Iron head shifter

i have a 74 IH and the shifter peg keeps slipping on the shaft. its tight too any tricks or tips to help. anyone else have this problem

Are your splines on the shifter or shaft stripped? Sounds like they are. If so, you'll have to replace the shift shaft and shifter arm.

Try removing it and cleaning the shaft end and shifter bore of any oil or grease and reinstall and tighten. You can also file the arm slot a little wider to give you more "crush" room. If all that fails, try a small piece of thin aluminum from a soda can or a small piece of thin brass in the bore hole to shim it up before you tighten the bolt down.

It's a pretty common problem that usually works out with cleaning the two parts really well.

Try a new shifter. It could be striped. There is a groove for the bolt so it won't slip off. Also try a big twin shifter. They have a smaller hole than the sportster. U can tap it on with a rubber mallett and it won't move. I've had to use one in an emergency when I wrecked my bike on the side of the rode.

1974 should still be the right side shift/smooth shaft hole version.

Hey kickstarter, could he use a thin strip from a beer can just in case he's not a soda drinker. I could see myself running into that problem if my shifter were stripped.

Originally Posted by iron12b

Hey kickstarter, could he use a thin strip from a beer can just in case he's not a soda drinker. I could see myself running into that problem if my shifter were stripped.

No.

I wonder how drilling it out and using a pin would work ?

The trick I learned is to get a small woodruff key and cut a corresponding size notch into the rod and then tack weld the woodruff key into the shifter from both sides.

either drilling for a roll pin or a key would work i would think. they both sound like itd be a pain to do though. you could find a small set screw for the shifter, then just drill and tap the shifter. then after you tighten down the factory bolt run the set screw in. itd pry work better if you grinded a small flat spot onto the shifter shaft.

I drilled mine to 1/4" and stuck a cotter pin in it. I tried an 1/8" first but it sheared off pretty quick, like before I got it into nuetral quick. It's worked for over a year. I carry a couple spares incase though. Someday I'll put a new one on....maybe.

Originally Posted by roush360r

either drilling for a roll pin or a key would work i would think. they both sound like itd be a pain to do though. you could find a small set screw for the shifter, then just drill and tap the shifter. then after you tighten down the factory bolt run the set screw in. itd pry work better if you grinded a small flat spot onto the shifter shaft.

Why didn't I think of that ?