Was riding yesterday came to stop and transmission did not down shift, stayed in 5 gear. Check oil level and it was ok. Had to have tow truck tow it home. Looked at it this morning and noticed shift linkage hanging down by left floorboard. jacked up and found that linkage had come off shaft coming out of transmission. Reattached started bike and same condition stuck in 5 gear. Checked for error codes, no error codes, checked all the fuses in frunk and under seat, all good. Searched forum for similar problem and noticed in a couple post people talking about gear position sensor. I wasn't able for post to find out where it is and how to check. Anyone got any info on gear position sensor or know off anything else I can do to find out how to fix.
Thanks
If the gear position sensor was bad the the display would show "E" in gear position and the "R" and "N" lights will alternately flash. The cause for your issue is the gear shift lever fell off and maybe you put it back on wrong. Try again. Take it back off. Start up the Spyder. Wait for it to stop trying to shift to neutral. Then slide the lever back on the shaft.
If you put a wrench onto the shift rod: you should be able to see how much movement you need in each direction. (For upshifting, and downshifting). You might have just set that linkage onto the shaft in such a manner, that it didn't have the necessary available movement...
Last edited by Bob Denman; 09-29-2016 at 02:43 PM.
CHeck the shift rod is out ot the shaft, The same thing apen to me. THis is a mistake from BRP. With the locking bolt the shift rod should never come out
Originally Posted by JayHawker
Was riding yesterday came to stop and transmission did not down shift, stayed in 5 gear. Check oil level and it was ok. Had to have tow truck tow it home. Looked at it this morning and noticed shift linkage hanging down by left floorboard. jacked up and found that linkage had come off shaft coming out of transmission. Reattached started bike and same condition stuck in 5 gear. Checked for error codes, no error codes, checked all the fuses in frunk and under seat, all good. Searched forum for similar problem and noticed in a couple post people talking about gear position sensor. I wasn't able for post to find out where it is and how to check. Anyone got any info on gear position sensor or know off anything else I can do to find out how to fix.
Thanks
Update, well got bike fixed today. As you guys suggested had to try a couple different lengths of shift rod to get it to work right. Also I learned something, to shift from 1st to N you have to have foot on brake. Don't know if I just never knew this or just did automatically when riding. Also have another question, the bolt that tightens bracket on the splined shaft has to be remove to put bracket on the shaft, right? When mine came off the bolt was still in the bracket and tight, how could the bracket come off with the bolt in place? Anyone got any ideas?
Lastly, thanks everyone for the help.
That bolt might not need to be removed; perhaps just loosening it, will provide enough slack...
It it's completely tight, and stiill fell off; perhaps it was never actually completely slid on the shaft in the first place.
You've probably figured out by now that the little bolt that goes through the shift lever isn't really there to squeeze down on that shifter shaft, but rather it's supposed to go through that groove that's machined into the shaft. Why these things come off is a big question. If the bolt is properly positioned in that groove, then it should keep the shift lever on there. You do use that slot to align the lever to the shaft. Align the slot to the dot at the end of the shaft. But I doubt seriously that the bolt accomplishes much, if any, squeezing of the lever to the shaft. That thing is pretty stout. Pictures below.
F4 Customs SWCV, Ultimate, Lidlox, Adjustable Side Vents, Leather Like Grips, SS Grills, Centramatic, Garmin XT2, BajaRon Original Sway Bar w/ Lamonster links, P238
Didn't realize there are marks for lining up bracket and shaft, your picture shows that clearly. Where did you get the picture? I don't know if mine is lined up exactly but it works and I am not going to mess with it. Also the bolt through the bracket, I realized that it was not a bolt to squeeze the bracket on the shaft but with the bolt in place on shaft there is no way bracket could come off. My guess is it was not put on properly at assemble of bike.
BTY my bike is also a 2012 RTL Lave Bronze, best color of Spyders.
You've probably figured out by now that the little bolt that goes through the shift lever isn't really there to squeeze down on that shifter shaft, but rather it's supposed to go through that groove that's machined into the shaft. Why these things come off is a big question. If the bolt is properly positioned in that groove, then it should keep the shift lever on there. You do use that slot to align the lever to the shaft. Align the slot to the dot at the end of the shaft. But I doubt seriously that the bolt accomplishes much, if any, squeezing of the lever to the shaft. That thing is pretty stout. Pictures below.
