Primary drive

This 86 FLHTC that I just got together has more noise in the primary than I think it should have. I checked the chain and there is about 1/4" side play in the compensator sprocket. You can move the motor sprocket in and out 1/4 inch before it engages the ramps. I checked my manual and my parts book and all the parts that are supposed to be in there, are. When I ride it the compensator doesn't ratchet, but when I shut it off there is a rattle. It looks to me like the shaft extension is too long, but this is the one that was on the bike when I got it. I just doesn't look right.
Anybody got any ideas?

If it's the round compensator with the stack off concave springs(don't know iff it's the right name)pry back the outer cover where it's staked while it's under the press and add a spring.Press them all inside and stake the outer cover to keep al the stuff together.
Done.
P.S. this is very usefull for a kickstart bike also!
Stéph

Thanks Stepf
It doesn't look like the problem is with the spring tension. I just looks to me like the part that slides on the sprocket shaft that everything slides on, is too long. There are 2 part numbers for the part 40375-70 is for 70-85 and 40266-85 is for 86-99. I'm wondering if someone got the wrong part and the earlier one is maybe 1/4" longer than the late one. I'm going past the local (60 miles away) HD shop later today and maybe they have both in stock for me to take a look at.

Curt I know it sounds to easy but imo it's the solution.
Sooner or later they all have this problem.
The difference for the extension are the splines off the shaft I was told.
I never checked that myself.
Stéph

Steph and Curt:

I had the exact same problem just last week with a lady friends '89 FXR that has seen its share of abuse and mismatched parts. Her primary was making all kinds of noise and upon pulling the cover I discovered the compensator sprocket wasn't loaded up against the spring pressure, lots of rotating play but no side play. Chain alignment looked ok and it would have taken a shim of at least .100" thick to load the sprocket against the springs. The only thing I could think of was the "shaft nut" was too long so I put it on my lathe and took about .090" off of the end and it fixed the problem. My friend says her bike has never ran so smooth or responsive as it does now.

What is going on? Did they make different lengths of shaft nuts? Did they make different shaft extensions for the alternator motors? Older generator motors with the "big spring" only had one basic setup I believe other than different sprocket teeth numbers.

-little stan