Shifter shaft fork

[Neil74]

Hi, I'm fixing to rebuild the transmission on a 73 Sportster, I have always used the Clymer manual I got many years ago. I was informed on another site that Mr. Clymer is wrong about the shifter Fork shaft being removable. It was stated that the Harley manual calls for a press fit and it should never be removed, I've rebuilt a few transmissions before always relying on the Clymers, and have never come across a pressed in shaft. Is there anyone here who has a factory manual and are these shafts pressed in?

[Neil74]

Transmissions back in and working, the shaft was a light hand press in like the others I've seen. Guess it'll just be a mystery.

[Neil74]

out of 90 views no-one has had a Sportster trans apart, no-one has a Stock Sportster manual? These Sporty's Tranmissions must be bullit proof

[Chris Haynes]

When the wrenches at the local dealership would repair a Sportster tranny they would test it on the lift. Too much chance of bending shift forks on a real road test is the reason they gave.

[Robert Luland]

Neil there's another site thats dedicated to your plite. http://xlforum.net
Hope this will help you out. I have a 65XLCH and haven't found a lot of support when I needed it. Best of luck, Bob L

[Rubone]

In the '70s working in a dealership the most common Sportster job was rebuilding transmissions. The next was re-boring cylinders! I cannot put into words the disgust I felt for the H-D engineers and lack of quality control. The brass shifter forks were made of some manner of stiff jello, the spacing was always wrong, the shifter shafts broke at the internal lever end, and if you were lucky it was caught before it blew the case apart!
As far as the shifter shaft goes, they were never a press fit in actual application, and often were somewhat loose in the case! It was interesting that pre '72 Sportsters never seemed to have many trans problems. Except when the speedo drive gear blew out of the case! But not like the 1000cc versions.
As far as Clymer manuals go I find them to be a poor second to the factory manuals. However, the factory manuals assume the reader has basic background and do not attempt to teach mechanical skills.
Because of those AMF era Sportsters, they soured me on any Sportster post '69 up to and including today!
Robbie

[Chris Haynes]

I have a 65XLCH and haven't found a lot of support when I needed it. Best of luck, Bob L

Oh!
So you're the other guy with one of those!

[Neil74]

Thanks for the reply's guy's Been lucky so far with the 70's models, no serious damage that couldn't be fixed. I've never experienced a press fit but I also have never had a stock Harley manual to see if in fact it calls for one. Mr. Clymer has served me well thru the years, and from past experience all manuals are lacking somewhere in their information. I have repaired three machines with the cases completely blown but generally it falls back to the kind of owner that ran the machine. If there are problems fixing it is the only option, riding it harder to see if it is really broken just never seems to work out