Was riding from Seattle to Vegas with a family member who was on a 2013 STS-SE5. Stopped at a rest area on top of Mammoth mountain 60 miles from our motel, 900 miles from home, 400 miles from Vegas when the spyder stopped shifting. Long story short a flat bed tow truck picked up the spyder and transported it to Bishop CA. I rented a Penski 16' truck, loaded the spyder and Indian Chief, which I was riding and working perfectly, transported both back to Seattle. Once back home I discovered the root cause was the shift linkage detached from the shaft. The pinch bolt was tight. With the help of your pictures was able to align the shaft and arm to get it to shift correctly. Wish I would have saw this a week ago. Would have saved me $1400 in rental truck, towing and gas.
Hello fellow spyder lover. Can am one tell me why some time I get a check transmission error message across the screen on my 2010 can am spyder could it be a sensor
Jayhawker, Thanks for posting this, add another SE5 Gear Shift Lever Can-Am item# 420257881 failure at 30,000 miles. I happened to have read and followed your post when you started this thread just as I was buying my (Used) '13 Spyder with only 8k on it. Yesterday with only 29,800+ miles on it, it happened to me. Thanks to Billybovine and Bob's suggestions, I was able to get moving again very quickly (Factory included tool kit had the 13mm wrench and 5mm allen that allowed me to pull the Socket Head Screw M6 X 25 Can-Am item: 205062544 out, slide the Gear Shift Lever back on and re-affix. Before I could get home, it happened 3 more times! I'm thinking that just ordering the Gear Shift lever and replacing that bolt MAY not be the final fix.
I'll take any suggestions of what else I should look at if I have to have the Shift Shaft replaced. Per my Service Manual, the Clutch Shaft Ass'y 420620598 includes all the seals, sleeves, springs needed for the shaft. Thankfully that shaft can be done without removing the engine, but there's gotta be other gaskets / seals that have to be replaced with that. I know the clutch cover and hub have to be removed and to take the clutch cover off the right side is almost completely removed, all panels, and the support bar (what there's only 20 zip ties on that support).
Anyone actually done this themselves?
Why the hell are you going to change the shifter shaft. The shift lever is far softer steel then the shaft. Take some pictures of the shaft splines and let us have a look.
Why the hell are you going to change the shifter shaft. The shift lever is far softer steel then the shaft. Take some pictures of the shaft splines and let us have a look.
BB, I'm actually in the process of starting another thread about this and deleted my original post in this thread. IF I have to replace the shifter shaft, due to wearing the splines on the outboard section of the shifter shart, else why would the gear shift lever keep working loose after being re-mounted and bolted.
I'll be taking those pics and posting soon. I'm thinking that every time it worked back loose, the retaining bolt was wearing the outboard splines off/down as it became loose / canted again.
Safe Rides,
David and Sharon Goebel
Both Retired USAF Veterans
2018 Anniversary Edition RT Limited
Baja Ron ultimate swaybar. Vredestein tires, Baja Ron Front Shock Pre-load adjusters, Pedal Box, See my Spyder Garage
IBA 70020
BB, I'm actually in the process of starting another thread about this and deleted my original post in this thread. IF I have to replace the shifter shaft, due to wearing the splines on the outboard section of the shifter shart, else why would the gear shift lever keep working loose after being re-mounted and bolted.
I'll be taking those pics and posting soon. I'm thinking that every time it worked back loose, the retaining bolt was wearing the outboard splines off/down as it became loose / canted again.
No need to start another thread it is not that complicated. Now that I understand what you are doing. I will guess you don't need a new shift lever either.
Put the shift lever back on. Tighten the pinch bolt until the shift lever will not move on the shaft anymore. Done.
Slightly tightening the bolt and leaving the lever loose on the shaft. It is going to just fall off again. As you found out.
Billy, I guess I wasn't clear, we did reinstall the shift lever and retaining bolt several times on Sunday while trying to ride the spyder home from the first fail. We were using the 5 MM allen wrench that was in the factory tool kit and cranked that bolt as tight as the 7 inch long allen wrench lever would allow. We never slightly tightened it at anytime. It was tight enough I used a breaker bar on my 3/8s drive with 5mm allen tip to remove the bolt at home. And yes the lever splines are damaged so the lever and bolt are being replaced.
My question was if the shifter shaft splines are damaged enough that the new lever won't maintain grip has anyone replaced their shifter shaft as well, and what all else needs to be considered/ordered/inspected when doing that. That is all in the new thread since mine's not a '12 for clarity's sake.
Photos in the SE5 Gear Shift lever fail thread
Your post in this thread at least helped us get the spyder home without towing fee's etc. Thank you
Safe Rides,
David and Sharon Goebel
Both Retired USAF Veterans
2018 Anniversary Edition RT Limited
Baja Ron ultimate swaybar. Vredestein tires, Baja Ron Front Shock Pre-load adjusters, Pedal Box, See my Spyder Garage
IBA 70020
2012 RTL (SE5) will not shift
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Originally Posted by JayHawker
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