free website stats program 09 loud transsmission-help | Page 2 | Harley Davidson Forums

09 loud transsmission-help

My transmission noise went away after $1200 and a Baker F6F kit. The transmission in my 09 Ultra now works the way it should have when it was made by Harley. Just because a gear is straight cut does not mean that it should drown out the radio when you shift into 5th gear. The variation in the six speed transmissions from Harley is enormous. Some whine, some rattle and in my case the thing just flat roared. If you are lucky, yours just whines a little but the fact that 5th gear doesn't fail is not all there is to a transmission. The fact that 20,000 people have noticed it and the fact that a company makes a fix tells you something about the Harley six speed. That having been said, if yours just whines then drive and enjoy. I am happy with mine because now I can hear the radio when I am in 5th gear.
 
stumpknocker said:
My transmission noise went away after $1200 and a Baker F6F kit. The transmission in my 09 Ultra now works the way it should have when it was made by Harley. Just because a gear is straight cut does not mean that it should drown out the radio when you shift into 5th gear. The variation in the six speed transmissions from Harley is enormous. Some whine, some rattle and in my case the thing just flat roared. If you are lucky, yours just whines a little but the fact that 5th gear doesn't fail is not all there is to a transmission. The fact that 20,000 people have noticed it and the fact that a company makes a fix tells you something about the Harley six speed. That having been said, if yours just whines then drive and enjoy. I am happy with mine because now I can hear the radio when I am in 5th gear.
Click to expand...
The differences indeed is astonishing like you say.
Mine, if you listen carfully with the radio down, produces a sound that's a little different to the other gears but not really louder, just different. And it was like that even with the standard non synthetic oil. Concistency is not to be found in HD gear boxes.
 
Last edited:
Re: 09 loud transmission-help

Hi new to forum, Just bought a 09 streetglide lookin for a good deep sound any suggestions?
 
just curious about the physics of this.
i have an '09 RKC. 5th gear does, indeed, whine. not hugely bothersome (also let's me know i'm in 5th, which is not altogether a bad thing, though maybe unnecessary).
but my question is just one of curiosity:
why would a square cut on the gear be what's making the noise? the metal teeth on the gear are sliding in between the chain links on the primary. right?
so why would that produce a whine? if i heard something more akin to a rattle, i could understand it. but what's with the whine?
i don't get it.

just curious ...
 
For the new folks out there who possible don't know the history of the six speeds used in the Harley Touring Bikes. Introduced in 2007. First and fifth have their gears cut in a "straight cut" fashion. Presumbably because they are a bit stronger and more durable than their hellical cousins which are used in 2,3,4 and 6th gears. That point could be argued but it wouldn't change the fact that it is what it is. Any way, straight cut gears are by their very nature a little more noisy than hellical cut gears are.
As many have said before, if you want to cut down on the noise a little bit, fill your transmission with a good synthetic in the 75/90 or 75/140 catagory. This will quiet it down because it is heavier and denser. It absorbs the sound a little more.

But, at the end of the day, you will get used to the pitch of the the 1st and 5th gear whine and you won't hear it any more. It is like moving to a new house and the train comes through at 9:05 every night. After a couple of weeks you get used to it and are never aware of it. The train still roll through nightly, you just aren't concious of it anymore.
It is not a weak transmission by any means. It is rare that I ever hear of someone who craters one, unless maybe they have built a super hotrod Harley. Just ride and enjoy your bike. It was engineered with riding in mind.
 
I will have to say that the noise is obviously louder in some bikes that others. On my particular bike it is hardly noticeable even prior to changing to the Spectro 6 speed fluid. Right now while riding I have to listen carefully to know if I am in 5th gear and I listen to my radio / ipod at 1/2 to 3/4 volume at 65 MPH. I will say that if I am under a pull I notice it easier. But while cruising (which is mostly in 5th gear) it is almost un-noticeable. Judging by the amount of talk about it some must be much louder than others and I will consider myself lucky. I have heard of no failures, but if it was so loud I could not hear my stereo I would be very unhappy.
 
I think the difference in the transmissions is the whole problem with the six speed. My friend has a new Ultra that was purchased only a couple of weeks before I bought mine and the noise in his is barely audible. I would have been fine with that but mine made a racket that nobody could have ignored and the fact that the dealer tried to tell me its normal was just frustrating to the point that I tried to sell the bike. Everyone and I include the guys at Harley including Willie G would take the bike with the F6F kit if they could compare the before and after with my bike. I also understand it is hard for people to comprehend the order of magnitude in the difference it has made. I am still angry at having to spend the money to correct what I consider to be poor quality control in a manufacturing process but the alternative for me was to either get rid of the bike or quit riding it.
 
stumpknocker said:
I think the difference in the transmissions is the whole problem with the six speed. My friend has a new Ultra that was purchased only a couple of weeks before I bought mine and the noise in his is barely audible. I would have been fine with that but mine made a racket that nobody could have ignored and the fact that the dealer tried to tell me its normal was just frustrating to the point that I tried to sell the bike. Everyone and I include the guys at Harley including Willie G would take the bike with the F6F kit if they could compare the before and after with my bike. I also understand it is hard for people to comprehend the order of magnitude in the difference it has made. I am still angry at having to spend the money to correct what I consider to be poor quality control in a manufacturing process but the alternative for me was to either get rid of the bike or quit riding it.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean with try to sell the bike because of sure frustration.
This sort of thing makes you feel so powerless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top