Another MG oversight!

[Ncdan]

I hit the Smokey’s for a weekend ride with 4 of my retired motor buddy pals. About two hours into the trip, while on the BRP I went to gear down in a hairpin and the shifter was floppy. I pulled off the road in an area we all could fit for an inspection/ evaluation. The linkage that attaches to the splined shaft from the back of the tranny had fallen off.
Not really a big issue as I rode in the rest of the way to the river house in 3rd gear.
After getting in the basement and taking a closer look for fixing the issue, the fix was fairly simple. I had to cut the metric Allen wrench down to fit into the space provided and replace the linkage arm back onto the splined shaft and tighten down the pinch bolt with my modified Allen wrench.
Now here’s the poor engineering by MG.
Every transmission shifter attached to the tranny spline shaft had a slot cut in the spline, so when you attach the shift linkage the pinch  nut bolt fits in the slot, therefore making it impossible to simply fall off unless the bolt falls completely out.
Why in the world would MG engenders not understand this simple concept instead of putting a straight splined shaft without the slot, thus allowing the shifter to fall off just because the nut gets loose on the bolt? These MG engineers can’t have much more than a 3rd grade education 🤔

[bodine99]

Or the had a Harley engineer on staff. They have splined shifter issues forever!!

[Scout63]

Maybe another manufacturing step adding cost?  I’m glad you got it fixed quickly.

[Ncdan]

Or the had a Harley engineer on staff. They have splined shifter issues forever!!

I’ve never seen any modern HD that didn’t have the bolt slot cut in the shifter shaft.  Not comparing HD with MG or any other brand, just h that this is a flaw regardless of who designed or manufactured it. It’s simple to much action there to have that design👍

[guzzisteve]

It's nothing new, my 80 SP lost hers in 81. Multiple others I have fixed over the years, even around 2000 when the idiots started using an allen in it. I replace the allen w/a hex head and put on blue Loctite.

[Motormike]

Or the had a Harley engineer on staff. They have splined shifter issues forever!!

Every Harley I've owned has the mentioned notch machined in the splined shaft. So the shifter or linkage can't come off unless the bolt vibrates out completely.  (Which they still do.  I'll never forget the day I was riding my Evo FXLR and when I went to upshift, my boot only found air.  Stuck in second gear I rode slowly back the way I came for about a quarter mile & found the shift lever laying in the middle of the road!  ) 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

It's not like it's anything new - Loopframe drum brake splined shafts were made that way. I've never had any problem with anything falling off. Don't really see the need for a slot.

[Ncdan]

It's nothing new, my 80 SP lost hers in 81. Multiple others I have fixed over the years, even around 2000 when the idiots started using an allen in it. I replace the allen w/a hex head and put on blue Loctite.

Thank you sooooo much for that tip. I laid on my back on the side of the Blue Ridge 45 minutes just to get it back on emotions get it in a lower gear to get to the river house. Then I had to modify the Allen wrench by cutting off half of the short side to fit it in the area it was positioned. Then used lock jaw pliers to tighten it up😡

[Ncdan]

It's not like it's anything new - Loopframe drum brake splined shafts were made that way. I've never had any problem with anything falling off. Don't really see the need for a slot.

Because you’ve never laid on the side of the road yet 🤔😉

[s1120]

I had heard about this arm loosing up over time, and ya, with that allen head its tough to get at!  You can get to it with a long wrench when you take the battery out. You can just reach it through one of the tray holes. Its still a pain though. First time I checked it it was a little loose.. cleaned, locktighted it, and now every time I have the battery out for any reason I just pop a wrench on it and make sure its stayed snug.

[guzzisteve]

If you put on a hex head, you can get a 10mm long wrench in there by going with hand up next to wheel above swingarm gap forward.

[AJ Huff]

Are you guys talking about this linkage?





I wrapped mine in duct tape. Hasn't fallen off since. 😀

-AJ

[bmc5733946]

If memory serves, the "easy" way is to remove battery and battery rubber pad and there is a hole in the metal battery tray that allows access from above. Of course that means lifting the fuel tank on some to remove the battery. See "easy". YMMV

Brian

[Ncdan]

If you put on a hex head, you can get a 10mm long wrench in there by going with hand up next to wheel above swingarm gap forward.

Yep that’s how I finally managed but with the Allen wrench I had to cut 1/2” off the short end and attach it to a pair of vice grips to tighten. It’ll be the last time!

[StuCorpe]

Had the same thing happen to my 03 EV when it was about 4 months old.  Never happened since putting it back on.