Lookin' for a gamblin man

[joey1158]

Just got my bike back from my local repair shop. They had to replace the inner primary because, they said, that one of the bolts used to hold the two pieces together got broken off inside of the inner primary thus rendering it useless. New one cost $700. Anyway, while they were in there they decided to micrometer the clutch and found it less than what it should have been so they replaced that as well.
I hate to throw anything away especially if someone else can use it. So, if anyone is interested, I'm giving both items away (either singularly or combined).
Naturally my only request is just pay shipping and it's yours.
I've enclosed photos and if you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer as best I can. BTW, these items came off of my 2008 K-9.

Inner primary:

the bad bolt and hole:

the clutches:

 

[PROFLYER]

Are you kidding me?? Does that look to anyone else like some stupid tech broke it off then tried a few times to drill it out??

Not to rain in your thread man....but that looks like some BS to me. There is no way that bolt could break off in there unless someone pulled a serious dumbass move. They're only torqued to like 120 INCH pounds (something like that, it's in the manual).

Nice of you to offer though...

 

[joey1158]

That same idea had crossed my mind. However, how does one confront the owner/mechanic with this and expect to win? I'm screwed (no pun intended) no matter which way I go. He tried to convince me that it was a metric bolt and just screwed in til it could go no further. Like I say, I couldn't very well argue with the man. And let's face it, there ain't that many 'qualified' Big Dog mechanics around. I sure as hell am no mechanic. Kinda looks like I might not be a good judge of character either!!!
But at least it's back up and runnin' great!! It's only MONEY.

 

[scubaman15]

Learn to work on your own bike ...its the only way .

 

[Nukeranger]

:down:Since when is a 1/4-20 a metric size? If they had any talent, they could have removed the broken bolt. I would not go back ever. If you want to break your bike, you can do that and then learn to fix it yourself. If you don't have a service manual or pdf, then get one so you can verify what you are being told in the future. Also, use this forum to get answers. You didn't have to be screwed by your local shop.

Are you sure they didn't screw you with the clutch replacement also?

Nukeranger

 

[kickstart]

I had go back to the top of the post to see if you were from NY, thought maybe you took it to OCC.

You really need to find another shop.

 

[joey1158]

From what I can read and hear this particular shop has a pretty good rep. Been around a number of years and stays very busy plus used to be a BD dealer.
Now I wonder, how many independent garages would actually own up to destroying a seven hundred dollar part? Knowing full well that someone has to pay to replace it would make most of 'em get someone other than themselves to foot the bill.
Of course, I'll never know. I guess I just have to trust 'em for now (suppose they were telling the truth). As for a 1/4x20 being metric, it isn't. The way they tell it, someone had the cover off and in replacing it grabbed the wrong size screw (M3.5). Who knows? Bottom line, I'll never be a mechanic. I'm damn fortunate I can figure out front from rear!! I guess in my case, mechanical work is part of my price of owning a Big Dog. You guys out there fortunate enough to be able to work on your own equipment are very blessed indeed. I'm not one of them so I guess I'll just have to pay for my inabilities.
But at least it's running great. For that (despite the money) I'm grateful.

 

[BWG56]

thought maybe you took it to OCC.

:roll::roll:

 

[Mickeetwo]

From what I can read and hear this particular shop has a pretty good rep. Been around a number of years and stays very busy plus used to be a BD dealer.
Now I wonder, how many independent garages would actually own up to destroying a seven hundred dollar part? Knowing full well that someone has to pay to replace it would make most of 'em get someone other than themselves to foot the bill.
Of course, I'll never know. I guess I just have to trust 'em for now (suppose they were telling the truth). As for a 1/4x20 being metric, it isn't. The way they tell it, someone had the cover off and in replacing it grabbed the wrong size screw (M3.5). Who knows? Bottom line, I'll never be a mechanic. I'm damn fortunate I can figure out front from rear!! I guess in my case, mechanical work is part of my price of owning a Big Dog. You guys out there fortunate enough to be able to work on your own equipment are very blessed indeed. I'm not one of them so I guess I'll just have to pay for my inabilities.
But at least it's running great. For that (despite the money) I'm grateful.

