P500 Gear Adjustment Screw Up

[MichiganAdam1]

Hi Everyone!!
Wife and I just picked up a “new to us” 2020 pioneer 500 with a lil over 700miles. I gave it an oil change, new diff fluid in front & rear, and new air filter. We took it out on a spin around neighborhood and it rode fine but running through the gears it would change gears loud and abrupt, then when down shifting when coming to a stop it would jerk us both sharply (in AT mode). Looking at videos I tried adjusting clutch as suggested (1 full turn clockwise, then counter to resistance, then 1/4 turn) well I made it worse by doing that. It shifts even harder and when I just tried MT, it now wouldn’t shift past 1st, so I went back to AT and limped it home to garage. Hope I didn’t screw it up too bad, any ideas on how to fix???

 

[Admin]

 

[Keebler]

My guess is that when you tightened the jam nut you did not hold the adjustment screw good enough and the adjustment screw turned with the jam nut. For me it is a 2 man job, one to firmly hold the adjustment screw with a screwdriver and one to tighten the jam nut. Another word of caution is, do not tighten the jam nut too tight, just make it slightly snug.

The adjustment is not an exact science, more like trial and error until you get it right somewhere between 1/4 and a 1/8 turn backed off from the resistance point. Hope this helps.

 

[HiFive]

Welcome aboard send photos when you've worked out your problem.

 

[Mudder]

Welcome to the forum. You should just try re-adjusting it by small amounts to find the sweet spot like @Keebler mentioned, (ended up about 1/3 turn for me after several tweeks/test rides). Did the same like you my first time, actually found too far caused the engine retard to kick in where it almost died out. Its a Honda, you did not break it. May have to periodically readjust over time and wear depending on the machine.

 

[MichiganAdam1]

Welcome to the forum. You should just try re-adjusting it by small amounts to find the sweet spot, about 1/3 turn for me. Did the same like you my first time, actually found too far caused the engine retard to kick in where it almost died out. Its a Honda, you did not break it.

Thanks a lot for the info guys. I’ll keep trying to adjust it a lil at a time and see if that helps. I’m wondering should I expect it to bang into gears when shifting (accept that’s the way these shift) or once you find the sweet spot the downshift won’t be that jerky? Thanks again for the assistance to us newbie’s!!

 

[500oneer]

Thanks a lot for the info guys. I’ll keep trying to adjust it a lil at a time and see if that helps. I’m wondering should I expect it to bang into gears when shifting (accept that’s the way these shift) or once you find the sweet spot the downshift won’t be that jerky? Thanks again for the assistance to us newbie’s!!

Welcome! The pioneer 500 will get better with time. Mine still bangs once in a while and I have 14,000 miles. It will never be as smooth as a truck or even the foreman 500 electric shift. Learning when to shift and what ground speed helps. You will catch on and don’t worry about the bangs!

 

[Red500]

What 500 said.

 

[MichiganAdam1]

Hi Everyone
Again thanks so much for all the assistance. I tweaked the gear adjustment and it still

bangs a bit going through gears but waaaay better. I at least can go through all the gears now! Seeing how helpful this forum is was without a doubt the biggest deciding factor in us purchasing the pioneer 500!! Thanks again from Michigan!!

 

[Remington]

Welcome fellow michigander!
If your still having issues after adjustment, load up a video of what its doing so we can tell u if its correct or not. Hard to really know without seeing.

 

[906UP]

Welcome from da Yoop, they all shift bad when in auto, try shifting in manual and fine tune that way.

 

[MichiganAdam1]

Welcome fellow michigander!
If your still having issues after adjustment, load up a video of what its doing so we can tell u if its correct or not. Hard to really know without seeing.

Copy that ! Thanks

 

[MichiganAdam1]

Welcome from da Yoop, they all shift bad when in auto, try shifting in manual and fine tune that way.

Copy, will do that! Thx

 

[DG Rider]

My experience with my 500 was that with the exception of reving out under heavy throttle (where my 2015 manual only machine was remarkably smooth) it will always be clunky and jerky unless you add some input with the throttle.

Light throttle acceleration through the gears? Back off the throttle slightly while flipping the paddle, and it will shift remarkably smooth. Downshifting coming to a stop? A slight punch of the throttle while shifting will make it much better. It takes some practice of timing for both, esp the downshifting part. But...

When In auto, there is no way to accurately time those throttle inputs. As I said, I've never driven the auto versions, so unless Honda added an auto rev match feature, those downshifts are always going to be jerky to some degree. This machine really needed the DCT power plant sitting on the shelf next to the one it has. Would've been much more refined.

