ChopperJeff
Active Member
No problem! Forgot to mention that a UV flashlight is also needed. There are a gazillion of them out there, but the one I got from Amazon was this one:
Oil leak near drive belt
- Thread starter ChopperJeff
- Start date
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
Knew that - but thanks -- also have flashlight and safety glasses in shopping cart!
ChopperJeff
Active Member
Spoke with the tech who finally began working on my bike. What started as just fixing the main transmission seal has grown to entail other stuff.
Turns out the main transmission bearing is shot.
The rear wheel bearings are also shot.
The exhaust bracket is broken.
Oh, and the gears of the starter that I just installed a few weeks ago are broken. Here’s a photo of that.
I’m going to have him pull the primary cover off and do a quick inspection.
if only I had known this bike was so messed up before I bought it, I obviously would never had bought it. But, as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
Assuming there are no more “surprises”, I suppose I can just see this as an opportunity to get the bike all back to being almost brand new, and the future of it will be good.
Too easy though to be pessimistic and be thinking “my god, what else is going to go wrong?” I’ll try not to go there.
Turns out the main transmission bearing is shot.
The rear wheel bearings are also shot.
The exhaust bracket is broken.
Oh, and the gears of the starter that I just installed a few weeks ago are broken. Here’s a photo of that.
I’m going to have him pull the primary cover off and do a quick inspection.
if only I had known this bike was so messed up before I bought it, I obviously would never had bought it. But, as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
Assuming there are no more “surprises”, I suppose I can just see this as an opportunity to get the bike all back to being almost brand new, and the future of it will be good.
Too easy though to be pessimistic and be thinking “my god, what else is going to go wrong?” I’ll try not to go there.
Damn Bro that sucks. I guess it’s the luck of the draw with these old bikes. Good luck getting it sorted out & I agree that when you do you will have much enjoyment riding.
ChopperJeff
Active Member
The problems never seem to end with this bike. I had the tech pull the primary cover in order to verify that all is well, and he just texted me saying that the adjuster plate has a loose bolt and a broken bolt!
So far, the total of the issues are this:
- Some teeth of the starter are chewed up
- Rear wheel bearings are shot
- Transmission main seal needs replacing
- Transmission main bearing is shot
- Exhaust bracket is broke
- Primary adjustor bolt is broken
What the hell has this bike been thru to have all these issues? Or is this somehow "normal"? Way back when I had a 2005 Big Dog Chopper, I never had these issues even after putting 87,000 miles on it in 7 years! Well, I did have the exhaust bracket break several times and the swing arm bolt breaking, but never had issues with the primary or rear wheel.
So far, the total of the issues are this:
- Some teeth of the starter are chewed up
- Rear wheel bearings are shot
- Transmission main seal needs replacing
- Transmission main bearing is shot
- Exhaust bracket is broke
- Primary adjustor bolt is broken
What the hell has this bike been thru to have all these issues? Or is this somehow "normal"? Way back when I had a 2005 Big Dog Chopper, I never had these issues even after putting 87,000 miles on it in 7 years! Well, I did have the exhaust bracket break several times and the swing arm bolt breaking, but never had issues with the primary or rear wheel.
ChopperJeff
Active Member
Interesting perspective! I appreciate the input. I wonder if that’s why the bike since day one was a bit “iffy” when starting. Perhaps the original starter was OK to begin with. I’m actually going to have him install the original starter to see if it is indeed OK. Turns out the starter that was in there is the “improved” one that has the drain hole for any oil that might get into it, and appears to have the improved seal. The new one I got does not appear to have those improvements.
All a crap shoot at this point, but with the transmission issue combined with the primary adjuster bolt broken, perhaps the starter didnt have a chance. That all said though, it seems the new starter overall worked better.
I‘m at a loss to understand this thing.
ChopperJeff
Active Member
Bike is finally ready, but it turns out the starter I purchased not only has some chewed up teeth on the gear, but now it’s leaking! The tech says it’s probably the seal inside the starter.
I purchased it from here: https://www.bigdogpartskingpin.com/
Just sent them an email asking about their warranty policy.
Alll that said, would buying a starter from Big Dog themselves be the safest bet? I swear, with this bike, if I didn't have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all,
I purchased it from here: https://www.bigdogpartskingpin.com/
Just sent them an email asking about their warranty policy.
Alll that said, would buying a starter from Big Dog themselves be the safest bet? I swear, with this bike, if I didn't have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all,
knothead
Second Chance Customs
Remember on the 05 and up right side drive run around 20 to 22oz of oil not a full 32 ozs as the manual states...this solved alot of issues with the starters getting oil in them and primary gaskets leaking...also as some stated in previous post check the vent screen in the primary which im sure you already have.
On the question you have on starters and where to buy them from the atarters are the same ones from either place...bigdogpartskingpin.com will be the better value price wise and will work with you better...thats just my opinion
ChopperJeff
Active Member
When I pick up the bike I’ll run it by the tech about the primary oil level. I would imagine though that he is very familiar with it as this tech has worked on Big Dog motorcycles before.
As for bigdogpartskingpin, I very much will hesitate buying a starter from them ever again as that is the place I bought the current one from that has broken teeth on the gear and is leaking.
chubs
Guru
In reference to the problem with your starter, I highly doubt that the starter was defective or damaged when you received it from bigdogpartskingpin. (HDM IMC) . Having personally met and done business with Derik and Donna, I will attest to the fact that they are among the most honest and reputable people I have ever met, and I will never hesitate to buy parts from them.
ChopperJeff
Active Member
OK, thanks, good to know! I emailed them about my situation, and even ran it by them that if they can refurbish the one I got from them, I would be willing to pay them in the event they feel it was somehow damaged by my bike.
But just seems really strange though that if it’s a case of my bike damaging the starter, then why didn’t the original starter get damaged?
This whole starter stuff is driving me nuts though. Bad enough the one I bought Is having issues, but I am told by the tech at Arlen Ness that one should get the starter with the sealed bearing. He even spoke with the people a Baker and was told that. I ran this “sealed bearing” thing by Curtis at Wild Steed Worx and he said “There is no "sealed bearing" for the starters.”.
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bigkelk9
Well-Known Member
So I replaced my oil lines years ago, mainly wanted to get rid of that cheap set up they have when adding the oil coolers and make it one line. Went to a hydraulic line shop and they made em both for me for about $80.
I agree with Curtis about “no sealed bearings”. This is the complete breakdown of a starter.
ChopperJeff
Active Member
Wow, thank you for that! When I go talk with the tech, I'll run this all by him.
Here is a photo the tech sent me that he says has the sealed bearing. The arrow is the item the tech tells me is the sealed bearing. He said that ones that have it will show as being orange.
Interesting. Is this the starter you purchased from HDM or the original starter? I have discovered just recently while helping a friend with his ‘06 BigDog Chopper that the starter for the RSD bikes is different than the starter on my ‘04 & earlier bikes. So perhaps on those there’s a sealed bearing that isn’t on the earlier starters. Of course I would be inclined to believe that Curtis would definitely know about that. Sorry can’t be of more help. But I sure hope it is the last of your problems and you can get to riding!
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I have read on HDM website they have 2 starters for the 05-11 RSD models. One for $299 and one for $499. The more expensive one is the Upgraded Billet Nose starter. It had modifications to minimize the possibility of getting oil into the starter but not a guarantee. This starter comes with new seals, o-rings, sealed bearings and a splash washer. Maybe this is one the tech was talking about, (sealed bearings)? The advertisement talks about the amount of primary oil used and ventilation as mentioned in the above posts being the problem of oil getting into the starter.