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Tranny clunk

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Motopsycho

Member
To help with the clunk when I down shift to 1st gear should I go to a thicker oil or a lighter oil? I'm currently using Amsoil Severe Gear 75-110. It doesn't do it all the time but just enough to bug me and definitely if it's not warmed up enough. When rolling and down shifting it's quiet. Mostly happens when getting out of neutral. The clutch is adjusted properly and all mechanical seems okay. Should I switch to 75-90? :worthy
 
The clunk you feel when shifting from neutral to first is the result of drag between your clutch plates. Easiest way to avoid it is to pull in the clutch a few seconds before dropping into neutral so the tranny shaft can come to a stop. Your gear oil is fine.
 
An overfilled primary will also cause that problem. And it does not have to be by much either.
 
Motopsycho said:
I use 24 oz....thats what the manual says. I just changed the tranny oil. Should I take a few ounces out?
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Extra oil in the tranny is not the problem. It's extra oil in the primary. It increases the parasitic drag on the clutch plates and allows the input shaft to the tranny to rotate when it really should be standing still.

Wet clutches by their very nature have drag. We just are trying to keep it at a minimum.
 
I recently changed out the SYN3 oil from my trans and primary and went with redline primary fluid and trans fluid with shock proof. I heard other guys talking about how this stuff quieted down the clunk & "5th gear Whine" & I was skeptical but gave it a try. For me it worked on both items, the 1st gear clunk is much less and the 5th gear whine is greatly reduced and the bike shifts much smoother. Something that I found strange is that when my 09 RG got to 5K that is when the 5th gear whine became more pronounced. Now the only gripe I have is the humm from the front tire when I push the bike thru corners up in the mountains...ride on the highway it is fine but when I first heard it I thought the bearings were coming apart on the front wheel.
 
Agree w/other posters - oil's probably fine...just hesitate a tad longer between time you engage clutch to hitting shifter.
 
I have noticed that if I pull in the clutch before I start then put it in first i get NO clunk at all. If I start in neutral then pull in the clutch and put it in gear I get the good ole Harley clunk.
 
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