Third gear

[doug_heisel]

I got my bike together late last summer, after 2 years of building her. I discovered she didn't have a 3rd gear. When I down shift and hit 3rd, it slows the bike as if everythings ok. However when shifting through the gears if I don't shift past 3rd it acts as if I was in nuetral. could this just be a misaligned shift fork or is there something more sinister behind this. I'm only asking cause I want some Idea what I'm getting in to before I pull the tranny. Thanks for any advice or ideas.
Doug

[Panshovevo]

Hand shift or foot shift?
When I first got my '50, equipped with a foot shift ratchet top, it sometimes wouldn't go into 4th gear. After studying the manual, I checked the ratchet to see if it was centered. It wasn't. It was slightly biased toward the downshift side. I reset it, slightly toward the upshift side of center, and no more problem.

Regards,
John

[Bosheff]

More than likely it is in the shift fork or the shift drum or a combination of the two. Pull the lid and take a look see. It wouldn't hurt to have the factory tool to align the forks, but with a little patience the forks can be aligned without it. There is also an adjustment in the ratchet lid that you can check that may be the cause of this problem. Git yer Genuine H-D Factory Service Manual out and read up on it. It's all covered in the good book....bosheff

[PanPal]

Everything that has been said above. Also you could have the aftermarket V-twin ratchet top curse many of us have run into. Or a loose shifter fork.

[fourthgear]

As said by above posters, loose or bent shifter fork , check the springs in the shifting ratchet . There is a timing procedure for that shifter ratchet , which is in the manual , maybe it moved out of timing.
There's really not much up there ,but if some this is out of spec ,it can make shifting trouble some.
Pull the top ,as has been said & you will find the problem.
I

[Bosheff]

Sounds to me like what is happening is that for whatever reason yer tranny isn't going all the way into third when goin though the gears, (1-2-3-4). Buy going to 4th and downshifting back to 3rd, yer catching the gear on the way back. If the tranny is in a completely assembled motorcycle, it's gonna take ya longer to get the lid off than it will to make the actual adjustment/repair. Sounds like a simple fork or lid (ratchet) adjustment....bosheff

[1450]

Everything that has been said above. Also you could have the aftermarket V-twin ratchet top curse many of us have run into. Or a loose shifter fork.

same thing happen to me . shifter fork nut came loose.

[amiabledave]

Adapter plate not timed EXACTLY?

Dave

[doug_heisel]

Foot shift Panshovevo, and it looks like it always was one. Ok sounds like I have to take it apart. I knew I would, but I really don't want to cause you know how it goes as soon as I do the weather is going to turn nice. I'll pull the tranny and let you all know whats going on Thanks for all the feed back.

[Panshovevo]

Foot shift Panshovevo, and it looks like it always was one. Ok sounds like I have to take it apart. I knew I would, but I really don't want to cause you know how it goes as soon as I do the weather is going to turn nice. I'll pull the tranny and let you all know whats going on Thanks for all the feed back.

Doug, before you pull the tranny, check the timing of the ratchet, and the pawl springs. It's a heck of a lot easier than pulling the tranny or even the lid.
There are other possibilities, as noted above, but the ratchet should, in my opinion, be checked first.

Regards,
John

[amiabledave]

I do recall that the shifter fork on the countershaft was installed backwards and the shifting fingers where at different heights. It turned out that his 3rd gear was a neutral also, no 3rd gear....

Anyway the top has to come off.....

Dave