primary chain is stretched to the point it cant be adjusted,  the shoe is a little worn, and im thinking that as a first step replace that first as i need the bike for monday!

if i ride it with the chain stil abit loose, whats the worst???? it would take abit to break a double row chain?

Collateral damage is a worry Chris, as Bucket said it wont do the teeth any good (check wear on those as well, a new chain on stuffed sprockets will wear out quicker.) And it will slap the Aluminium primary as Dave pointed out, you don't want that to crack. Have a look at a set up like the M-6 primary chain tensioner also. ( I know, it all depends on finances.)
Regards,
Cris

they can break alright
and it is not pretty
sounds to me like it should have been replaced long ago
I can only imagine it has a horrendus tight spot
your clutch basket may feel the pain (where the steels engage)
the list just goes on and on
I see nothing wrong with the stock adjuster
if the shoe is a bit worn, splash out and get new one
such a cheap part for a great reward
a genuine chain from a HD dealer will surprise you with how well priced it is

im gunna do the right thing.... i rang a few places and at $130 for a chain its a done thing......my history of being a tight ass will no doubt it will bite me hard....
i rang peter stevens.... hows this ...the spare parts bloke asked me "wheres the primary chain located" so i told him dont worry im goin some where eles....lol
alex has them in stock but its a huge drive from here. c&c have them too and they are closer

 

teeth are all good too. doesnt look like it gets much lubeing, its a brown rusty color

whats beter..... origanl hd chain or diamond

if what I read is correct, that you have a 77fxe, either will be more than suitable,
bearing in mind that you are buying a chain for a more powerful later model, that happens to have 82 pitches and fits your bike
regina or diamond are good
tsubaki are way better, but you would never need that
(like having a 20 foot ladder for a 10 foot job. clearly a 10 foot ladder will suffce)
and they are only a US tsubaki product, and we deal with the japanese tsubaki here anyhow
if it were me, (and I have had numerous shovels, 12 I think, along with the others),
I would head off down the dealers, demand 10 % off for being nice, and buy a chain(and shoe if it is worn noticeably)

ok have a look at these and tell me your thoughts.......

I really cannot tell much from the pics, except that chain deflection does seem to be getting up there(but that is hard to determine exactly from the pics)
in the bottom pic there appears to be a kink in the chain near the ring gear, which ia a bad thing if that is what I am really seeing, again, hard to tell from a pic
so.........
I take it removing the compensator is a problem?
do the chain rollers appear worn?
I am very happy to see a three finger clutch though, as they work the best(in my opinion, the only ones that work)
do you rely upon the breather for oil feed?

the second pic is when i first got it 6-7mths ago, i replaced the comp.spring
sprockets are all good.
ive done 2500miles on it now and its showing....lol
the top pic is with the adjuster shoe swaped around to the top bolts, there is a bigger curve and more pressure on the shoe and it will wear quick, im aware of that, im just hoping having the adjuster that way it will work for a bit longer

yes, I realised the progression of things
are you checking carefully for a tight spot when you set the adjustment?

well, you need to check the chain in a few different places, as it may be tighter in one area of the chain than another
which would not be at all uncommon with a well used chain
so if you set the adjustment when the chain happened to be in a loose area, it would be too tight elsewhere
this would put great pressure on things like your inner primary bearing, LH main bearing, and the chain itself

got ya , will check again in the morning, it did look ok, but i didnt check that specifcaly... cool thanks

and to be fair, your adjuster is looking a little to the right of centre there
DR

Hey Chris,
are you running a sealed primary?
or the stock recirculating system.

im not sure cris, id say its stock without the oiler working properly, i think from now on its a weekly thing to take off inspection cover and oil it manualy.

Hi Chris,

it sounds as if the chain oiler was disconnected or has become clogged. My suggestion is to convert the primary to a sealed unit as per the Evo set-up.  Only thing is you'll have to run a wet clutch.

This does 2 things, 1- it stops all the crap created by wear in the primary case going back into your engine. 2 - it enables you to run an oil bath system so your wet clutch and primary chain get the lubrication to run properly.

How to do it:

There are 3 oil lines connecting the inner primary to the oil system.

1- There is a 3/8" vent line from the middle of the primary to a "T" fitting in the vent line from the crankcase to the oil tank.

2- A second 3/8" line at the bottom rear of the primary connects to a fitting just inboard of the oil pump.

3- The third line is a 1/4" size connecting the middle of the inner primary ( above the chain), to the top of the oil pump. This is the oil supply line.

You'll need to remove the Vent line from the inner primary and plug the hole.( brass plumbing plugs work well ).  Now replace the Vent line from crankcase to oil tank with a single line.

Remove the oil return line and plug both ends. 

Disconnect the oil supply line at the pump end. Don't take it off at the primary end, use it as a vent line and run it under the frame.( Not in line with your rear tyre of course.) You need to have a vent line or you may get a leak due to pressure build up when it gets hot.

Plug the nipple at the oil pump. You can remove the nipple by twisting with pliers and then plugging the hole.

Now it's time to check everything in the primary,  chain, clutch adjustment. And, using a new gasket ( don't reuse the old one, it's just asking for trouble.) fit the outer primary back on.

Now add oil through the Derby cover, the bike will have to be upright. Fill until the oil gets to the bottom of the derby cover.

Replace the Derby cover . You're done.

This pic shows the connections at the oil pump side.

 

I would not convert to sealed
I see it as a very bad idea
the oil feeder was probably not blocked
it is a common "fix" to remove the "active " oil feed, and rely on the breather to supply an adequate amount of lubricant
which it can do, as the return line causes a reduction in pressure, thats assists with flow
is there a residue of oil in the bottom of the primary?
while an oil bath is good for lubricating the chain, the reason for "wet" primaries is the clutch, not the chain
some remove all oil feed, and spray manually like a drive chain, which is also workable, as it is protected from dirt, etc
yoo much work for me though, I prefer the breather dribble feed
the old story that "the crap returns to the engine" does not mean it gets pumped through the crank
it is actually routed to the return system
there are clutch plates for shovels that are listed as "wet"
if you like your clutch to both slip and drag, get your wallet out

Looks like we are lucky to have a seasoned expert in the forum now Chris.
I've put my 2 cents in but I'll just add one thing, whatever you decide to do make sure you have a good filter in place,
Regards,
Cris

Too sensitive Dyna,
I was not being facetious, only referred to the fact that you have mentioned having owned 20 or so Harley's and been around them for probably more years than I have. I've only owned 2 since 1981, and my experience was gained by being taught by mates or just doing it. I disagree with your dislike of sealed primary's, but it's up to Chris to choose his course of action. You will agree however that recommending a good filter is good advice whichever way he goes.
Regards
The Don

not much of an explanation
I have noticed that the few on here that are supposed to know, cry very quickly when an alternate view is expressed, so you are not alone there
oil filter selection is tied to oil pump ability, not the desire to have something better