Shifter Tops and Parts

Shift drum, cover, etc.

The gear change mechanism on the 4-speed Big Twin transmission can be removed and repaired separately. When selecting the parts, it should be clear which year group the assembly you want to repair belongs to:

• Tank shifter 1936-1964 (the shift linkage ends at a simple lever that moves a few degrees with each gear engaged)
• Foot shift 1952-1978 ("ratchet top" because of the automatic gearshift with ratchet mechanism, the engaged gear is not recognizable from the outside)
• Foot-operated gearshift 1979-1984 ("dome gearbox" because of the dome on the gearbox housing)

The ratchet top has two different gearshift rollers: one for the FLHs with a bottom-mounted ratchet mechanism and one for the FX with a top-mounted shift linkage. If in doubt, the contact details below will help you untangle the problems.