Starter Clutch Gear

[wideglide38]

Pulled my 4-speed trans this weekend to replace seals, kicker arm shaft, cleanup, etc. Noticed the detent bearing missing from on the starter clutch gear. I’ve searched the web and cannot find anyone selling a starter clutch gear with (2) key ways – only gears with single key way. Does anyone know of a source?
Thanks, William

[Robert Luland]

Your not going to find it. Does your main shaft have two keyways cut into it?

[wideglide38]

I thought this might be the case. Yes. Unless there's one out there to sell/trade. Any reason(s) why not to run a gear with 1 key way? Thx

[jorrow]

No reason, one will work fine. Be sure to clean all grease off shaft and gear taper.

[wideglide38]

Thanks. Definitely will be simpler to swap out than trying to swag a bearing into the one I have. Now I am wondering when the 2nd key way was dropped. My searches for aftermarket '37-'64 main shafts (Andrews, etc) make no mention of 1 or 2 key ways and you can't tell from the catalog/web site photos.

[knucklehead 61]

i recently installed a set of Baker starter clutch gears in my 55 pan after hyper extending my knee too many times from the old gears slipping through. the Baker gear only has one keyway, which i find odd as it wouldn't have cost much more to add the second one. their kicker arm gear is clocked slightly different from the oem as well, which causes the kicker arm to rest slightly rearward from vertical. this i really do not understand as they should have just duplicated the oem gear clocking. they are expensive, but extremely high quality & solved my issue & were a lot less than knee surgery.

[wideglide38]

I agree, Save the Knee! Interesting comment on the indexing (assuming reference is to the Klassic Kicker Gear set). How much past vertical towards rear of the scoot? A degree or two or something more? Not sure the attached is a fair comparison. I tried to overlay a photo of a H-D NOS kicker gear (33350-36) I have onto their photo while trying to keep the bottom tooth & pin aligned at 6 o'clock. Appears through these old eyes that the square hole is slightly higher at the bottom left corner on the Baker.

[slamiste]

I recently found the detent bearing missing from the starter clutch on a Knucklehead I was working on. At the time I didn't really understand the function of the detent ball and reassembled the transmission. After assembly but before adjusting the clutch I kicked the transmission over and then discovered what I think is the reason for the detent. As I understand it, the detent prevents the throw out bearing from spinning and getting out of position related to the clutch release finger.

I was able to reposition the alignment of the throw out bearing through the oil fill plug in the kicker cover. Then after adjusting the clutch, it seems the clutch release finger is close enough to the throw out bearing to prevent it from rotating out of position.

So... if the clutch is kept properly adjusted, is there any compelling reason to replace an otherwise good starter clutch?

Steve Slaminko

[Robert Luland]

Guy's Harley dropped the two key ways early on. There is no main shaft or gear available with two key ways as it's not needed. Bob L

[1950Panhead]

I recently found the detent bearing missing from the starter clutch on a Knucklehead I was working on.

You want the inner half of the throw out to spin, there are four scoops that fling oil onto the mainshaft and dripper so the inner kicker gear has oil.
The spring and ball fall out often, I use a pin in the outer kicker gear.
Check the cover is staked to the inner bearing, original staking and repro staking is shody.

[pan620]

So you think the throw out bearing was designed to spin all time, I do not no how for sure it is supposed to work or if the only function of the detent ball was to hold in place till the clutch was adjusted as Slamiste mentioned please help me understand how it was intended to function, Thanks Dave!

[Robert Luland]

Yep, the whole thing spins all the time. If the throw out bearing didn't spin with the shaft the starter clutch would eat a hole right though it. That little ball bearing keeps the clutch indexed to the starter clutch gear. Bob L

[pan620]

Thanks for the reply, only way I could see it working also, just did not seem right. Thanks Again!