Joe.....I like the way you think. Its over.....move on......bike runs great and your happy. Can't get much better than that. I understand about the mechanics side of it. Some things I'll do to the dog and sometimes I just don't have time or the ability. Bottom line your happy and back on the road :2thumbs:

 

[joey1158]

Appreciate the thought Mickeetwo.
What is going to be interesting is to see if anyone picks either/both of these up.
Will tell me whether or not there is any value there.
If not, I can certainly trash both. Hope someone decides to gamble though. Twould seem a shame to toss 'em. (But not if they are worthless).
The inner housing looks like it's cast aluminum. Is this true? If it is, I should be able to recycle it (for money) but I'm not sure of the metal. Thanx

 

[pknowles]

:roll::roll:

that's what I was thinking

 

[jsub]

You didn't say what the orginal problem was or if this is the only shop that has worked on this bike. Who to say this wasn't done @ another shop & these guys opened it up to find this.

 

[joey1158]

No, I didn't include that vital info. In fact the bike had over 4K miles on it when it was shipped to me from Salt Lake City, Utah. I actually informed the dealer of the problems about a month after I received the bike. Realistically, he would have had no way of knowing of these issues. I changed the extended forward controls back to standard after I received the bike. Not knowing when it had it's last oil change I felt it prudent to have this done and at the same time gone over by the well known garage not too far from my home. I mentioned that the shifter might need some adjustment because of the change back to standard and I was having a little difficulty finding first gear. Funny thing on the way over to the garage the clutch gradually stopped disengaging. That was interesting at several of the stop lights!! Didn't think too much beyond and 'adjustment' issue or two. He didn't either. I was told that there was a service bulletin for just such an issue as the clutch failing to disengage. The problems began when he went into the primary to check it all out. Just kinda snowballed. The mechanic showed me some "O" rings that were in the primary (I don't know if they were free floating or what. he just told me that they shouldn't be in there. At the same time he showed me the broken bolt. Said they had a call into Baker about the possibility of getting it out somehow but Baker hadn't gotten back to him yet). And jsub, you are absolutely right. Who knows what had been done by whom. I gotta figure that it wasn't merely coincidence that the clutch started to fail on the way to the shop. Probably had happened before? Who knows. Just makes for a kind of an interesting 'war story'. The guys at the garage seemed to think that this wasn't the first time that primary had been opened. The dealer that i bought it from was quite sympathetic but as I said, he would have had no way of knowing unless they were using it and that wouldn't make sense if you're trying to sell it. When I first got it, it ran just fine and dandy. No noticeable problems at all. Only after about 50 miles (mine) did the clutch start to fail.

 

[C00lHandLuke]

Not to offend anyone but sometimes I get aggravated when someone states "just learn to work on it yourself". For some people it just isn't that damn easy, some people are mechanically inclined and some are not. Unfortunately I can associate with Joey, I'm not very mechanically inclined, therefore I have to rely and trust my mechanic. Fortunately I have a good one. But some of you mechanics out there have to understand that your ability is a gift that not everyone has.

Now I must say I am guilty of the same mindset from time to time. I am 41 and since I was eleven or twelve I have played some type of musical instrument, mostly guitar. Since then I have played numerous instruments in various bands. From time to time I catch my self wondering why others can't pick up and played better or faster.

Just remember these are gifts some have and some of us don't.

 

[PROFLYER]

Joey,

I think first and foremost you should understand NONE of us are chapping your ass. We are actually all sticking up for you saying "hey, don't take that shit from some mechanic. If they screwed that up make them eat it."

That being said, no body cares if you work on your own bike or not. You'll notice we all share a wealth of knowledge on this site. You can honestly do ANYTHING to your bike. They're honestly pretty simple machines and the problems are common and thoroughly understood at this point.

