Harley 4 Speed M/S 3rd Gear Lock Ring Tool

[41craig]

This tool that is made from an old, discarded spoke has been a real time saver. (Not to mention a lot less cussing) I just cut then off of the spoke head and started grinding until I ended up with the end looking like the end of a straight tip screw driver. (See Pics) Slip it under the lock ring and start pulling back the ring with a scribe. Then work your way around the gear.
Craig

[Robert Luland]

Craig, Your on to something since it didn't cost ya anything but there is another way. Here is one of my dirty white papers. Gonna write a book one day with these. Bob L
How Not To Drive Your Self Nuts Setting Up Mainshaft Third Gear In A BT Four Speed Box.
A dirty white paper By Bob Luland

A few words before we get into this. First off keep in mind this is dinosaur technology, so don’t lose sight of that. You are not working on a Ferrari with a constant mesh transmission at Le Mans. One of the big problems you are going to run into with third gear is the end play. Even using the thickest thrust washer on the market. I have never been able to get the end play where the manual says it suppose to be. Could ya put two thrust washers in, why not? That’s what a surface grinder was made for. Do not adjust third gear in the box. This is the part that will drive ya nuts. Instead, go cut yourself a piece of 1” pipe or buy a nipple at a Home puke and cut it to 5/8”long. This piece of pipe will replace the ball bearing 9020 on the main shaft.
1. Slide 1/2nd gear on to the shaft. If you have a 58 and down 3rd gear. Make sure the bushing has been replaced first if your doing a total rebuild.
2. Now slide the piece of pipe ya cut on to the shaft in place of the ball bearing. Screw the nut on and snug it up.
3. Put the ball bearing end of the shaft in a vice with soft jaws.
4. Grab third gear and slide it on along with the thrust washer and retainer clip. From the sprocket side. Doing the job this way keeps the clip in the open. Even still. Before ya start. Go on Fleese-bay and buy yourself some cheap dental picks. The kind they really use in Calcutta. The picks make taking the retain clip on and off a breeze. Use the same clip until ya get everything set up and then discard it. Always use new clips upon assembly. Set your end play and disassemble everything and you’re good to go with the rest of your build. With this system you don’t get to say $%*!^#$@^@ even once. Bob L

[T. Cotten]

Low-tech Rules, Craig!

I encountered different designs of retainers.

Ever try getting at the retaining clips inside of the countershaft cluster gear?

....Cotten

[41craig]

Robert; Thanks for the white paper!! Setting end play outside the box will probably add a couple of years to my wife's life. A lot less *@&%$@# from me.
Cotten; I've only dealt with the clips inside the c/s cluster a few times and my language wasn't very pretty.
Craig

[T. Cotten]

.. and my language wasn't very pretty....

Understood, Craig!

That's why our species turned to hammers and other implements of destruction in the first place.

...Cotten