Heel shifter huh?
#32
06-24-2012 | 11:04 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 62
Likes: 5
From: forest lake, minnesota
i took mine off for a bit, and was on the "short bus" trying to upshift, put it back on when i got home. i did cut the rear peg in half to gain a little floorboard room. i guess that is why they bolt them on instead of welding them.
#33
06-24-2012 | 11:12 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,362
Likes: 1,747
From: Central Texas
So I decided to take a little ride yesterday down to Heart of Dixie HD just because. When I reached home, I noticed that the heel section of my heel/toe shifter is gone. I thought I heard something metal hit when I was on the highway cruising, but I made a quick look around and didn't notice anything odd until I got back home. I have less than 1,000 miles on the bike. Ummm, should that have happened? I've had the bike a couple of months. I wouldn't think stuff should be falling off already. Should I contact them and be like "WTF?" The funny part is I had just bought the shifter cover to remove the heel section, but I'd rather have kept it than lose it on the highway.
and find out just how ______ the HD warranty is.
#34
06-25-2012 | 07:57 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,566
Likes: 4,381
From: anacoco, la
I took my heel shifter off as well, and used the Kuryakyn spacer part to extend the toe shift lever out to the end. However, I was CONSTANTLY having to readjust the lever back onto the shaft because it continually worked it's way to nearly falling off. I noticed that unlike my former metric bikes, the bolt that holds the lever on there does NOT go into the 'groove' in the splined shaft of the shift lever, so it can vibrate out to the end of the shaft and fall off. I've since swapped the toe shift back to the inner half of the shaft so at least there is another inch or so for it to have to travel to vibrate it's way off. I haven't used loctite yet, but will once the shaft cover I ordered gets here...and I tighten that bolt as hard as I can manage without busting the 1/4" allen-head socket I use on it.
Seems like poor engineering on the levers themselves is to blame. Why doesn't the bolt run into the groove in the shaft to help ensure the lever stays on? It seems if the bolt-hole were a mm or two closer to the shaft, the bolt would nestle into that groove (like they do on metric bikes), and unless the bolt itself backed nearly completely out, it would prevent the levers from moving left or right. I know when working on my old Yammies and Kawis, you had to fully remove the bolt to be able to slide the shift lever off. On my Street Glide, I can remove the lever once the bolt is just loosened...not removed fully from the lever. I guess HD figures it can sell more levers if they allow them to always vibrate off, especially considering the outside lever is the rear shifter, but geez...
Seems like poor engineering on the levers themselves is to blame. Why doesn't the bolt run into the groove in the shaft to help ensure the lever stays on? It seems if the bolt-hole were a mm or two closer to the shaft, the bolt would nestle into that groove (like they do on metric bikes), and unless the bolt itself backed nearly completely out, it would prevent the levers from moving left or right. I know when working on my old Yammies and Kawis, you had to fully remove the bolt to be able to slide the shift lever off. On my Street Glide, I can remove the lever once the bolt is just loosened...not removed fully from the lever. I guess HD figures it can sell more levers if they allow them to always vibrate off, especially considering the outside lever is the rear shifter, but geez...
actually, i don't see how it couldn't be, because without it being in the groove, the bolt won't even go in the lever, and once the bolt is in, i can't pull the lever off.
Last edited by skratch; 06-25-2012 at 08:07 AM.
#35
06-25-2012 | 08:27 AM
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 34
From: ST. Louis
I love mine I use it all the time, I never do the toe shift.
It took about a week to get use to it, after years and years of not being around one (I also use it to find neutal a lot easier).
I test rode a Victory last summer and it's the first thing I noticed on the ride (hey where's my heal shifter?)
It took about a week to get use to it, after years and years of not being around one (I also use it to find neutal a lot easier).
I test rode a Victory last summer and it's the first thing I noticed on the ride (hey where's my heal shifter?)
#36
06-25-2012 | 08:27 AM
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
Funny, back in '06 I bought a new '06 WG. After leaving the dealership, about 2 mi away, I go to downshift at a light and the toe shifter was gone. I turned around to head back to the dealership and saw in sitting in the middle of the road about a block from the light picked it up and put it back on. Never went back to complain, just went home and checked all the bolts.
#37
06-25-2012 | 08:39 AM
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 102
Likes: 3
From: Northeast PA
Last riding season I lost my complete heel toe shifter while cruising down an interstate. I had no clue it fell off until I exited and when to down to downshift...Needless to say Blue Loctite is now being used at my house...It also gave me a good reason to upgrade!!!!
#38
06-25-2012 | 08:50 AM
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 810
Likes: 24
From: Montgomery, AL
#39
06-25-2012 | 08:52 AM
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,518
Likes: 264
From: Wellsboro, PA
