Strange shifting issue with ratchet lid

[panama86]

G'day guys,
I am having some issues with the ratchet lid on my 51.

I've had this lid on this bike and have ridden it previously but it's always been quite difficult to shift. Almost like there is too much pressure on the shift drum cam follower. Particularly between 1st neutral and 2nd. I suspected maybe it was shift fork alignment so I pulled the trans and used my shift for alignment tool to confirm it was correct. It's very hard to shift when it's off the trans also. If I loosen off the cam follower retainer that rides on the notches in the shift drum shifting becomes easy, but when it's tightened down against the lock washer it's no longer possible to shift. The drum is timed correctly and I have new OEM pawls, pawl carrier and springs in the drum. I have also tried a different older spring in the cam follower retainer as well as a different follower piece (one had a slightly more pointed tip) but same issue. I have the earlier style shift drum not the cast. 1st is back, forward for neutral 2nd etc.

I have considered adding a spacer under the retainer between it and the lock washer to remove some tension but this seems like a bandaid fix for a bigger issue, anyone encountered anything like this before?

Cheers.

[panhead_kicker]

... I have also tried a different older spring in the cam follower retainer as well as a different follower piece (one had a slightly more pointed tip) but same issue....

Are you talking about 52, 53,22 ?

edit : Ok... I see you are talking about foot shift parts.

IMG_2568.JPG

[1950Panhead]

Lid possibilities -
The shaft can rust causing drag
The gears can rust causing drag
The tension screw goes in part way, just enough to hold shift drum in gear.
Test lid off tranny.

[panama86]

Thanks for the reponses.

Panhead_kicker I have this lid set up as hand shift, no foot linkage. I have the shift drum that looks like the one in the image you posted however I do not have that style of cam follower. I have the type with the pointed tip, no ball bearing. Does that style of drum require that style of cam follower? As I mentioned, this setup has worked but it's always been a bit difficult to shift. Am I running a footshift cam follower on a handshift drum maybe? Was there also a difference in the timing gear?

1950 panhead, the internals of the lid are squeaky clean and in good shape, I've had the thing apart and checked it all before reassembling. Tested lid off of tranny but impossible to shift. Looks like though I may have the wrong style of cam follower (plunger) for this drum and potentially also the wrong timing gear.

[panhead_kicker]

Sorry, I see your reply now. Sounds like you are using foot shift components like these below. My guess is you need to be using the handshift parts that are indeed different , as shown in my first post.

IMG_2569.JPG

NOS components, Assembled loosely, the length is 2 inches:

IMG_2570.JPG

[panama86]

Sorry guys, upon further inspection I can see that the handshift drums had a different style of groove for the ball bearing to sit in. My drum has the same style groove as the cast drums had, looks exactly like the attached.

s-l400.jpg

And the follower I have looks like this:

Harley-Panhead-Shovelhead-Ratchet-Top-Transmission-Cam-Follower.jpg

Sorry for my confusing description there.

[panhead_kicker]

So it sounds like you are using a bunch of foot shift parts for your "hand shift"? Maybe that may have something to do with hard shifting?

[panama86]

I basically have what would have originally been a foot shift lid as it has the shift drum assembly and it has had the foot shift linkage removed and a jockey shifter added instead. I bought this lid setup like this and as I mentioned it has been working it just hard to shift either on or off of the trans. I would suggest that even if this bike lid still had the foot shift linkage it would be impossible to shift with your foot as it currently stands. It's not possible to move the drum at all really with that cam follower tightened right down.

[panhead_kicker]

... It's not possible to move the drum at all really with that cam follower tightened right down.

I can flip this foot shift lid over, and with the cam follower screwed all the way in, still spin the cam with my thumbs, from detent to detent. You stated if you loosened up yours, it would spin, so you must be getting spring bound within the tightened assembly.
I suggest that some portion, or portions of your follower isn't Kosher!

[panama86]

Here's exactly what i've got, pictures worth a thousand words. Anything look off to you guys?

IMG_20200824_120103-small.jpg

IMG_20200824_120131-small.jpg

.jpg

IMG_20200824_120115-small.jpg

[panama86]

Okay, I know you guys are losing sleep over this issue and need closure haha. Turns out it had nothing to do with the cam follower. I was examining all the components and noticed the plate in shifting drum that carries the 2 arched springs that return the shifter to the correct location had a missing tab at the bottom of the channel they ride in so basically those arched springs were able to move past the mid way point and were not allowing the full action of a shift to complete. If that makes sense. I'll take a photo tomorrow. Still having major clutch issues but at least this is one less thing.