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CVO Technical => Drive Train => Topic started by: jmorton101 on April 05, 2020, 06:06:41 AM
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I haven't posted here in a while as I don't actually own a CVO (but I could have easily bought one for what I have invested in my nasty 124" nitrous oxide Roadking.
Everybody who knows me knows I beat the sh!t out of my bike LOL (I routinely hit the 6200 rpm rev limiter every time I ride it) & I thought a few of you guys might be interested in what I have gone through with my drivetrain. I have done all my own work for over 50 years (I'm 68 years old). I was building stroker Harley motors in 1970 truing/balancing my own flywheels etc. so I'm not a rookie doing this stuff. I was half owner of a chopper shop years ago (my partner was a Hells Angel)
I use a Pingel air shifter at times & the first problem arose when I ripped about 6 teeth off 3rd gear in the stock tranny. At that point, I installed a DD7 Baker in it with the S&S inner primary race (I wanted a Grudgebox but they weren't available yet) That tranny worked great for one year but I managed to break 3rd gear in that one also (Baker totally rebuilt it for free). By that time the Grudgebox was available so I put the DD7 newly rebuilt on a shelf in my shop & put in a strip version of the GB using the recommended Spectro tranny oil (I had always used Redline before).
By this time I had ripped the teeth off 3 stock rear belts so I also added a Vulcan rear chain conversion & Zippers axle lock kit. I had also replaced the compensator with a 32 tooth compensator eliminator & twin-power manual primary chain adjuster. I also run a bandit Sportsman clutch.
That is where the drivetrain is at now. Should be pretty bullet proof now, but I don't dare say that around my wife (she'll remark "you say that everytime LOL") My Wife of 40 years once accused me off breaking my bike on purpose to give me an excuse to modify it to make it faster (I have no idea what she was talking about ;) )
As it sits now, it is hands down the best shifting Harley I have ridden out of all the hundreds I have ridden over the years. The first time I rode it with Grudgebox I was amazed. I can drop in into first gear with zero clunk (it doesn't even feel like it went into gear). From there up it shifts so smoothly that at times it feels like maybe I didn't move the lever far enough, but it hasn't missed a single shift. Finding neutral at a dead stop is piece of cake.
Sorry if this is too long winded but I'm bored sitting here waiting out this damn virus thing (I'm in upstate NY) Stay safe everybody,
~John
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Interesting. Sounds like your very hard on your drive train. I have read and heard lots of good things about the grudge box. Hope it lasts for you.
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Interesting. Sounds like your very hard on your drive train. I have read and heard lots of good things about the grudge box. Hope it lasts for you.
I hope so too Dave, I could do an R&R blindfolded on this tranny at this time LOL.
I definitely stretch the limits of my stuff, but that's the way I've always been (I drag raced Harleys I built for years) & if I break it Baker has an awesome 5 year warranty.
~John
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Good endorsement for the Baker unit. Doesn't surprise me though coming from Baker.
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The Spectro oil in Your tranny is a game changer. Even with the stock transmission it quotes it way down and shifts buttery smooth.
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The Spectro oil in Your tranny is a game changer. Even with the stock transmission it quotes it way down and shifts buttery smooth.
I kinda figured that had something to do with it, Baker obviously recommends it for a reason :)
~John
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Well took my 128 big bore built bike out for the first ride today, dropped 3rd gear in the first 5 miles... GRrrrrr. Now trying to decide which way to go.... Guess the stock tranny doesn’t like all this Torque... I wasn’t even really laying into it yet....
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Well took my 128 big bore built bike out for the first ride today, dropped 3rd gear in the first 5 miles...
Yup, 3rd gear is always the one that lets go. My stock tranny had bits & pieces & gear teeth all through it when I took it apart. 3rd gear was missing 5 or 6 teeth .........
I know where you can get a brand new rebuilt DD7 Baker cheap, but I wouldn't recommend using it with a 128 ;)
We finally had a nice day here, I got mine out & I was beating the cr@p out of it air shifting gears with the front wheel a couple inches off the ground & the Grudgebox was so smooth it was like having an automatic transmission.
~John
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Well took my 128 big bore built bike out for the first ride today, dropped 3rd gear in the first 5 miles... GRrrrrr. Now trying to decide which way to go.... Guess the stock tranny doesn’t like all this Torque... I wasn’t even really laying into it yet....
I'm curious, what did you end up doing ??
~John