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Remove, fix, and install the starter on your Harley Davidson.
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Save money by not having a dealership do this project.
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Do it in your garage or on your patio right on the kickstand!
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Have the pure satisfaction of working on your own Harley!
A Video by Bikers for Bikers!
From our knowledge, experience, and research, owner's of Harley's from 2006 & above with the six speed transmissions are who this video is for. Although it is likely this video would still be of much assistance to older model Harley's. Prior to 2006 and the six speed transmissions, you had to remove the inner primary for starter removal and replacement. 2006 & above Harley models with six speed transmissions do not require you to remove the outer or inner primary, so that of course is not in this particular video.
Basic Tools & Items Needed
Tools & items needed: (affiliate links)
A Video by Biker for Bikers
Video-So you are dealing with a starter on your Harley Davidson that activates and you can hear it spinning, but it doesn't engage the starter ring gear-thus it doesn't turn over the motor. You can hear the solenoid activate and pop out, but the starter motor just spins. In our experience this is clearly a starter clutch issue and it will need to be replaced. The good news is you don't need an entire new starter. Don't waste your money and trailer your Harley to a dealership or mechanic for repair. We can show you how to do this project right on the kickstand and right in your very own shop or garage. Just basic tools are needed and no specialty tools are required. Contact your Harley Davidson dealership to order the correct starter clutch for your year and model. The starter clutch can fail after years of use and these things happen.
In this video we show you exactly how to remove the Harley starter from the bike, take the starter apart, and replace the faulty starter clutch. We even show you how to remove the overhead oil tank to access the starter unit if you have such a model. Of course Touring and Dyna models have the oil tank below and the starter is much easier to get to, so you can fast forward through the oil tank removal part of the video if you have one of these other models. We also show you how to test the starter off the bike, so you can diagnose problems & test your repair before you install the starter back on the bike. We then show you how to put the starter back together correctly and install it back on your Harley.
What Harley Davidson Years & Models is This Video Best For?
From our knowledge, experience, and research, owner's of Harley's from 2006 & above with the six speed transmissions are who this video is for. Although it is likely this video would still be of much assistance to older model Harley's. Prior to 2006 and the six speed transmissions, you had to remove the inner primary for starter removal and replacement. 2006 & above Harley models with six speed transmissions do not require you to remove the outer or inner primary, so that of course is not in this particular video.
You will get the best of angles in this video and nothing is left to the unknown. It is as if you can reach out and turn a wrench with us and of course all our videos are in high definition.
Other Uses for this Video:
This video will help anyone removing a starter from their 2006 and above six speed transmission Harley Davidson model. You could be experiencing solenoid problems, a starter motor failure, or a failing starter clutch. This video will be extremely useful for any of those situations.
Do I need to remove the overhead oil tank to get at the starter?
There if little to no room to get up under the oil tank on many models to get the starter out. You can become very frustrated trying to get extensions, long hex head wrenches, or other home made tools simply to try and avoid removing the oil tank. Even if you get the bolts out you will have much difficulty trying to remove the starter, if you even can. You will likely end up angry and have to remove the oil tank anyways in the end.
So, we say just save the frustration and let us show you how to remove the overhead oil tank and get it out of your way. Then you can easily remove the starter and go to work on repairing it. It is better to do things correctly up front rather than becoming frustrated later.
Basic Tools Needed:
Nice instruction guide.
harley davidson starters
Super glad you like it.
thank you for sharing this guide.
harley starter replacement
very helpful instructions. Thank you for sharing
Tom,
Thank you! Glad you found our content helpful. Thank you for commenting!
~Lurch
Great how to video. Shows you rare and hard to find point specific footage of exactly how a starter comes out, breakdown, build and install.
*When my starter was off, after removing the two long bolts that hold starter on, the back end holding the magnetic motor came apart. When this happened 4 electric motor bearing clips “popped” out and was very difficult to re-install; added additional 30 minutes to project. Overall a great little project, 4 out of 10 in difficulty for beginner. Parts: $120+$25 video. Labor: Free. Estimate from Harley Dealer: $350-375
Tommy,
Thank you for taking your time to comment on the video. We are happy it helped, and it sounds like you saved over two hundred bucks. Thanks for your support!
Ride Safe & Ride Often!
~Lurch
Extremely helpful article!
Thanks brother!
Thank you for sharing this video!
Nice post , Very Helpful information.
how do I get back to the video I purchased
Craig,
I just sent you a new email receipt from Gumroad. They are the company that hosts our videos. In the future you can email is at admin@lawabidingbiker.com and just ask us for a new receipt. We check the email several times a day.
Ride Safe & Ride Often!
~Lurch
Great vid my chopper was going the winding after I tried starting it. Only issue I have is I replaced with a new starter and now I just get a click noise from starter trying to engage. I have a good battery I check my starter relay all hood had anyone else experience this .
This video was great.
This video was great! I just started wrenching on my harley and having this video gave me the confidence I needed to fix the starter clutch myself.
After walking out one night to take my bike for a ride, I went to start it and heard this sound I could not explain. And after hearing this sound I searched all over YouTube for an answer. I came across lawabidingbikers explanation of what goes on in the primary and starter. The video did not explain how to fix the starter clutch, but did have a link to where I could buy a video that showed me how to fix it. The video explained that I could save lots of money doing it myself and instead of bringing it to a shop. I was skeptical at first, I’ve never done anything this deep in my HD, but after calling three shops, with quotes from $500 – $700 to fix the problem, and also hearing, “it may be more, its probably the whole starter,” I rewatched the initial lawabidingbiker video and knew it was the exact same sound.
I purchased the video and it walked me step by step on how to replace the starter clutch. It did fire up the first time, BUT, there was a sound that wasn’t right. The lawabidingbiker video explained to keep the ball bearing from the old starter clutch, and put it in the new one. The new starter clutch I got, already had a ball bearing inside it. So after getting the bike started, I doubled back, figured out I had two ball bearings inside the starter clutch, took one out, and put everything back together. Started right up, no weird sounds.
I am grateful to have found this video, I easily saved hundreds of dollars getting the part and doing it myself.
Thank you Lawabidingbiker and Ryan Urlacher for walking me through the process! My 2008, HD Streetglide thanks you too!!
-Skizz M
Skizz,
That is awesome! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Helping bikers like you is what keeps us going.
Ride Safe & Ride Often!
~ Matt Couchman
Law Abiding Biker™ Team
Helping, connecting, entertaining, and inspiring as many bikers as we can worldwide!