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Paging Dr. Shealey...

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  StLHeadake 
#1 ·
Actually, I'll take input from anyone...

Interesting experience. In order to avoid an accident I had to jump all over the throttle. Pick-up decided that the turn lane he was in wasn't comfy enuf and tried to move over on top of me. Had to punch it to pass the car on my right and then move into the right lane to avoid the truck pulling in on top of me from the left.

The sitch is: I was at about 6800 RPM in 2nd, as I pulled the trigger and accelerated, I step into third... only... no third... all I hit was the rev limiter. Once I backed out of the throttle, third hooked up... and hard. I was able to get out of the situation I was getting into, but the experience unnerved me a little. I have done this several times before and no indication of it being a problem... :confused:

Question: I have done this many times before (tho not as abrupt) and never had a problem. Am I looking at a problem that should be brought to the attention of my shop? Is it necessary to stay off the throttle for a short time to allow the dogs on the tranny gears to engage? Is this bike a little more "touchy" when it comes to matching engine speed and road speed? Is there a delay from the time you pull the shifter up before all the "soup in the can" comes up to speed?

I just don't remember any of my other machines having this type of thing happen to it before. Between 1st and 2nd, yeah... Dr. Shealey knows a bit about these trannies and I was hoping he might have some insight as to the cause. Or maybe share some insight as to why/how this happened.

And for those others lurking about, anything like this ever happen to you?
 
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#2 ·
The LT's tranny has a lot of "false neutrals". My guess is in your excitement, you didn't give the lever a good solid shift. IMO, there's no reason for alarm here from a mechanical standpoint. Just make sure you perform positive shifts from now on. Consider it a learning experience.

My
 
#3 ·
It's possible the things were not lined up right to mesh. I would also check to make sure you don't have a leaking slave cylinder (slipping clutch). Or you just didn't put enough pressure on the shifter (adrenaline...concentration on the car and truck etc.)



 
#4 ·
Mark,

I would have to go with the "panic" shift scenario, given the situation. Glad you cleared it by the way. Most likely did not get the clutch and shift lever movement synchronized given the situation. Also not fully relaxing the lever between the 2nd and 3rd shift. At least my instinct is to try the shift again after having hit the rev limiter and that is why she went in when you backed off the throttle. There are no mechanical issues that would cause this to happen as a failure in this are would be easily repeatable. So there is not much the dealer can look at unless it is still doing it.

I had a problem with my old Suzuki that was signal light induced. If I was in neutral at a light and didn't put it into first before the light turned green - I couldn't get it to go into first AFTER the light changed. Now what the heck did the light have to do with it??? It was all in the technique and a slight panic factor.
 
#5 ·
I agree with the others, just a case of panic shifting and not getting it fully in gear before letting out the clutch. There is no "soft" coupling between the gear/shift elements in the transmission, it is either "hooked up" or not, no in between. I don't think from your description it was a clutch slipping problem, just the gears not engaged, you caught it between, or false neutral.
 
#6 ·
dshealey said:
I agree with the others, just a case of panic shifting and not getting it fully in gear before letting out the clutch. There is no "soft" coupling between the gear/shift elements in the transmission, it is either "hooked up" or not, no in between. I don't think from your description it was a clutch slipping problem, just the gears not engaged, you caught it between, or false neutral.
In some cases I would agree with the panic shifting and even now I am reviewing what happended over and over in my mind.

I another thread you talked about the way the gears mesh on shift and if I caught your meaning right, the problem of not hooking up should not be a part of this machines transmission. From first to second, possibly, but every other gear (except the straight dogs [gears... whatever] in first gear) should hook up on shift.

I haven't been able to recreate this... in fact, I got a little scared trying to make it happen and the bike hooked up hard enuf to bring the front wheel off the ground.

Maybe I misunderstood the thread you participated in, but with the way the gears are slanted (shaped, aligned... damn I wish I could find that thread again...) there should be no "false neutral" problem.

And before I get a whole bunch of may-sayers thinking that I am thumbs down on this machine, you can forget that. I love this ride... and all its little foibles. She's a dream to drive... it's just that she's got quirks and I'm trying to figure out the ones I run into.

Am I losing it here??? Your explanation was right on from what I remember.
 
#8 ·
I had nearly the EXACT thing happen!

I was in nearly exactly the same sitch Unc. Only I was rolling to a stop at a stale yellow light. I was down shifting from third to second when I looked at the cager behind me who from my vantage point appeared intent on going through this intersection regardless of light color.

I dumped the clutch pinned the throttle ala dirtbike style where you pretty much keep the throttle pinned and adjust speed with the clutch. The LT shot off and hit the limiters quick (like in about 10 feet), I went to third and dumped the clutch only this time I am leaning through the left hand turn and she shoots back to the limiters only no power. I backed off the throttle, and didn't hear any tranny noises at all, I revved her a little and still no hook up.

Honestly I thought I blew 3rd (I have done this twice on dirt bikes). The bike just free revved. I went to fourth and she kept pulling. The cager passed me as soon as I was through the intersection. He stared at me and I just shook my head. He had no clue...

Anyway, at that time I was certain that I had overpowered the clutch. I was absolutely sure that I just had put in too much torque on a hot plate and it wouldn't hook up. But now it sounds like I was wrong, and it likely was a case of panic shifting. However, I think I won't tell any of my cruiser friends (who have heard this story before) anything different. I'm sticking with the too much torque story!

Scott
St. Louis, MO
99 LTi Basalt Grey
 
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