shifter fork alignment

[65eglide]

was reading thru the knowledge base and read that the shifter forks need to be realigned when changing tops or a new top.

does that apply if your using the same top, ?
do they need to be realigned everytime the top is off?

[Panacea]

Not if you haven't moved the shifter forks!

[drinner-okc]

Is the Trans out where you can lift the top carefully? If you've removed the top, align shift pins up with the grooves in the drum & set it back on. Then lift it off as carefully as possible. Try not to move the forks. Now look down between the shift clutches. There should be equal space on each side of the forks. If it is closer to one side you may have a bent fork, or need to shim differently.
If you change tops, put the forks as close to center as possible, the different lid should set on without moving them. If they move, you need to reshim back to center.
drinner

[RUBONE]

The easiest and most consistent way to do this without the special tool is to only work one fork at a time, rolling the drum to the point where there is a straight slot over the fork roller. Check that fork, then do the same for the other. If you do it in neutral it is difficult to get the top on and off without moving them. This way the top comes off easily and you are only worried about one at a time.
Robbie

[65eglide]

I tried to work on this a little, not sure if i'm setting it up right.
One fork was fine , on the other one of the clutches was basically right up against a gear.

I never had a problem with the trans shifting , just took the cover off to see what was going on inside
Still trying to wrap my head around, how these would get out of alignment if i'm using the same cover

[Panhead Ed]

I tried to work on this a little, not sure if i'm setting it up right.
One fork was fine , on the other one of the clutches was basically right up against a gear.

I never had a problem with the trans shifting , just took the cover off to see what was going on inside
Still trying to wrap my head around, how these would get out of alignment if i'm using the same cover

If all youve done is remove the top NOTHING has changed. Now that being said if they were set right to begin with they are still right or wrong however they were set prior to you removing the lid ... clear on that ? Ed

[65eglide]

Seems clear, Just to be sure...

I did take the top off, slide each fork into it's gear, just to see what it was doing.
turn mainshaft a few times..

I did not , remove anything except the cover...

I put trans in neutral, put forks in neutral, re-installed cover....shifts as before..

I can see if I changed the forks, shimmed, removed anything, that the forks would need to be re-aligned.
Don't see how anything would change within the forks just by sliding them along the shaft...

[PanPal]

You do still have both top hats on the shifter fork pins right? I have seen them fall off when removing the lid. You need these so they will move positivly to each side when changing gears. If you shift from 2nd to neutral and check the alignment, is it the same as if you shift from 1st to neutral and remove the lid and check the gear alignment? I try to check them in each gear also to see if they engage all the way. Is it a cast shift drum?

[65eglide]

yes, both hats were on,
Seems to change all thru the gears fine, but I'm going to pull the top back off anyways.
just want to do some more checking, might as well get it right while it's out of the bike
If it looks like it's way off, I'll just bite the bullet and buy the alignment tool.