Shifting issues. Shifter lever assembly play(video)

[Josh662234]

I figured i would start a new thread for future Buellers that use the search function. And my last thread was ruined by my many attempts to post a video, and "edit" disappearing on me

Bike would struggle shifting into every gear 2-5, a good percent of the time. When on the stand, shifting with my hand, i would have to rock the tire to get a compete shift. So i removed the primary oil, found many small metal shavings. After removing the case I immediately noticed the strange amount of play on the shift lever assembly.

I am going out soon to look at the return springs and the ratchet arms
Finally got this video to work
Somebody want to confirm this is too much play even with the case off

 

[squidbuellie]

Yes that's how it moves with out the primary case on. Take a flash light and shine it behind the clutch basket and see if both springs are on the shift lever assembly and the one spring return are still there.

But I'm sorry to be the one to burst your bubble, your shift forks are bent and your shift drum is screwed.
No matter how much you want to go around it. Your not going to hear a different magic fix.
That's why you got the bike for $1500 and that's why the guy you bought it from did not feel screwed selling it to you, Because he knew he was slam shifting it into 2nd gear to pop wheelies.
Buy the parts you need and know that you only have $2000 in a $4000 dollar bike, then call it a day.

 

[Josh662234]

Squid i was hoping you would chime in. Thank you.
I am all set to pull the motor i just thought this was strange. Neither my dirt bike or quad had that much movement so i wanted to confirm.

I will begin the breakdown shortly and post pics of what i find

 

[vance580]

The primary cover has the bushing to eliminate that play. So without it on you will have a lot of play like squid said. When the primary is on that play is eliminated.

 

[squidbuellie]

 

[Josh662234]

Squid: thank you [up]

 

[bigflash1]

Be careful about riding it as is... Mine was sort of messing, and then it LOCKED up... at 55mph!

 

[Josh662234]

Motor is just about ready to come out. I just need to figure out to suspend the front end. My garage ceiling is about 20' up and finished. No beams for me.

I like the ladder idea but my ladder is only a 6 footer

 

[squidbuellie]

Use a hydraulic jack under the motor and rotate the frame with the tail section and frontend over the motor. To give you a visual see my post on this tread

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...Mods/What-did-you-do-for-your-Buell-today/24/

 

[Josh662234]

Thanks to Squid i made a lot of progress today. i was gone on a short 1.5 month deployment but i'm back, all shoveled out, and its time to get this going!

 

[squidbuellie]

Right on

 

[Josh662234]

With a lot of help from this forum, and Squid in particular, i got my case split.

I had suspected the 1st-2nd shift fork so i took it out real quick, along with the shift cam. Cam appears to be fine, and the only fork that seemed to have any issue was the 4th gear fork. It has also worn down the inner race on the countershaft. (see picture)
The only odd thing about the 1st-2nd gear fork was that when the case came apart, the shaft did not need to be hammered out from the opposite side, as it was already loose/out of the case

ill be looking more into this tomorrow, just wondering if anybody sees the smoking gun

 

[vance580]

Looks exactly like my 1-2 fork from my tear down. Here is the pics from my fork in this thread. Here. I can't remember but the 1-2 may move during the 4th shift to move the shift dog. That may be why you only felt it in 4th. I can't remember though so I may be wrong on that. The shaft may of pulled apart from just going through pulling the case halves apart. The moment caused by the fork could of pulled it out too depending on if it locked into gear or who knows what else. I ended up putting in new shafts because they weren't that expensive and with the fork looking like that who knows how minor the shafts could be bent and I'd rather be sure they are good. I think I only paid like 7 bucks a piece for mine and thats enough for peace of mind.
My only concern with yours is that one shift dog at the top part of the last pic, I can't tell if it's the flash or not but that blueing is from overheated and it looks like you might have some wear pitting on the lip which may make me think about replacing it.

 

[J20tD]

With a lot of help from this forum, and Squid in particular, i got my case split.

Hey, thats my bike before it got painted on the calender in your picture! haha

 

[Josh662234]

The shaft may of pulled apart from just going through pulling the case halves apart.

I went out and looked, and the 1st-2nd fork and it seems it is going to need to be tapped back in with a hammer. Though the 3rd-5th, and 4th gear fork shaft will pop right back in. I swapped the shafts and had the same experience. i'm really hoping i dont need a new left side case i already went through this with my 450R [sad]
It does not go in easy, but i can get it in using just my hands, not the case for the other shaft.

anyways, having nothing extremely obvious, like a broken or bent fork i am tempted to just bring it down the road to the shop and have them figure it out [smirk] my knowledge of how everything is supposed to feel/look in the tranny is . . well . . .based of the manual and thats about it

 

[Josh662234]

any buell gurus in the New England area? or does anybody know of a reputable shop up here?

 

[vance580]

This is your main smoking gun. That shift fork is riding on the shift dog. The shift dog is angling to much when shifting and causing it to be at a slight angle and cut away at the fork. That's why the forks are bronze. It will wear away before the shift dog.

This is what I would look into more. Thats the shift dog and it looks like it is blueing from riding at that angle too much so it has gotten pretty hot which causes the blueing to the metal. Use the good fork and see if it moves smoothly in that shift dog and also see if it has play in it which could cause it to go at an angle. Is the shaft for the two forks the one that was loose? If that is blue and its not from the camera I'd consider replacing that shift dog. If you have no way to press out the gears you should be able to find a shop to press out and replace that part and put the gears back in and then the reassemble you could probably do yourself. You may have to take a video of how much play that shaft has and what the holes they go into look like.

 

[Josh662234]

Update: Vance580 has been helping me out a lot via PM and I have ordered the 4th gear fork, and the shaft for both the 4th gear and 3rd&5th gear forks, as this is where my wear was shown. The shift dog was not blue from heat it was just the combination of oil and camera flash.
i will be waiting 2 or so weeks for the parts so for the time being I will be cleaning the bike while it is apart.
Thanks again to Vance, and Squid

 

[Josh662234]

I am getting beyond frustrated. [mad]
New shift fork and shaft came in yesterday, installed them and put the shifter on. still cannot manually shift through the gears. coming from 5th it seems to shift out of 4th, but not into 3rd, and the ratchet arms on the shifter assembly have nothing on the shift drum to grab onto. i continually get stuck in between gears.

i just had surgery and my left arm is in a cast, i am about to put this motor in boxes and drive up to NH and drop it off at Laconia HD.

 

[user_deleted]

josh: i feel your frustration. good thing is that laconia H-D there in meredith, down the road from fun spot amusement park had an excellent factory trained buell tech working there. that was back in 2007 but he was world-class.....if you're talking about the same dealership and i think you are.