Shifting getting hard

[Yammer Dan]

As "Brown Sugar and I were playing with some twisties today I was paying attention to the shifting. This has been going on for a while but is getting harder and harder. Holding a rule against the end of the ball on the handle it has more than 1&1/2 inches of play before you start to feel pressure when you squeeze it. Time for the push rod and bushing?? I bled it out last fall. All new fluid. Hope its not the slace cylinder.

[Marcarl]

At what point does it start to engage. You may just have to lubricate the shifter linkage.

[Yammer Dan]

Going to check that now Carl.

[Yammer Dan]

About 2 inches from handlebar Carl.

[Squidley]

When was the last oil change? All my Ventures would shift harder the closer I came to changing the oil

[Yammer Dan]

I know that feeling Squid. Oil gets change probally more than necessary. Really feels like just not releasing. Thought that was more end play than it should have.

[Trader]

when mine gets "clunky" it usually means it needs clutch bleeding....but at the same time the engage point gets really close to fully pulled in

[jasonm.]

I had the same thing. I had LOTS of pressure in the hydraulics on the clutch master slave. It was hard to shift and seemed like the clutch was NOT disengaging completely. The cause was the clutch HOSE. It makes a sharp bend at the steering neck. And always turning the steering to the left and locking the forks caused the hose INTERNALLY to fray. And block the fluid from doing it's job. Also the lever would not "snap" back as quickly when released. If it's not your bushing in the lever, which should be lubed yearly....then it's likely THIS hose issue. I replaced my hose with SS braided type and fittings I assembled. I think it was 63 or 64" hose, 35 degree at master and straight fitting at the slave.

[Evan]

When was the last oil change? All my Ventures would shift harder the closer I came to changing the oil

 

 

That's my experience too Steve.

[dingy]

Think your looking at a slave cylinder. Is level in master dropping any?

 

I would really suggest you just put a complete unit in rather than rebuilding it. I have two slave housings that have degraded bores on them from water and debris laying in there. I know its more money, but it may be easier in long run. It isn't real hard to get the slave out if the two bolts cooperate. Replacing seal for push rod could be a PIA with motor in frame.

 

They are $64 bucks from part shark.

 

I doubt you would need a new push rod. If you do I have a good one you can have. Also have a pressure plate that was working fine in the 1200 motor when I decommissioned it.

 

Gary

[Yammer Dan]

I think I have a rebuild kit for slave if it ain't shot. Bushing and push rod in handle cured last one I had act like this but it wasn't as hard to shift. Can't remember where I got them. Maybe Bike Barn less than 10 bucks??Don't think fluid has dropped any. Gonna have to look closer I think.

[Squidley]

If you decide to rebuild the master cylinder make sure that the bore is perfect. You'll be wasting your time and efforts on a marginal cylinder. I agree with Gary buy a new one if that is in fact the issue and be done with it.

[1rooster]

Hard to shift could be age.You and the bike.

[dingy]

Bushing and push rod in handle cured last one

 

That bearing & push rod, damn percocets. Need to focus.

 

What point do you start feeling any pressure start at, not release, just firming up of lever?

 

If you use your old slave housing, look at bore with a bright light on it. Mine looked more like peeling of a layer than pitting, sorta hard to describe.

 

Gary

[Yammer Dan]

Pulling handle in over 1&1/2 inches before pressure Gary. Clutch starts to enguage about 2 inches out from bar. Bike Barn site won't let me order.

[dingy]

Pulling handle in over 1&1/2 inches before pressure Gary. Clutch starts to enguage about 2 inches out from bar. Bike Barn site won't let me order.

 

try partshark.com

 

If you are engaging 2" out from bar, I don't think slave is problem then. I would think with a bad slave you would be engaging very close to bar. With that much travel before it engages seems to indicate slave is holding. Slave has to build pressure to dis-engage clutch.

 

Have you checked small hole in bottom of master?

 

Also deteriorated rubber lines, there are two rubber lines in the clutch system.

 

Gary

[MasterGuns]

As "Brown Sugar and I were playing with some twisties today I was paying attention to the shifting. This has been going on for a while but is getting harder and harder. Holding a rule against the end of the ball on the handle it has more than 1&1/2 inches of play before you start to feel pressure when you squeeze it. Time for the push rod and bushing?? I bled it out last fall. All new fluid. Hope its not the slace cylinder.

 

Sounds to me like you've got old, too old, brake fluid in the system. I think all you may have to do is replace the fluid; all of it. When brake fluid is past it's life expectancy it absorbs air. When the fluid gets hot, as in long hard rides through the twisties, it creates a lot of slop/free play in the lever and the clutch isn't releasing entirely. This might be causing your hard shifting. How old is the brake fluid? When was the last time you changed it? What is it's appearance?

 

I don'k know if anyone else recommended this cause I didn't read through them all. I personnally doubt it's your slave cylinder, lever, mastercylinder or anything else. Just nasty old fluid.

[Yammer Dan]

Just ordered push rod & bushing for handle from Parts Shark

Fluid was changed out late last year.

 

Will let you know:think:

[Yammer Dan]

Got bushing and pushrod from Parts Shark this morning. It was in US flat rate box. I complained that I thought shipping was high for what I was getting and they gave me 4 bucks back and put it in flat rate box. Got them in. Old bushing showing lot of wear. I'll let you know.

[jburrell]

At what point does it start to engage. You may just have to lubricate the shifter linkage.

 

There may be a point here. Recently we had a gentleman who lived down a dirt road and his bike got extremely hard to shift. When Squidly took off his shifter he found it clogged up making it hard to shift. Easy to eliminate as first thing anyway.

 

MY 2c

[Yammer Dan]

There may be a point here. Recently we had a gentleman who lived down a dirt road and his bike got extremely hard to shift. When Squidly took off his shifter he found it clogged up making it hard to shift. Easy to eliminate as first thing anyway.

 

MY 2c

 

I checked it and it LOOKS OK. Probally should pull and lube it.

 

Looks ain't everything:whistling:

[Yammer Dan]

Shifting is a lot easier. Oil Change should make it right now.

[mspookw]

Hi All,

After work several weeks ago I got on my 89 VR to go home and found hardley ant pressure at the cluch master cyl. When I put it in gear it jumped and stalled. It did this several times. Finally I had to start it in gear. Luckily it was later at night because at every stop the clutch dragged so bad that at a full stop it would stall. By the time I got home it would release so I could stop but I couldn't get it in to neutral without shutting it off. The engage point was just off the grip all I had to do was relax my grip not even extend my fingers. I bled and bled the system but the pressure didn't change much. I thought about rebuilding the master cyl. But I have a project bike in the barn with a clutch that has great pressure and feel. Reluctantly I swapped cyl's. Now my rider has good clutch feel.

 

All this to ask why would it release when it got warm? Where can I get ss braided lines? Any used?

 

Thanks

Mike

 

They used to call me Spook because I always wore black. That user name was taken when I signed up for e-mail so I put my initials m-----w on. It's not Ms. poo kw. I should have given it more thought.

lol.

[Yammer Dan]

Rebuild the cylinder??