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As you may be aware I have a rotational sounding squeak coming from the back of Charlene, Sounds like a squeaking bearing but it never went past a rotational squeak to a constant squeal so it was a little bit of a mystery as to what could be causing it. 

Last year I mistakenly thought the sound went away when the saddlebags were removed, so we figured they were vibrating on the lower supports and lubed them. The truth was that the saddlebags acted as amplifiers, the noise was still there just less noticeable. This year the sound has increased, it is louder and it turns from a rotational noise to a constant squeal. We thought perhaps it was the rear bearings, we lifted Charlene up, and Doug attacked the rear wheel, no play or noticeable noise.  Doug noticed that the rear brake pads were just about non existent, and since Harley pads never come away from the rotors we thought this might be the issue.

Doug ordered me front and rear pads, (Which I still owe you for Doug), I changed the rears, no difference, bike still squeals. The pads though have Kevlar in them and take forever to brake in, I had the rear end brakes applied so hard on a straight away in Jewett City that the smell of burning brakes filled the area. Still the back end would not lock up, it would grab and decelerate you then allow you to keep rolling along. By the end of the day I could get the rear end to lock up for a second. I have yet to do the front pads, I want to make sure the rears are fully on par before I remove front stopping power.

We are down to a couple probable causes now, the rear pulley may have some coating worn off and is grabbing the belt, the belt itself could be shot, the bearing may be the issue,or it could be the rear wheel rubber isolator.

So until that bike is repaired, I have been using Jenny, the 2007 SuperGlide.

Tonight, parked in the driveway I notice something has been marking territory Harley Style, oil drips. A look at Jenny revealed she has developed a leak.

Ignore all the road dirt, but do you see that brownish shiney area below the plug in the center of the photo...that's where the leak is coming from.

I believe, if memory serves, that is where the shifter protruded when it had a standard shifter. The installation of the forward controls moved the shifter and made this hole redundant.  I am not sure if there is an o'ring or two in there, so it looks like a trip to Harley for some new oil, (I'm there may as well change it) a primary gasket and whatever is needed to seal that hole.

There is a plug available for the shift shaft online. But I am not sure if it goes on the outer cover or the inner case.

It looks like I'll also be asking some questions at Harley when I get there.