Hard down shifting

[NumbHands]

HI,

The 02 1150RT with 84K miles has started to be difficult to downshift. Doesn't matter which gear you are shifting from, and it is only the first downshift, assuming you are shifting down through several. Pushing harder makes it go eventually. There is no grinding, etc. And it doesn't have this resistance all the time, although it is becoming more frequent. Upshifting is smooth. Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[beemerman2k]

My guess is that it's a sign the splines on the input shaft to the transmission are wearing down. My R1100RT demostrated this trait for about 10,000 miles (from 60K to 70K) before the coupling between the transmission and the drive shaft went out. I was riding in the passing lane on an LA freeway when that happened, and I was helpless out there! Fortunately, an 18 wheeler blocked for me as I glided over to the break down lane.

 

So you definitely want to get this looked at and repaired. There's no telling when it will actually go out on you, so don't procrastinate.

[T__]

HI,

The 02 1150RT with 84K miles has started to be difficult to downshift. Doesn't matter which gear you are shifting from, and it is only the first downshift, assuming you are shifting down through several. Pushing harder makes it go eventually. There is no grinding, etc. And it doesn't have this resistance all the time, although it is becoming more frequent. Upshifting is smooth. Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

 

NumbHands, it could be a worn spline problem,, or could be trans internal problem,, or could be a sticking linkage problem,, or could be something else like a loose shift lever on the trans..

 

Try rolling off the throttle before de-clutching to see if that improves the downshifting.. If so a good possibility of a spline issue..

 

You can remove the starter then drop a small light bulb on a wire down in there & view the trans input shaft as you rock the rear wheel in 5th gear.. If you see the input shaft move (rotate) inside the clutch disk you have spline issues..

 

If the spline movement looks OK try lubricating the trans linkage ball joints & make darn sure the shift lever on the trans is tight ( I have seen a few of those loosen over time).. Maybe even try a synthetic trans gear lube..

 

Twisty

 

[AndyS]

HI,

The 02 1150RT with 84K miles has started to be difficult to downshift. Doesn't matter which gear you are shifting from, and it is only the first downshift, assuming you are shifting down through several. Pushing harder makes it go eventually. There is no grinding, etc. And it doesn't have this resistance all the time, although it is becoming more frequent. Upshifting is smooth. Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

Just an easy check, see if your gear change linkage is not loose, first of all where the shaft exits the gearbox and the lever clamps to the splines. Then also check that the intermediate part is not loose.

 

This may cause your lever to be going to its full extent and fouling the slot in the LH footrest hanger casting.

 

Andy

 

 

[NumbHands]

OK. I am praying it is a just a loose lever on the splines. There is some play as I push and pull in and out (not up and down, of course) on the toe piece of the shift lever. Don't know if that should be there.

 

The gearbox is running Mobil 1 synthetic and the level is good.

 

Thanks for the tips and I will follow-up.

 

Michael

[Michaelr11]

I would get the splines looked at. I had the same symptoms on my R1100RT (51,000 miles). It was doing that inconsistantly for about 3 months, last Sunday the splines sheared off. I was left on the side of the road and a pretty big repair bill coming up.

 

Michael

[NumbHands]

Hi Twisty,

Gear selector is tight on the transmission. Markings on the selector and the shift input shaft are lined up. And it is tight, so it hasn't moved.

There is a one-to-one movement of the clutch assembly and the trans input shaft, so this seems OK. These splines are dry but that was the way it was done on the 6-speed as I understand.

I will grease up the ball joints on the linkage and put it back together, change the gear oil, and hope for the best.

If it turns out to be an internal transmission problem, well, I'm screwed.

 

Michael B.

[NumbHands]

Follow-up:

Greased the ball joints in the linkage, changed the transmission oil, and ordered the little foam bushings that had disintegrated.

Drove it about 50 miles today and didn't have a hard downshift.

Am hoping we got it fixed.

Thank you for your posts and suggestions.

 

Michael B.

[honest Bob]

I don't know for sure if the 1150 rt has an adjustable shifter, but when my 1100rt is positioned in the lower spot (makes room for my big boots) it will bottom out on the silencer in a down shift. The shift happens, but just barely. It feels harder. There is an indent designed into the silencer to accomodate the shifter but it is aft of where it should be. I can't move the silencer forward as it is held by the rubber mounts. (no adjustment) Also if the shifter adjuster bolt is slacked off to make an adjustment it can get missaligned in it's groove (which you can't see) and then may feel very hard to downshift.

[Dave in Doodah]

I had a similar problem on the '83 RT, and I soon realized that rolling off the throttle first, like Twisty said, would make it shift nice. I put up with it for a few months and then changed the gear oil. It was chocolate milk... got water in there somehow.... Anyway, it has shifted great ever since, so I assumed that was the problem. Now I am concerned about the splines and will have to check it out!