so i had the ever so popular loose shift linkage noise..
i did a search on the forum and see that the fix was a new bolt in the shift arm linkage (one between the inner primary and trans) so i did that and tightened the ever livin out of it.

well upon further inspection i see that the linkage wasnt what was loose.

looks like the splined shaft itself (coming out of the trans) has excessive play.

bike still shifts fine, i dont think there is any leak, no drips on the garage floor. (although sometimes during riding i can smell some redline shockproff trans fluid, if im at a light i can smell it)

what am i looking at here? does the trans have to be pulled to put a new shaft in, is it a bad bearing? seal? bushing?
any ideas guys?

i really dont want to tear the bike down right now being i dont have that much ride time left in the season.

also its been doing it for the last few months, and i have put a few thousands miles on it. hasnt gotten any worse, its just annoying hearing that rattling.

 

Hoblick, while you're diagnosis could be correct I'd bet that the shifter shaft is fine and you're problem is still with the shift lever. The teeth on the softer shift lever can become worn and rounded. When this happens no matter how tight you torque the bolt the lever still moves on the shifter shaft. It's hard to see what's happening due the the location of the shifter shaft and the bottom of the shift lever, but leaning over your seat from the opposite side and shining a flash light onto the components while moving the shift linkage with your hand may help you to see what's going on. On my son's 2002 RK we had to remove the primary in order to remove and replace the shift lever. Newer bikes like my 2011 FLHTCU have a depression on the back side of the inner primary cover that allows for the lever to slide out and off the shifter shaft without removing the primary.

 

If it's a six speed it is easy to replace the lever. But get an aftermarket lever that has machined splines, not cast.

 

I thought the same thing. I have a 2010 road glide mine does the same thing,I also have redline in the trans and smell it. I was told I was smelling it from the vent.on a side note my night train trans shaft does not move in and out like the roadglide

 

If it's shifting good and the seal is not leaking,ride it.
I would assume there is a bushing(need to look at manual)but could be a major repair.

 

betterlever.com

 

I have an '05 EG and it seems the shift arm on mine has worn out (doesn't shift down past Neutral and shifter hangs up while shifting up through the gears and has excessive play). My question is does the allen head bolt holding the arm on have a nut on the other end? I can't see the bottom end of the bolt with the primary on and I'd really not like to have to remove it all to change the arm.

 

No,just a screw.

 

Go to this website and read up on it. Might be what you need.

 

I just did my on my 2008 Ultra and I pulled the primary I didn’t see any other way to get it off. I wished I would have seen the Better Lever before I put a new stock one on with a grade 8 hex bolt.
But I also replace my compensator with a SE while it was all apart for the loud snap when it started.