I will admit though that I just sent my younger brother to a well known chop shop in San Fran to fix his FXR. He isn't mechanically inclined and he doesn't have tools. He does, however, have a great job and can afford the labor rates so when he wanted Dad's old bike I supported the idea knowing full well he didn't know squat past righty-tighty:lefty-loosey.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to list your parts as free. There was a member on here that cracked his inner primary a few months ago that probably could have made this work. Hopefully someone can make use of it, even if the clutch discs are toast the plates are probably good. Also, I highly doubt the discs are toast in only 4000 miles. They still have nubs all the way around and when most are toast they're smooth.

Cheers!

 

[joey1158]

Trust me when I say I understand completely the people that respond in this forum. I know that no one can 'fault' me cuz I don't work on my own bike. I like computers/woodworking and a few other things that I find very easy to do. I, too, often wonder why we can't all do these things if I can do them and they are easy to me. But I'm smart enough to recognize a 'gift' when I have one. I appreciate EVERYONE's response. I've learned a lot just reading and rereading. I love all you guys and I thank you for taking the time to render your opinion(s).
Now as for the clutch disks, they LOOK great. Not sure why they didn't mic to specs but there are a number of the disks in the set and they can't all be bad???
Bike week in Ocean City Maryland starts today. Going tomorrow. Should be really interesting.

 

[ground pounder]

:up:Joey, You are a stand up person to deal with! Your mechanic actually broke off a tap in the primary bolt hole and appeared to have tried to drill it out. Taps are tough to get out! Thanks again Tom:2thumbs:

 

[Fibersnake]

I admire your atitute and glad you are back on the road. No need to have to turn your own wrenches. That said, I am upset as to see professional shops that would charge a customer for a whole new primary for a broken bolt, or even tap. Nothing I see on that could not ahve been repaired and taken care by a very confident mechanic with the right tools. Granted even if broken tap, it can be removed and they have tap extractor and other ways of doing so.

Same with what I see on the clutch plates, that said, not sure what they were saying when they said it did not meet specs, so cannot really go in to that. But I highly doubtful if those plates did not have many more miles on them.

Not your fault, and love the atitude, but just pisses me off that so many shops can get what is professional pay and yet in some way cannot figure out the simple stuff that many a good backyard mechanic did years ago.

Tell you what if no one wants the primary cover, send it me in a few weeks ( I will pay the shipping), and I will fix the thing, and put it back out for others if needed. May not be the prettist one out there, but pretty damn sure I can get the bolt/tap out, properly tapped and cleaned up and burrs out enough to get a good seal with proper gasket and sealant.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

I admire your atitute and glad you are back on the road. No need to have to turn your own wrenches. That said, I am upset as to see professional shops that would charge a customer for a whole new primary for a broken bolt, or even tap. Nothing I see on that could not ahve been repaired and taken care by a very confident mechanic with the right tools. Granted even if broken tap, it can be removed and they have tap extractor and other ways of doing so.

Same with what I see on the clutch plates, that said, not sure what they were saying when they said it did not meet specs, so cannot really go in to that. But I highly doubtful if those plates did not have many more miles on them.

Not your fault, and love the atitude, but just pisses me off that so many shops can get what is professional pay and yet in some way cannot figure out the simple stuff that many a good backyard mechanic did years ago.

Tell you what if no one wants the primary cover, send it me in a few weeks ( I will pay the shipping), and I will fix the thing, and put it back out for others if needed. May not be the prettist one out there, but pretty damn sure I can get the bolt/tap out, properly tapped and cleaned up and burrs out enough to get a good seal with proper gasket and sealant.

I agree let's get this outer primary cover fixed up and sent to someone who needs it.

Just looking at the pic it looks like the mechanic beat up the threads fairly bad trying to get it out. Depending on what it looks like in person you could drill it out and drop in a Heli-Coil and move on. It will probably take some time and I don't have access to a drill press so it would take me a lot longer and more risky by hand than someone who has the right tools.

 

[Fibersnake]

:iagree:

Shame to see a good inner primary go to waste if it can be saved with just a little bit of work and patence. I have tap extractors at home, but even as you said, worse case, drill press get it out, helicoil, jewelers files at the burs, throw a new gasket on it with some silcon or even old non hardening number 2 permatex, should be good to go.