'86250 BigRed shift lever

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Hi Guys,
The shift lever on my Br is slipping on the shaft. Tried tightening it with no effect, so tried removing it, no effect!
Now I'm guessing (and hoping!) that the shaft is hardened steel and the lever is cast alloy so the lever has lost it's teeth and can be replaced a lot easier than the shaft, but I can't get the lever off.
I've taken the bolt out and the lever rotates reasonably freely around the shaft, but it bluntly refuses to come off. Is there a specific position on the shaft to allow removal? I don't want to attack it with a puller if I don't have to.
If it is the lever that's shot, is it unique to the Br, or is there other Honda trikes/bikes that I could get a scrap one from?
Worked the old girl hard all weekend towing trailer loads of logs and tree roots (big enough to need loading with a small excavator, unfortunately no pics) and managed to convert a couple of disbelievers into trike addicts.
But, loading it onto the trailer to go home, discovered that clay coated trail pro's and a wet wooden floor coupled with the sudden discovery that I couldn't find neutral made me glad the trailer had sides and wishing I had a change of underwear! Still, no damage done but any advice greatly recieved.
Thanks, Rob.

[Zhynes9105]

Have you tried using a flathead screw driver to pry the gap apart where the screw goes thru ghe lever

[Chazz of Blades]

Take small, ball peen hammer, tap both sides of the lever around the shaft, DO NOT JUST SWING WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT. Tap it toward the motor a few times, then put a long handle screwdriver on the back side, and tap both sides of the engine side of the shaft. Keep repeating this process and check if it moves any. A can of PB Blaster will do MIRACLES with something like this, just spray it all over the shaft and were the lever meets. After it loosens up a bit, just grab it and pull. If it still doesn't move, try to pry the pinch apart, take that screwdriver, and gently tap it into the gap, then try and tap the lever again on the engine side.


Does it just rotate like there's a chunk stripped, or feel like there's something blocking it from sliding down the threads?

And the lever should be interchangable with the 300 & 250 fourtrax.

[tri again]

It's prob been overtightened over the years.

I tap in a screwdriver to widen the pinchpoints and it invariably breaks the tips off.
Also one of the first things I check when buying a trike.

Also heard that some folks cut the gap wider so it can actually close tighter,
but I can't imagine how.
hacksaw?grind wheel?
Sounds like chazz has done it before.

Take your time and yes, we'd all like to believe that they engineered relative hardness
on things like this shifter lever/shaft
and the rear axle splines /wheel hubs, so that the easiest and cheapest part
is the first to fail.

I wonder if a 99 cent battery terminal puller would help?

and
PS
there is no special 360 degree spot that it goes on of off at.
I've actually mounted shift levers vertically to keep (&*^%&^&^%$) from STOMPING on the poor little things
and causing the prob you have.
DRATV has them for like 10 bucks but I'm sure they are not real uncommon.
New part descriptions may tell you (other) machines they fit.

Isn't it fun doing the impossible with these things and blowing people's minds??
Maybe that's why they names the 'overseas' version Super Red.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Thanks for the advice.
To be honest it was getting dark when the problem arose so didn't try anything much but now I'm clearer with the possibilities I'll hopefully have a go at the weekend.
Cheers, Rob.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Ok, so with a lot of tapping and gentle persuasion the lever is off. The splines look good on the shaft, and not particularly bad in the lever but the pinch was up tight so it was 'modified' with a 1.5mm wide cutting disc in a grinderette to open it up and the result appears to be good but it'll be a few days before I get to try it!