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Shifter linkage problem

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04heritage

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Have a 2004 Heritage, went for a quick ride this afternoon. Went to change gears from 1st to 2nd & noticed that when I shifted up to 2nd the shifter lever stayed in the up position? could not shift up to 3rd. I bumped the top of the shifter & it went back to it's normal position. I could then shift to 3rd but the same thing happened, it stayed stuck up. When I shifted down & it will stay down also. Have to kinda bump or manually move the shifter to get back in (home position) I'll call it.
Any ideas on whats going on?
I rode in a bad storm on Sunday then washed the bike last night, but never had this issue before.

Thanks
 
I don't know if the same applies to your gearbox but in my 2009 there is a spring called the "shift lever centering spring". It looks a little like a spring in the shape of a horse-shoe. Assuming you don't have any exterior linkage binds, I would say that spring may be broken. Check for exterior linkage binds first.

If you can go down into 1st and the lever WILL re-center on its own, I would say you have no serious binds and the spring is broken.
 
04heritage said:
Have a 2004 Heritage, went for a quick ride this afternoon. Went to change gears from 1st to 2nd & noticed that when I shifted up to 2nd the shifter lever stayed in the up position? could not shift up to 3rd. I bumped the top of the shifter & it went back to it's normal position. I could then shift to 3rd but the same thing happened, it stayed stuck up. When I shifted down & it will stay down also. Have to kinda bump or manually move the shifter to get back in (home position) I'll call it.
Any ideas on whats going on?
I rode in a bad storm on Sunday then washed the bike last night, but never had this issue before.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Check where the shifter arm shaft goes through the mount on the frame. The require some maintenance in the way of greasing. From what you describe, that is where the problem is IMO.

This will give you an idea of what I am saying, a bit different than yours but you get the idea.

Shifter Shaft Grease Fitting - Harley Davidson Community
 
Thank you both for your ideas, sounds like the greasing may be the easiest to check & go for first before the C-ring. Hopefully greasing will do it.

This web site & the members are a huge help.
Thanks guys, I will let you know what I find........
 
okay, I said I would post the fix so here we go, I removed both shifter arms, disconected the shifter rod then removed the arm assembly. After I removed the shifter arm I noticed some surface rust. So a little polishing & then I added a little powdered
graphite just to assist & problem solved. Smooth as can be now. I thought the graphite might be a little better then grease since the grease will catch & keep grime in there. I dont know that for sure but I hope that will be the case. I'll inspect everything again maybe over the winter. I hope I made sense of what I done to fix it. The self help section is awesome Glider, I have learned so much there it's amazing.
Again thanks for the help guys! Much appreciated....

04 Heritage
 
I had this exact same problem and was able to disconnect everything, take out the shifter arm out of its little housing and clean all the old grease off. Re-greased it and it has never shifted better! Thanks for posting about this! Saved me an embarrassing trip to the shop.
 
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