Transmission main shaft

A

AlabastorWoods

New member
I agree that there are too many incidents for this to be a normal failure rate. Anyway, I've never heard of a 5-speed mainshaft bearing failing, although I'm sure there have been some.



I doubt if we'll get anything useful out of either F.A.G. or HD on this subject.
 
I just made an interesting discovery. It seems the mainshaft assy is different between 07 and 08! It's getting interesting now!
DAWG on another thread stated that the Baker High Torque bearing wont fit his 08. So I called Baker, since I want to use this bearing. The rep said the bearing will fit up to 07 models. Apparently they changed the mainshaft between the 07 and 08 models. So I started digging in parts fische' on the web. Indeed the mainshaft is a different part # between those years, with the 08 supplying the mainshaft as a single part (around $80), and the 07 as a kit (around $220). Why I don't know, but more interesting, the Primary inner race is a different part# between models as well.
Soooo - I'm thinking HD possibly revised the specs because of the failure rate, or, maybe to go metric like their axles/bearings of that year? Or???
I'm thinking we'll never really know though.
Just a little more food for thought.......
Here are the Michrofishe I used for the comparison:

07 http://www.bikebandit.com/2007-harley-davidson-motorcycle-touring-ultra-classic-electra-glide-flhtcu/o/m18625

08 http://www.bikebandit.com/2008-harley-davidson-motorcycle-touring-ultra-classic-electra-glide-flhtcu/o/m18634
 
I discovered the same thing back in March. I ordered the inner primary bearing from the 07 parts book for my 07 RG. When it arrived, it didn't fit. I then found out that there was an upgrade to the shaft and bearing. Take a look at this thread I started back in March.

http://www.hdforums.com/forum/primary-transmission-driveline-clutch/486341-inner-primary-bearing-race-i-need-help.html
 
Figures, I'm learning all this stuff now! Interesting thread though. Even brings up the misalignment possibility. It still makes you question why HD would redesign the mainshaft and whatever else in the trans, on a one year old design. It seems to have cured the problems after 07 though.
Now I wonder what exactly will retrofit from the 08? And if it's even possible?
 
I am confused, I have never taken this apart myself so I am trying to picture this all in my head.Also the discussion seems to keep bouncing back and forth between the main drive gear bearing (8967) and the inner primary bearing.
Does the new mainshaft size for 08 have anything to do with the main drive gear bearing? Do the 08's still use the same 8967 part number?
 
Yes the 08's still use the 8967 double row ball bearing. Iam looking on my work order from a year ago and I see they replaced the output gear assy-driven and it is part #35122-06 so that part is not updated.
I will be picking up my bike later today from having this problem and I will report back with all the part #'s that they used for this latest repair.

Tim
 
The thread is in regard to mainshaft failure - I think it boiled down to the 07's because of the high failure rate. The reason the primary inner bearing keeps getting brought up is that it seems to be another high failure rate item, and it roughly relates to the mainshaft.
The 08's do use the same bearing part # as the 07's.
 
As Oldman Harley states, the Main drive gear assy (35122-06) remains unchanged between 07 and 08. However from what I can see, the Mainshaft and gears 1-2-3-4 are different part #'s between years. I don't know why though? At this point I'm not about to speculate either. I'm getting the feeling that us 07 owners could be stuck with an inferior design. I'm just gonna put her back together (when I get the parts), and hope for the best.
 
Baker did - it's called the DD7. It's also $3000! http://store.bakerdrivetrain.com/Items.aspx?code=DD7&key=br
But it does swap out all the internals.
For $1800 you could get a brand new, complete, 2011 OEM trans (case and all) with the new updated internals, including the new Helical 5th gear, then just plug and play!
I have 42K miles on my bike now and plan on pushing her well over 100K by the time I'm ready for the next one. If this latest repair doesn't rectify this issue, one of the two above will be in my cards. It's still a crapload cheaper then the new bike hit $$$$! But then again for $140 I could just do the same repair again too????
I did just spring for a new SE comp. and did the IDS last year. I'm slowly transforming her into what she should have been from the factory 3 years ago!
Harleys planned obsolesence is a wonderful thing (for Harley). I look at the new 2011's and nearly everything that's been changed since 2007, frame, trans, wheels, tank, IDS, SE comp, gear ratios, carrying capacity, 5th gear, plus all the small revisions of what's left, make for a better overall machine.
Can't wait to see whats my new 2017 will have!
 
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