Cowpie kicker wont budge

[Asimmons]

I purchased an aftermarket kicker conversion kit for my shovel (84 FXE, 4-speed, cowpie).
After installation, the kicker will not budge. The floating kicker gear spins free in both directions when retracted from the fixed kicker gear. The ratcheting gear has plenty of spring tension. It returns normally when the cover is pulled off.
My theory is the floating gear is not separating from the fixed gear, so it’s preventing the ratcheting gear from moving the floating kicker gear.
I have the back wheel jacked up and the plugs out. I’ve had the cover on and off several times while attempting the installation. On one of the attempts the kicker did manage to move the back wheel, but it wouldn’t return. Every other attempt the gears wouldn’t move at all.

Any thought/advice?

[TriNortchopz]

aftermarket kicker conversion kit

who was the manufacturer of the kit?

[Asimmons]

I contacted the seller to find out. I got the kit unopened through ebay. I'm thinking the issue has something to do with the bearing retention plate. It looks different than all the other plates I've seen online. It extends further to the right and flips outward where the kicker gear-stop is normally located.

[JBinNC]

The bearing plate you describe is correct for your transmission. That is a late model plate that does three things: retain the mainshaft ball bearing, retain the countershaft, and act as a kick shaft stop.

You may have one of three problems: the kick shaft hole in the cover is out of place, causing the gears to have inadequate running clearance, one of the gears poorly made, resulting in the same problem, or installed depth of the kick shaft gear has it jammed in place upon installation. The last is the most probable. If the thrust face for the kick shaft inside the cover is the wrong depth, the installed kick shaft gear will be at the wrong depth, and the mechanism won't work.

When you install the kick shaft, the thrust washer chamfer goes against the spring shoulder on the shaft. The slot for the spring and the kick gear stop peg should be roughly aligned, and should be at 4 o'clock when viewed from outside. End play of the kick shaft should be MINIMAL, just enough so that it rotates freely. The inside face of the kick gear runs directly against the face of the kick cover

So, do you have it all assembled correctly?

Jim

[Asimmons]

This sounds like the likely culprit! I'll reassess the kick shaft depth and get back to you.

Thanks for your insight Jim!

[AndyNZ]

This sounds like the likely culprit! I'll reassess the kick shaft depth and get back to you.

Thanks for your insight Jim!

I've dealt with a few of these that have this issue, especially with the V-Twin kick covers. Kick-shaft depth, and therefore crank gear plate ramp location is one common cause, it can put the crank gear to inboard, or it can put it to close center to center with the mainshaft putting way to much load on the gear mesh (ie no gear lash). The other i just ran into which locked it up solid was the CS bolts the hold the retaining plate were hitting the Crank gear, would pay to check this also.

Fix for the CS bolts was to just machine the head down a little to get clearance. Fix for the Crank gear being too inboard was to shave a bit off the back of the crank gear to get it to sit more outboard on the kick shaft.

Hope that helps.