I would check to make sure you don't have anything partially seizing in the linkage first, but if all OK it sounds like you have a broken return spring in the transmission.
Gear Shifter just stopped working
03' VRSCA/ 15K
I just went out to my bike which I left outside overnight at my cousin's house, and when I went to leave, I geared into first..went to the stop sign, an noticed that my gear shifter did not pop back into ready position to shift up into second. It popped down into first and just stayed there, flat. So I pulled over, checked it out, and low and behold, my gear shifter isn't working. So I cut it off and then cut it back on, and tried to give it a slight up into neutral....it went up and just stayed there. Straight passed neutral. It popped into gear, but it wasn't 2nd, because it clucked and stalled out.
Any ideas about what happened? I believe I may have been sabotaged even. I was just riding yesterday and it was perfect.
I just went out to my bike which I left outside overnight at my cousin's house, and when I went to leave, I geared into first..went to the stop sign, an noticed that my gear shifter did not pop back into ready position to shift up into second. It popped down into first and just stayed there, flat. So I pulled over, checked it out, and low and behold, my gear shifter isn't working. So I cut it off and then cut it back on, and tried to give it a slight up into neutral....it went up and just stayed there. Straight passed neutral. It popped into gear, but it wasn't 2nd, because it clucked and stalled out.
Any ideas about what happened? I believe I may have been sabotaged even. I was just riding yesterday and it was perfect.
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Thanks, I've been trying to find videoes on linkage repair for VRSCA, but they all just say Harley in general for the examples given. Can you tell me how to check the linkage? I've been out tinkering with it and the gear shift arm is straight up and down and the shaft looks solid as well. And if it's not something binding in the linkage, is having the return spring fixed something that'll rip me a "new one" at the shop?
Best thing to do is take out the bolt that holds the rod onto the shift shaft on the engine. Then you will see if the footpedal and the rosejoints move freely. Then see if the shift shaft moves backwards and forwards against the spring or is as you previously mentioned moving and not returning. Bad news is if it is the spring it's an engine out and split job.Thanks, I've been trying to find videoes on linkage repair for VRSCA, but they all just say Harley in general for the examples given. Can you tell me how to check the linkage? I've been out tinkering with it and the gear shift arm is straight up and down and the shaft looks solid as well. And if it's not something binding in the linkage, is having the return spring fixed something that'll rip me a "new one" at the shop?
Most shifting problems I have encountered have been dirt related. Remove the shift rod and clean those heim joints real good. The shift rod is the rod that runs between the foot pedal and the transmission shaft. Easy and cost free to clean it once in a while.
As mentioned, drop the bolt out of the shift linkage at the trans arm. If there is no centering spring there, it's internal spring breakage.
Ron
Ron
detent loose on shifter drum maybe
Thanks alot,Sir. I am going to try the rod and shaft test. I will let you know what happened. 'Engine out and split sounds pretty major. I can only hope for the lesser outcome than that.
Very simple to diagnose. If the shifter doesn't return to the static position then lift it with your toe as if you was trying to put it in neutral. If it won't go into neutral then cleaning and lubricating the hiem joints on the linkage isn't going to resolve the problem.Thanks alot,Sir. I am going to try the rod and shaft test. I will let you know what happened. 'Engine out and split sounds pretty major. I can only hope for the lesser outcome than that.
Good Luck,
Ron
Guys, thank you all for your input on my problem. I dropped of the bike this morning to HD, and about 3 hours later they called me with the diagnosis. It's the "shifter bushings" that need replaced. The cost to fix isn't 'super' outrageous, however it wasn't in the budget. I'm gonna search for a video before I decide to pay for the labor. 'Just wanted to share with you guys what I found out.
Thanks again,
Fred B
Thanks again,
Fred B
Ron, thanks bro!
Can you elaborate. The bushing in the shifter/foot peg location or the one in the engine or the hiem joint balls? I doubt it's in the engine as it under constant lube. Removing the rod from the trans shift lever would have showed if the front was bound up. That's like a 10 minute fix with a bit of cleaning and fine sandpaper at most. Lack of service especially for those that like washing their bikes cause rusting in this area and it binds up. Sounds like you could have done the fix for free.Guys, thank you all for your input on my problem. I dropped of the bike this morning to HD, and about 3 hours later they called me with the diagnosis. It's the "shifter bushings" that need replaced. The cost to fix isn't 'super' outrageous, however it wasn't in the budget. I'm gonna search for a video before I decide to pay for the labor. 'Just wanted to share with you guys what I found out.
Thanks again,
Fred B
Ron
Interesting..........well I will certainly find out on Monday. Because I believed that the bushing replacement would be over my head, I didn't question them on if it was external or internal. What they told me was that they "reset" it, but I needed new bushings for an additional service charge. I will find out and get back to you. Because if it's the external like you believe, I'd like to save that money and replace them myself. But yea, since they already "reset" it, I'm out of a little money already
Sounds like a typical Stealership con to me!Interesting..........well I will certainly find out on Monday. Because I believed that the bushing replacement would be over my head, I didn't question them on if it was external or internal. What they told me was that they "reset" it, but I needed new bushings for an additional service charge. I will find out and get back to you. Because if it's the external like you believe, I'd like to save that money and replace them myself. But yea, since they already "reset" it, I'm out of a little money already
They must have ungodly skills. The best I've ever done with bushings is lube them, free them up or replace really worn ones. Even made a few when I was still working in a machine shop. Reset is beyond my comprehension. Any way, get answers to what they actually did. Dealers have way of taking something simple and turning it into a nightmare and when you need them to do serious repairs, it's usually beyond them when it comes to v rods.Interesting..........well I will certainly find out on Monday. Because I believed that the bushing replacement would be over my head, I didn't question them on if it was external or internal. What they told me was that they "reset" it, but I needed new bushings for an additional service charge. I will find out and get back to you. Because if it's the external like you believe, I'd like to save that money and replace them myself. But yea, since they already "reset" it, I'm out of a little money already
Ron
I would check the shift actuation with the arm on the selector shaft and if it works then I would get the motorcycle out of the H-D shop before they have a chance to create a serious problem for you. That is their field of expertise.Interesting..........well I will certainly find out on Monday. Because I believed that the bushing replacement would be over my head, I didn't question them on if it was external or internal. What they told me was that they "reset" it, but I needed new bushings for an additional service charge. I will find out and get back to you. Because if it's the external like you believe, I'd like to save that money and replace them myself. But yea, since they already "reset" it, I'm out of a little money already
I don't mean to be harsh but you should have allowed the experts on this sight to provide logic and assist you with the diagnosis. There's very little that they haven't experienced or been involved in a discussion of the problem.
Ron
I didn't chime in because he had already been told several times what to do. It's his money, let him blow it. I freaked out a bit first time it happened to me too. Now lubing this linkage is part of normal routine maintenance.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
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