NHTSA Complaint #10615937 — 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTC

AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN MY DRIVEWAY THE ENGINE, WITH OUT WARNING, MADE A LOUD METALLIC NOISE FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND LOCKED UP ALONG WITH THE REAR WHEEL. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT A GREATER SPEED, OR IN TRAFFIC, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DIRE. I REMOVED THE PRIMARY COVER AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICE A LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD GOTTEN JAMMED BETWEEN THE CLUTCH SPROCKET AND PRIMARY DRIVE CHAIN. THIS LARGE PIECE OF STEEL HAD BROKEN OFF A PRESSED STEEL CAGE THAT ENCLOSED A SET OF DIAPHRAGM SPRINGS FROM THE CRANKSHAFT COMPENSATOR ASSEMBLY. THE OUTER EDGE OF THE SPRINGS, OVER TIME, HAD WORN THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CAGE THAT CONTAINS THEM IN PLACE CAUSING A SECTION OF THE CAGE TO SEPARATE. THIS SEPARATED PIECE IS WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN TO LOCK UP. I HAVE AN ENGINEERING BACK GROUND AND CAN SAY THAT THIS COMPENSATING SPROCKET ASSEMBLY WAS POORLY ENGINEERED AND CAN ALSO SAY WITH GREAT AMOUNT OF CERTAINTY THAT THEY WILL ALL FAIL EVENTUALLY. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS NEVER A SAFETY RECALL CONSIDERING ALL THE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ASSEMBLY. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS GOOGLE "HARLEY COMPENSATOR PROBLEMS" AND IT FINDS A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFO ON THIS! *TR