Transmission what do I do?

[Tudelum48]

Starting on the transmission part of my rebuild. What do you recommend on how deep to go? Do they need much attention?

[1950Panhead]

What do you recommend on how deep to go?

You should go all the way !

Do they need much attention?

Well it depends.
If the bike has low miles or everyone changed the tranny lube every year it may need nothing.
That is usually not the case.
They usually need new countershaft, countershaft bearings, three bushings for gears that spin, gaskets and seals.
Take apart and inspect.

[nmaineron]

Tranny's are usually considered pretty scary for the average tinkerer but really they are not that hard.The manual tells you quite precisely how to tear into her and put her back together.for the most part things can only go one way,the shifter dogs are labeled to there orientation.To me the hard part was dealing with the tiny bearings with my ham hoc hands and if you have a later model that isn't an issue at all.I bought the fork alignment tool for $50 but you may know someone who has one,feeler guages and a micrometer are your pals...

[Andygears]

I agree with '50 Panhead, go all the way when you tear into it. It helps if you know what ain't right before you tear it down, but I see that's not possible from your posts.
Does it pop out of gear? Leaks badly? From where? Kicker slip thru? Or jam? These questions could be answered if it ran for a test ride. In your case a tear down will require very careful examination of parts and the cases. If something doesn't look right or you find a crack, please post a picture, you'll get lots of advise. The thin main drive gear nut will need a special socket to torque properly if you reinstall the thin dished oil deflector, but if you're gonna run a belt, the deflector can be omitted. And the special socket can be fabbed from a std. socket and pipe welded together. Read the knowledge base and enjoy the build.

My two cents
Andygears

[Buddhahoodvatoloco]

Senor Tudelum48,
If a dummy like me can do it,
anyone can.
I build a stand to sit the tranny on, and then lighted up the area good, and laid out some clean newspaper under all of it and had at it.
Get The manual, get the manual, get the manual,
or like Pete used to holler across the shop at me, "It's in the book #%therfu%^&*>"

[DoomBuggy]

this is one of the best videos I have seen on rebuilding Anything!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW0S2kEr6hg

Hope it helps,
-H

[panhog]

Starting on the transmission part of my rebuild. What do you recommend on how deep to go? Do they need much attention?

If you are serious about rebuilding your tranny. I have a article from Supercycle circa 1983, called How To Wrench Your 74 Tranny.125 photos with step by step instructions. Have gone though several trannys using this and the manual. If you have a fax number I can get it to you. Lee.

[RUBONE]

Big twin transmissions are very straightforward. No need to fear them. And there is heaps of info on them. Ray (Saddlebagrail) has several videos on them, search the internet. He posted some here and some on other forums with the same user name. He tried to share here but was so harassed by a certain carburetor rebuilder he quit in disgust.

[panhog]

He tried to share here but was so harassed by a certain carburetor rebuilder he quit in disgust.

Hmm. Wonder who that could have been? LOL.

[George Greer]

If I can build a transmission, starting with just a bare case.

You can too. I was a bit afraid at the beginning, but after help from members here and reading and reading the service manual.

I did it, now I am starting on a spare transmission and it too is now just a bare case...........gears and shafts are to be obtained at a later date.

This time, I will try to do better at taking pictures and document the build.

You can do it.

George

[saddlebagrail]

http://www.caimag.com/wordpress/2015/11 ... l-rebuild/

[Tudelum48]

Well when I bought my bike it was a spur of the moment purchase. A father and son had a small shop for Harley's. When his father passed the son kind of lost interest. I just happened to be riding by about 6 months later and he offered me the basket case. I loaded it all up and hauled it home. I got a clean title put it in our lockbox and piled the bike in the corner of my shop in boxes.
30 years later I retire and start building the projects that I picked up over the years. Build a dual sport bike and ride the TAT (trans american trail) (done) take a 3 week trip and ride the Contintal Devide from Mexico to Canada off road (done) rebuild my 850 Norton Comando (done), 1964 Mercury Comet (done), build 2 r/c kit planes from scratch with 4 stoke engines (done).
Now it's Harley time. I've never ridden it. Been a basket case for over 30 years.
After it my last project I have is a 1966 106 Sears motorcycle???? Well I always wanted one as a kid.

This project is more time consuming than any I've tried. But hopefully I have the time. The patience is what I'm worried about. Lol
Thanks for all the advice and help I'm sure I'll be back for more.

[Bigincher]

That's a heck of a retirement, Tudelum! Good for you! Putting back together an old Harley that's been in boxes for decades is certainly a project. But you'll get it, I have no doubt.