THE REAR SWING ARM ON MY FLHTC ELECTRA-GLIDE CRACKED THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE LEFT AXLE BOLT HOLE. THE BROKEN PART WAS HELD ON BY THE REAR LEFT SHOCK. THE REAR WHEEL STAYED ON ONLY BECAUSE THE DRIVE BELT WAS HOLDING IT IN PLACE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING A ROUTINE TIRE CHANGE WHILE TRAVELING. THE MILEAGE ON MY BIKE WAS OVER 30,000 MILES. DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES, I HAD TO HAVE THE PART WELDED, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MY TRIP. WHILE SHOPPING FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS, I LEARNED THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS BECOMING COMMON FOR '99 AND 2000 YEAR CYCLES WITH OVER 30,000 MILES. I FOUND NUMEROUS REFERENCES TO THIS FAILURE ON THE INTERNET. I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT HARLEY DAVIDSON HAS SINCE MODIFIED THE LOCATION OF THE AXLE TO INCLUDE SOLID STEEL AT THE FAILURE SITE, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY A HOLLOW PIECE OF TUBULAR STEEL. THIS MODIFICATION OCCURRED IN 2002 AND NEWER CYCLES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SILENT ADMISSION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPANY TO IN ORDER TO HAVE THE SWING ARM REPLACED WITH A MORE STABLE PART, BUT WAS TOLD THE FAILURE COULD BE OPERATOR ERROR, OR DRIVING THE BIKE IMPROPERLY, NOT A DESIGN FLAW. THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I HAVE SINCE SPOKEN TO AN AREA HARLEY DEALERS MECHANIC WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT STATED THAT HARLEY WON'T ADDRESS THE PROBLEM UNTIL MORE BIKES START REACHING THE 30,000 MILE MARK WHEN THIS FAILURE TYPICALLY OCCURS DUE TO METAL FATIGUE. I FEAR THAT THIS SITUATION COULD CAUSE THE REAR WHEEL TO FALL OFF WHILE THE BIKE IN OPERATION, IF THE DRIVE BELT FAILS SIMULTANEOUSLY. I HAVE HAD A BROKEN BELT OCCUR WHILE RIDING, SO THIS SCENARIO IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10222327
- Incident
- Jun 1, 2007
- Mileage
- 32,000 mi