4 Speed Tranny Question / Additives

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CCI

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The HD 4 speed transmission is essentially the same from 1936 to 1979 with the exception of mainshaft length and countershaft bearing configuration. It's constant-mesh straight cut gears / sliding shift clutches, mixture of roller bearings and bronze bushings.

Factory has always recommended motor oil for that tranny.

In 1980 they went to a different shifter mechanism, by 1981/82 they had it working OK, but early efforts were awful. There was a recall on the early 1980 models, I did a lot of those.

I have an early '80 in the shop right now that looks like the recall may have been done, I didn't see any of the obviously defective parts. But it still shifts really hard, I probably should have polished the tracks on the shifter cam while it was apart.

Some of you may see where this is going.

Is there any harm in adding any of the teflon products or even something like STP to the oil?

[edit for typo]
 
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Harm? Probably not. Benefit? Probably not.

If it is shifting hard, you may want to just go to a higher viscosity oil. Are you using a SAE 50 or 20W-50 now?
 
There may still be benefit from a thick ATF over motor oil. It obviously doesn't like low viscosity fluids so Maxlife probably isn't a great idea.

RedlineRedline makes a high temperature ATF that is a 10 cSt @100ºC which is in the same range as a 30 grade motor oil.

If you need anything thicker you could always add Lucas transmission additive, maybe the only useful thing for such a product is thickening the final viscosity

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=54&pcid=9
 
Originally Posted By: MotoTribologist
Harm? Probably not. Benefit? Probably not.

If it is shifting hard, you may want to just go to a higher viscosity oil. Are you using a SAE 50 or 20W-50 now?


I'm using 20-w50 now, I wondered the same thing so I added a little straight 50 Kendall when I got back fronm the test ride but didn't have the chance to take it out today. I will post results.

I very much appreciate the expertise here, thank you all.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
There may still be benefit from a thick ATF over motor oil. It obviously doesn't like low viscosity fluids so Maxlife probably isn't a great idea.

RedlineRedline makes a high temperature ATF that is a 10 cSt @100ºC which is in the same range as a 30 grade motor oil.

If you need anything thicker you could always add Lucas transmission additive, maybe the only useful thing for such a product is thickening the final viscosity

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=54&pcid=9



I have a little bottle of Lucas Oil Stabilizer that I was up until now embarrassed to admit that I had bought and never ran in anything after reading about it here.

Maybe I will try that too.
 
Well adding 50 weight to a 20W-50 probably won't change much. Granted the ambient viscosity of the monograde 50 will probably be higher, but you would be better off going to something like a SAE 140 trans oil to get a thicker viscosity. Then you don't need to add anything extra to modify it.
 
Originally Posted By: alarmguy
You could try HDs transmission oil. Formula+


I used to own an 84 Ironhead Sportster before going big twin. I used 20W/50 oil which worked fine for about 1000 miles. I then went to the HD Formula+ and from then the shifts were smoother (well as smooth as it could be for this bike lol) and lasted to about 2000 miles until shifting degraded. So good recommendation there and I would use try it on your bike.

I miss that iron head. I enjoy my Softail and Ultra classic but that 84 iron head had CHARACTER that no new HD's have.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
There may still be benefit from a thick ATF over motor oil. It obviously doesn't like low viscosity fluids so Maxlife probably isn't a great idea.

RedlineRedline makes a high temperature ATF that is a 10 cSt @100ºC which is in the same range as a 30 grade motor oil.

If you need anything thicker you could always add Lucas transmission additive, maybe the only useful thing for such a product is thickening the final viscosity

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=54&pcid=9



You and MotoTribologist were right.

I added half a bottle of Lucas Motorcycle Oil Stabilizer, the bike shifts as god as any early '80 that hasn't had the shift cam tracks polished, goes into neutral easily, I couldn't ask for much more. I'm sure the customer is going to be thrilled.

I know there are folks who don't like Lucas, but there is no arguing with what just happened.
 
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