clutch adjust?

[6m459]

Hi,

 

My clutch friction point is way out at the end of the lever travel. I'd like to bring it in a bit as my hand is only just big enough.

 

Do I have any adjustment options, or is it time for new friction plates plain and simple?

 

BTW, the clutch does not slip. For example, yesterday I was at a light on an incline and, when it went green, I found I had only downshifted as far as 2nd. The old gal (~60k miles) groaned and shuddered a bit, but pulled away up the incline in 2nd no probs.

 

Thanks,

 

Brian H.

[DesertRider]

Hi Brian, I don't think there's any adjustment in the clutch but maybe somebody else here knows better than I about that.

[Flyinfool]

The clutch is hydraulic and self adjusting.

The friction point should not change as the clutch wears.

Have you put in a clutch spring upgrade and got rid of the half plate?

What you are describing is very common if you have done this upgrade.

If you have not done the upgrade and the clutch did not used to be like this then you may have some other issue coming up.

[Condor]

Have you bled the clutch lately?

[6m459]

Yes I have.

 

The friction point is nice and firm and distinct, just in the wrong place. I don't think its an air in the line issue.

 

Sounds like I have a clutch job on my hands. I wonder when I'll fit that in?

 

(I have just cut and pasted the list of clutch parts from the f/g tech library article into an email RFQ to my local Yama dealer.)

 

Thanks,

[BOO]

Yes I have.

 

The friction point is nice and firm and distinct, just in the wrong place. I don't think its an air in the line issue.

 

Sounds like I have a clutch job on my hands. I wonder when I'll fit that in?

 

(I have just cut and pasted the list of clutch parts from the f/g tech library article into an email RFQ to my local Yama dealer.)

 

Thanks,

 

What they are talking about is if the fluid is old and dirty looking through the site glass the if you change the fluid it might help with the friction point. Not only air would change the friction point but I believe water in the fluid would cause it to change.

Worth a try.

BOO

[Squeeze]

Sounds pretty much like there's Air in the Line.

[Dano]

Compare the prices from your dealer to www.partshark.com I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised at the price difference. I would change the fluid first and bleed it and see what happens before I change out the clutch plates. Unneccesary cost. These things don't wear out unless your name is Earl and you do wheelies all the time!

[Evan]

I was thinking of posting a clutch question myself. My issue is different than Brian's, but I will tag on to his post. In my case, I sometimes get a bit of chatter when starting off in 1st gear which I notice more as my temp increases. Other than that, gear changing is exceptionally smooth without chatter or slippage. However, a week or so ago, when I was two up pulling a trailer and cracked the throttle wide open in 5th gear to check for slippage, there was some above about 6k rpm. Any suggestions?

[bongobobny]

Your clutch slave cylinder is probably on it's way out. There are rebuild kits for them but it is almost as cheap to just replace the unit. There is a trick to removing and reinstalling them but I think there has brern a write up on the process somewhere here...

 

Stainless steel lines also increase the firmness of the clutch handle. You may want to consider rebuilding your clutch master along with flushing the system as well. Those are, after al, 25+ year old parts...

[bongobobny]

Evan, heavy duty clutch springs from Barnett should fix you up for now, around $10 - $20 range...

[6m459]

Well, I have had 6 seasons out of the fluid that is in there and it does look a bit colorful, I guess I should change it for best practice reasons.

 

That being said though, when I first got this bike and I was running it with the P.O.'s fluids, I had an issue with the clutch which turned out to be due to water in the line. This doesn't feel like that AT ALL.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

 

What they are talking about is if the fluid is old and dirty looking through the site glass the if you change the fluid it might help with the friction point. Not only air would change the friction point but I believe water in the fluid would cause it to change.

Worth a try.

BOO

[6m459]

Sorry Bob but in this case I don't follow your reasoning.

 

If the friction point had moved too close to the handle bar, I could see it being the slave cylinder but I have the opposite case.

 

Firmness of the clutch operation is not my problem either. It operates nice and firmly just as one would want, its just that the friction point is too far out for my liking.

 

Clutch plate wear is still the most likely candidate so far as I can see. (Although, as stated above, for completeness a fluid change is also due.)

 

Your clutch slave cylinder is probably on it's way out. There are rebuild kits for them but it is almost as cheap to just replace the unit. There is a trick to removing and reinstalling them but I think there has brern a write up on the process somewhere here...

 

Stainless steel lines also increase the firmness of the clutch handle. You may want to consider rebuilding your clutch master along with flushing the system as well. Those are, after al, 25+ year old parts...

 

My master cyl is off a newer bike, appears to be in very good shape and was recently installed by me at which time I bled the system of air.

 

Brian H.

[Venturous Randy]

Sorry Bob but in this case I don't follow your reasoning.

 

If the friction point had moved too close to the handle bar, I could see it being the slave cylinder but I have the opposite case.

 

Firmness of the clutch operation is not my problem either. It operates nice and firmly just as one would want, its just that the friction point is too far out for my liking.

 

Clutch plate wear is still the most likely candidate so far as I can see. (Although, as stated above, for completeness a fluid change is also due.)

 

 

 

My master cyl is off a newer bike, appears to be in very good shape and was recently installed by me at which time I bled the system of air.

 

Brian H.

 

Did it have the same catch point before you changed it? You can take the plunger rod out and shorten it a little. But first, I would compare it with the old plunger rod.

RandyA

[bongobobny]

Sorry Bob but in this case I don't follow your reasoning.

 

If the friction point had moved too close to the handle bar, I could see it being the slave cylinder but I have the opposite case.

 

Firmness of the clutch operation is not my problem either. It operates nice and firmly just as one would want, its just that the friction point is too far out for my liking.

 

Clutch plate wear is still the most likely candidate so far as I can see. (Although, as stated above, for completeness a fluid change is also due.)

 

 

 

My master cyl is off a newer bike, appears to be in very good shape and was recently installed by me at which time I bled the system of air.

 

Brian H.

 

Ahhh!! Misread the symptoms...

[bongobobny]

Sooo, fluid is staying trapped and not allowed to return into the master cylinder resovoir. There is a pinhole on the bottom of the resovoir that is probably plugged up...

[6m459]

OK, I'll take a look tonight and see.

 

(Is that the one that spits fluid at you if you operate the lever with the res lid off?)

 

Thanks,

 

Brian H.

 

Sooo, fluid is staying trapped and not allowed to return into the master cylinder resovoir. There is a pinhole on the bottom of the resovoir that is probably plugged up...

[Squeeze]

OK, I'll take a look tonight and see.

 

(Is that the one that spits fluid at you if you operate the lever with the res lid off?)

 

Thanks,

 

Brian H.

 

No, thats the Feeding Hole, the Relief Boring is right next to it.

[greg_in_london]

I think the first few posters misread your post - you need longer fingers. Try laying them on the bench and hitting the knuckles with a hammer to break the join, then stretching them as they set. If you are a pianist though, you will not be able to play for while.

 

If you don't fancy that, er ... Well I always found theproblem was the other way round, and I did get an improvement when I turned the actuating pin - the bar between the barrel in the lever and the plunger in the master cylinder - could be reversed. This moved the bite point away from the bar (although it did finish off the seals in the master cylinder...) and it might be worth checking that yours is the right way around.

 

Other than that, as levers wear they do put slack into the system, so the bite point moves back. You might just try swapping your new-ish level for a worn out one, or (and it pains me to say this) open out the pivot hole with a small file.