Shift lever stripped out..... again! What's causing it to re occur?

[pegasus1300]

So I got home last night from the Rally in Washington and the Spyder performed flawlessly. Maybe no more shifter worries now. BUT I will carry a spare just in case.

[pegasus1300]

A follow-up on my shift lever problems. I got it home as I said, rode it around for a couple of days and it seemed to be holding ok. I went for a short ride here and just as I pulled into my shop area it let loose. I ordered a new lever from partzilla and took the side covers off to get ready for the new work. I also bought a fuel filter and am going to change the oil while it is down. It is a little soon, but so what, right? That was on a Friday, well Monday I had a mild heart attack, so now 4 bypasses later I am home recovering and the project is stalled for now. I think my riding season is going to be cut short this year. BTW surgery went well though I am super tender everywhere and feel like I have been beaten with a stick. I am up and walking and doing other exercises as told. My sister bought me a T Shirt that says Original body Rebuilt Engine with a picture of a heart in front of a Harley motor. I love it. As I am able I will let you know what happens with the shifter. Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. Doug I will get you those pictures ASA I feel up to it.

[Lew L]

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Wow Paul. Praying that you heal quickly and completely. The bad news always comes in three's. 1. Your heart attack. 2. My sons brain tumor operation. 3. I got the covid bad. Enough already---------

Be well,
Lew L

[pegasus1300]

Amen Lew enough already. Sorry to hear about your son. I pray he is in good hands. Hope you are thru covid ok

[OldAge]

Hey guy. Sorry to hear about the bypasses. Now the words of encouragement. I had a triple by-pass in April 2004. 6 weeks later I was able to take a ride on my 1500. Not very far and my wife was PO'd but never the less, a ride. Didn't do any touring that year but rode around. Since then all has been well and I am still chugging. Do as they say (for the most part. ) and it should go well. Lots of luck.

[DGoebel]

Paul, Congratulations on your fluid dynamics upgrade! (Think Positive!) Once you've completed the prescribed recovery, you'll likely feel much better than when this whole shifter arm failure came back! And you can get back on tackling the (now minor) issue of your shift lever. I'm thinking taking some of the same measures that the unrelated 2015 and later front sprocket issue requires might help a bit. But When this happened on my '13 RTL the first time, I think both BlueKnight Mike and others on the forum helped me back then. The suggestion by Snowbelt Spyder in #14 above is what I ended up doing, it corrects both the proper placement of the arm on the shaft and greatly increases the pinching force of the new arm. I cleaned out the shaft splines with a wire brush to make sure no old loctite or jbweld like "filler/bonding" was in the threads, cleaned the end of that shaft, drilled the threads out of the "pinching side" of the new arm so that the new bolt, washers, and locking nut
I would use could pass thru/by the alignment groove in the shaft and made sure that with the bolt alone in the arm, the arm didn't wiggle in or out on the shaft, still used some 680 Retaining Compound High Strength/High Viscosity, was able to pinch the shift shaft much tighter than the BRP design, and never had a fail again.

Oh, And weren't you and your bride blessed by this happening (the med procedure) at home versus when you were kinda stranded up north.

[Peter Aawen]

A follow-up on my shift lever problems. I got it home as I said, rode it around for a couple of days and it seemed to be holding ok. I went for a short ride here and just as I pulled into my shop area it let loose. I ordered a new lever from partzilla and took the side covers off to get ready for the new work. I also bought a fuel filter and am going to change the oil while it is down. It is a little soon, but so what, right? That was on a Friday, well Monday I had a mild heart attack, so now 4 bypasses later I am home recovering and the project is stalled for now. I think my riding season is going to be cut short this year. BTW surgery went well though I am super tender everywhere and feel like I have been beaten with a stick. I am up and walking and doing other exercises as told. My sister bought me a T Shirt that says Original body Rebuilt Engine with a picture of a heart in front of a Harley motor. I love it. As I am able I will let you know what happens with the shifter. Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. Doug I will get you those pictures ASA I feel up to it.

Bugga Paul, good thing you've been a well behaved fella & got thru all that OK instead of immediately being sent downstairs for your sins!!! Definitely Not fun! But at least you're on this side of it now & recuperating. .

I found out very quickly that 'tinkering with the Spyder' is very good therapy, just so long as you don't spend too much time getting up & down off the floor! I think it's the crawling back up again that takes it outtayou?!? . And as soon as I got the clearance to ryde again, it did wonders for all the indicators that the Dr's were keeping a close eye on, improved far quicker'n than expected.... so maybe you can have a shot at convincing your Dr's the same would help you??

But I do gotta say, I don't really mind the 'getting old' bit, but the 'becoming more decrepit' part really grinds my gears!

Do your exercises and stay as healthy as you can, sending 's & healing good wishes your way!

[pegasus1300]

DGoebel :"Oh, And weren't you and your bride blessed by this happening (the med procedure) at home versus when you were kinda stranded up north." Yes indeed we were very blessed in that way and in so many others. And the blessings and miracles just keep on coming. Thank you for your ideas and POV on the surgery.

Peter : Thank you for your kind words

OldAge: Thank you for the encouragement

I feel pretty good except for the pain in my left shoulder blade. I am walking more and farther each day. My first follow up is Aug10. Rehab already has me doing some exercises so they are pushing me along
Thank you all for your well wishes and your prayers.