down shifting

mml03102

Active Member
Here we go again.
I just replaced the clutch cable last week and adjusted the clutch and after riding for a half hour or so it became hard to downshift . I read the manual and post here and it sounded like the shifting linkage so I lengthened it and aligned the eyelets and it was worse .so I shortened it and it was a lil better so I did it a few more times and tightened the clutch cable and it was again better but still hard to get it into 1st after it has been running for a while all is fine when it cold .

The rod is way shorter than it was but I will shorten it again and see what happens also all the fluids are okay.

Could their be something else going on??
 

Sven

Well-Known Member
The rod is way shorter than it was but I will shorten it again and see what happens...
I may be wrong here, but so far, are we attaching a ball and ramp style to the one cable end? So when you pull that cable, this plate rides over a triangle layout of 3 balls, and it now rides up on the balls itself, coming out of these teardrop looking indents. Isn't that all she wrote as a throw and the one plate moved onto a push rod?

Then I may be wrong again, but at the other end is the clutch pressure plate the rod is going to push, when the balls come out of those teardrop indents that is, right?

So I grind down a push rod and this hardly moves the pressure plate out. In fact, I creep along, it's hard to find N, can't shift down from top gear, what am I missing someone shortens the throw and it gets harder and harder to shift?

Is not a shorter rod causing a deeper adjustment of that screw following a shorter rod?

:confused:
 

DRBarnhart

Insert title here...
All the shift linkage does is position the shift lever (it should be straight across from the brake pedal). I'd quit messing with it and shoot some WD-40 on the heim joints to see if that helps...

Dennis
 

mml03102

Active Member
I may be wrong here, but so far, are we attaching a ball and ramp style to the one cable end? So when you pull that cable, this plate rides over a triangle layout of 3 balls, and it now rides up on the balls itself, coming out of these teardrop looking indents. Isn't that all she wrote as a throw and the one plate moved onto a push rod?

Then I may be wrong again, but at the other end is the clutch pressure plate the rod is going to push, when the balls come out of those teardrop indents that is, right?

So I grind down a push rod and this hardly moves the pressure plate out. In fact, I creep along, it's hard to find N, can't shift down from top gear, what am I missing someone shortens the throw and it gets harder and harder to shift?

Is not a shorter rod causing a deeper adjustment of that screw following a shorter rod?


:confused:
Sven , keep in mind Im a novice and I did replace the clutch cable and the ball and ramp are as there suppose to be also the clutch rod went in till it touched then I backed it off a quarter turn and the adjusted the cable .

But as I mentioned it is very easy to find neutral and downshift while the bike is cold the problem starts after its been running for a while??
 

mml03102

Active Member
Before I put it back together I watched the push rod go in as I pulled the clutch lever in it went in about a quarter to 3/8 of an inch?
 

Sven

Well-Known Member
mm,
Probably too late, but the arm off the trans is fixed, right? I'd run the shift rod arm so that both have the same angle. Move the shifter off the spline and move the throw this way for your foot. Possible?
 

mml03102

Active Member
Yes I just brought it back out to where its even with the brake pedal but its about to pour here so I will have to try it out another time, thanks for the advise guys !

I just don't get why its so easy to shift and easy to find neutral when its cold but it gets hard to downshift when its hot, go figure !
 

liferider

Looking forward to retirement
The linkage rod from the shift lever to the transmission is ajustable for your comfort. Should not effect the way the bike shifts. It sounds like you need to ajust your clutch some more
 

mml03102

Active Member
Ill adjust it again and keep trying , I was curious as to maybe it being a bigger problem but that's probably all it is, thanks
 

jaggerz

Active Member
As the trans and parts attached to it warm up the rod ends tend to tighten up. This would happen to my k-9 after a 2 hour ride. I removed the shift rod and wraped a towel around it in a vise, put a bolt in the rod ends and spun them with a drill until they loosened up. Cooling with oil and water as I went. Been fine for 5 years.
 

Guillaume

Active Member
well i had trouble with my K9 a while ago with shifting ,but I check my oil and it was to low ,I change my oil and everything was working great again ,maybe :confused: your oil is to low
 
The shift linkage absolutely has an effect on shifting. Although that shouldn't have changed just from installing a clutch cable. Forget about lining it up with your brake pedal. Take the shift linkage loose at the front.(3/16" allen on the front 1/2" hex nylock on the back) Make a mark with a sharpie in the middle of your shifter. Move it all the way to the front of it's travel, and make a mark on the cleve block(for lack of a better term) with a sharpie, then move it all the way to the back and make another mark. Loosen up the jams on the linkage and line it up right in middle of the two marks. C.A.Jones V-Twin | Custom Builds, Parts & Service
 

Pu239

Member
I had similar problems w/2007 Chopper, but not wanting to up-shift into 2nd. Adjusting clutch (many times) & lubing Heim joints helped some. But main problem turned out to be bad shift lever IN TRANNY - of course behind the f'ing BD 'hidden primary' case (INNER case has to be removed to get the lever out!). Had to have that lever & inside linkage replaced.
Good luck, Louie
 

mml03102

Active Member
The shift linkage absolutely has an effect on shifting. Although that shouldn't have changed just from installing a clutch cable. Forget about lining it up with your brake pedal. Take the shift linkage loose at the front.(3/16" allen on the front 1/2" hex nylock on the back) Make a mark with a sharpie in the middle of your shifter. Move it all the way to the front of it's travel, and make a mark on the cleve block(for lack of a better term) with a sharpie, then move it all the way to the back and make another mark. Loosen up the jams on the linkage and line it up right in middle of the two marks. C.A.Jones V-Twin | Custom Builds, Parts & Service
I haven't had any time until today but that's what I ended up doing . I centered the threaded rods on each end and then aligned the eyelets and then tightened the jam nuts and put bit back on the bike, I just got home from a 3 hour ride and its shifting beautifully , downshifting and finding neutral with no problem ,Thank you all for the great advice!! :2thumbs:
 

Tdubb

Active Member
I would recommend luring the helm joint balls with something rather than wd40. I used liquid plumber lithium grease and sprayed mine while rotating my shift rod side to side. No issues since. I lube it up every few months.
 
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