IP bearing is not exposed, or the clutch pack. Any thing else can be washed and air hosed off.
Ron

 

You guys are awesome..all good advise! Thank you!

 

2009 Road King Classic. I installed the SE Compensator without taking off the clutch. Didn't even loosen it at all. There is JUST ENOUGH room between the teeth and the primary housing to get the chain off. JUST ENOUGH!

As for the shavings, I just put a rag over the clutch. After I was done grinding away, I wiped out as much of the shavings as possible with a rag. I then sprayed it with brake cleaner, and finished up with air compressor.

On a side note, the amount that you need to grind away seems to vary. I've read where some only need to remove very minimal amounts of material in order to get the rotor out. I, on the other hand, had to grind away an unsettling amount of aluminum to get it out.

 

I just changed all of mine out the other day..if this helps use the old bolt from the old compensator to put the new stuff back on...for me I lined things up the best that I could and just starting to tighten the bolt and it all went on very smooth.Remove old bolt and replace with the new one with the Loctite on it and torque it down..

 

Changed mine out without removing the clutch or having to grind any. Sure makes a big change.