As the guys said, sometimes you have to fine tune the clutch adjustment. It's typical for machines that use a spring loaded multiplate clutch (what Honda calls a "change clutch") to squeeze oil out from between the plates, making the engagement point very slightly until some shifts are performed.
For that reason, it will always shift lousy on those first few shifts of the day, so don't use them as a judgement. Also, when making an adjustment, put in several shifts before you pass judgement. Even after a 5 minute break 30 miles into a ride, the thing would shift just a little "off" for a couple of shifts, so give it a few minutes before decide if you went the right way or not.

 

[MichiganAdam1]

My experience with my 500 was that with the exception of reving out under heavy throttle (where my 2015 manual only machine was remarkably smooth) it will always be clunky and jerky unless you add some input with the throttle.

Light throttle acceleration through the gears? Back off the throttle slightly while flipping the paddle, and it will shift remarkably smooth. Downshifting coming to a stop? A slight punch of the throttle while shifting will make it much better. It takes some practice of timing for both, esp the downshifting part. But...

When In auto, there is no way to accurately time those throttle inputs. As I said, I've never driven the auto versions, so unless Honda added an auto rev match feature, those downshifts are always going to be jerky to some degree. This machine really needed the DCT power plant sitting on the shelf next to the one it has. Would've been much more refined.

As the guys said, sometimes you have to fine tune the clutch adjustment. It's typical for machines that use a spring loaded multiplate clutch (what Honda calls a "change clutch") to squeeze oil out from between the plates, making the engagement point very slightly until some shifts are performed.
For that reason, it will always shift lousy on those first few shifts of the day, so don't use them as a judgement. Also, when making an adjustment, put in several shifts before you pass judgement. Even after a 5 minute break 30 miles into a ride, the thing would shift just a little "off" for a couple of shifts, so give it a few minutes before decide if you went the right way or not.

Thanks, I actually tried a lil acceleration on the downshift and that seems to reduce the jerky “ness”. Appreciate the feedback! Very much appreciated

 

[lukebuz]

Agree with the "auto sucks". My 2017 is only capable of shifting at the worst, most unexpected times. Manual only for us.

 

[WillyBill]

Mine shifts up AND down the best if you drive it like you stole it. Just sayin....

PS...NEVER have adjusted my clutch since day 1. -8600 miles on it now....

WB

 

[Santa]

Just like Lukebuz says "auto sucks". My 2017 has almost 12,000 miles of manual shifting and I don't even think about shifting. My hand works the paddle shift "automatically'. Every once in a while, I put it into automatic mode just to remind me that "auto still sucks". You will enjoy your new ride.

 

[Buggyman]

Hi Everyone
Again thanks so much for all the assistance. I tweaked the gear adjustment and it stillView attachment 354447 bangs a bit going through gears but waaaay better. I at least can go through all the gears now! Seeing how helpful this forum is was without a doubt the biggest deciding factor in us purchasing the pioneer 500!! Thanks again from Michigan!!

looks like doggo approves

 

[lukebuz]

Mine shifts up AND down the best if you drive it like you stole it. Just sayin....

PS...NEVER have adjusted my clutch since day 1. -8600 miles on it now....

WB

Good call out! You are right...but we just mosey our tight trails, and haul firewood or other trailer duties. Not many zany hijinks for us. That downshift is terrible...

 

[Fruitz101]

My experience with my 500 was that with the exception of reving out under heavy throttle (where my 2015 manual only machine was remarkably smooth) it will always be clunky and jerky unless you add some input with the throttle.

Light throttle acceleration through the gears? Back off the throttle slightly while flipping the paddle, and it will shift remarkably smooth. Downshifting coming to a stop? A slight punch of the throttle while shifting will make it much better. It takes some practice of timing for both, esp the downshifting part. But...

When In auto, there is no way to accurately time those throttle inputs. As I said, I've never driven the auto versions, so unless Honda added an auto rev match feature, those downshifts are always going to be jerky to some degree. This machine really needed the DCT power plant sitting on the shelf next to the one it has. Would've been much more refined.

As the guys said, sometimes you have to fine tune the clutch adjustment. It's typical for machines that use a spring loaded multiplate clutch (what Honda calls a "change clutch") to squeeze oil out from between the plates, making the engagement point very slightly until some shifts are performed.
For that reason, it will always shift lousy on those first few shifts of the day, so don't use them as a judgement. Also, when making an adjustment, put in several shifts before you pass judgement. Even after a 5 minute break 30 miles into a ride, the thing would shift just a little "off" for a couple of shifts, so give it a few minutes before decide if you went the right way or not.

Yes, well said DG rider. I find the auto’s delayed and even harder to shift smooth (manually too). Wish Honda would give us both options