5-speed gearbox for 1340 Big Twins

The 5-speed gearbox from 1980 (introduction date 1980 for the FLT model) also comes with an innovation: the large two-cylinder engines are fitted with a cassette gearbox. Cassette gearbox? Both shafts can be removed from the side of the gearbox housing with all gears, bearings etc. without having to remove the housing from the frame. Well, isn´t that something?!

In addition, the main shaft in the gearwheel of the 5th, the direct gear, is mounted in needles, no longer in bronze bushes. The gear itself is no longer guided in needles in the gearbox housing, but in a robust deep groove ball bearing. These changes put an end to the oil seepage of Harley gearboxes!

And there are more changes in the gearbox compared to the predecessor with four gears:

all loose gears run on needle bearings and the sliding gears are designed in such a way that they always mesh with their counterpart. They sit on the shaft with fine teeth and the shaft is much thicker in diameter, so that less mass is placed on the individual gear wheel. The shifting process is therefore totally smooth and the gears are subject to hardly any wear, apart from numb shifting feet.

When looking in the parts manual or during disassembly, it is also noticeable that the gears of the 2nd gear of the main shaft and the 3rd gear of the counter shaft and the 3rd gear of the main shaft and the 2nd gear of the counter shaft are identical. This rationalizes production.