Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
Any way to do this without the $250 Jim's tool?
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:46 pm
- Bikes: Rigid Panhead bobber, 68 Shovelhead, 2000 Road King Police bike, 2000 Dyna Wide Glide
- Location: Rhode Island
- Has thanked: 997 times
- Been thanked: 711 times
Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
I recently blew up the mainshaft bearing on my panhead gearbox. I have another box that's been sitting around for years. It's in good shape - at least by outward appearance - I will investigate further. The mainshaft is the right length for my bike. I'm springing for a shifting fork alignment tool because I want to take the shifter top off and get at least a look inside. I'm assuming the mainshaft seal is shot because they usually are. Is there a way to change it without spending 220-250 bucks on a tool I will only use once?
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 5327
- Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:00 pm
- Bikes: 1950 Panhead, Resto-Mod
1968 90", 5 Speed Shovelhead,
1984 Home Built Custom Evo 100" Bagger - Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Has thanked: 2801 times
- Been thanked: 2159 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
1) I have never had a need for the shift fork tool in over 50 years of doing this $hit. It just takes patience and a steady hand to check out the spacing. I have had access to the tool, but actually found it to not be much help. I would rather spend the money on beer and hard parts for my scooters.
2) Again why buy a tool when you can punch a coupla holes with an "ice pick", use sheet metal screws or a slide hammer to pop out the old seal, and then tap the new one back in place. You are not gonna reuse the old seal, so there is no need to be gentle with it.
I don't even know why the MoCo came up with that fancy puller in the first place.....
....RooDog....
2) Again why buy a tool when you can punch a coupla holes with an "ice pick", use sheet metal screws or a slide hammer to pop out the old seal, and then tap the new one back in place. You are not gonna reuse the old seal, so there is no need to be gentle with it.
I don't even know why the MoCo came up with that fancy puller in the first place.....
....RooDog....
-
- Moderator
- Senior Member
- Posts: 8406
- Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:09 am
- Bikes: Multiple H-D, Ducati, BMW, Triumph, BSA,...
- Has thanked: 482 times
- Been thanked: 2956 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
The top tool works great and makes it a 30 second job to check spacing if you use it right. I made Go/no go gauges from old spokes to check spacing, and keep them with the tool. Luckily most of my tools were acquired decades ago and from old dealers so they were pretty cheap. If time is all you have then do it the hard way (when you work against flat rate all the tools make sense!). The seal tool isn't needed, sheetmetal screws, a slide hammer, a piece of PVC pipe and it is all good. And if the box is apart you don't even need any of those.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Site sponsor
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1922
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:43 pm
- Bikes: 1969 FLF
1937 EL
1940 U - Location: san diego
- Has thanked: 1478 times
- Been thanked: 244 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
..........50 years of doing this $hit.
b][/b]
b][/b]
RooDog wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:45 pm 1) I have never had a need for the shift fork tool in over 50 years of doing this $hit. It just takes patience and a steady hand to check out the spacing. I have had access to the tool, but actually found it to not be much help. I would rather spend the money on beer and hard parts for my scooters.
2) Again why buy a tool when you can punch a coupla holes with an "ice pick", use sheet metal screws or a slide hammer to pop out the old seal, and then tap the new one back in place. You are not gonna reuse the old seal, so there is no need to be gentle with it.
I don't even know why the MoCo came up with that fancy puller in the first place.....
....RooDog....
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:46 pm
- Bikes: Rigid Panhead bobber, 68 Shovelhead, 2000 Road King Police bike, 2000 Dyna Wide Glide
- Location: Rhode Island
- Has thanked: 997 times
- Been thanked: 711 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
That's the answer I was hoping for.RooDog wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:45 pm 1) I have never had a need for the shift fork tool in over 50 years of doing this $hit. It just takes patience and a steady hand to check out the spacing. I have had access to the tool, but actually found it to not be much help. I would rather spend the money on beer and hard parts for my scooters.
2) Again why buy a tool when you can punch a coupla holes with an "ice pick", use sheet metal screws or a slide hammer to pop out the old seal, and then tap the new one back in place. You are not gonna reuse the old seal, so there is no need to be gentle with it.
I don't even know why the MoCo came up with that fancy puller in the first place.....
....RooDog....
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:46 pm
- Bikes: Rigid Panhead bobber, 68 Shovelhead, 2000 Road King Police bike, 2000 Dyna Wide Glide
- Location: Rhode Island
- Has thanked: 997 times
- Been thanked: 711 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
Nice collection of tools there. Having a knucklehead on your bench is pretty cool,too!RUBONE wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:58 pm The top tool works great and makes it a 30 second job to check spacing if you use it right. I made Go/no go gauges from old spokes to check spacing, and keep them with the tool. Luckily most of my tools were acquired decades ago and from old dealers so they were pretty cheap. If time is all you have then do it the hard way (when you work against flat rate all the tools make sense!). The seal tool isn't needed, sheetmetal screws, a slide hammer, a piece of PVC pipe and it is all good. And if the box is apart you don't even need any of those.
-
- Member
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:09 am
- Bikes: 1951 FL
- Location: Germany
- Has thanked: 85 times
- Been thanked: 231 times
Re: Changing 4-speed mainshaft seal
What are these two for ?
Ray
Ray
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Moderator
- Senior Member
- Posts: 8406
- Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:09 am
- Bikes: Multiple H-D, Ducati, BMW, Triumph, BSA,...
- Has thanked: 482 times
- Been thanked: 2956 times