| Author | Message | ||
     Whisperstealth |
Lost the clutch today. A few days ago, I felt a change in my clutch lever/pull. The clutch was not engaging as soon as it normally does, then felt a little stiff when it did engage. I figured it was a clutch cable adjustment issue, and had planned on getting to it this weekend. Today I noticed the bike didn't want to shift(Hard to toe-up on the shifter.), when I had the clutch pulled in. Then while trying to shift from first to second after a stop, the clutch lever went all the way back, and it felt like the cable had let go. So, I limp the bike home, and take off the derby cover. The cable is fine. Not broken or worn/damaged. It is here I must confess my ignorance when it comes to clutches and transmissions. Please forgive this, and I'll try to list what I did in-order, and what the result was. Anyway... 1. I take the spring retainer? piece off, and see what I'm thinking is the clutch adjustment screw. 2. It seems a little bit loose, as does the whole clutch piece thing. So I tighten it(After I discovered as you tighten it the screw comes "out". I then tried the shift lever. No dice, would not pull without massive force. 3. I then loosened it and tried the lever. The lever pulled, and I could then push the lever back forward and see the cable / whole piece move back into place. 4. Next I tried tightening it little by little, and seeing what would happen. I got to a place where I could pull the clutch lever in, but could not push it back out. Even using the screw drive against the clutch piece would not work, and I would have to loosed the screw to get the lever / cable / clutch piece. 5. Put the screw / clutch piece back to loose. Put the spring back in. Buttoned it up. And came in here to ask you all for help! Next I'll break out the SM, but know the best info on what the problem is will come from you guys! | ||
| Ratbuell |
First...shame on you for having a manual and NOT grabbing it before you picked up the first tool.  That said. 1. Put bike upright, on a PitBull stand or similar. 2. get a 9/16" and a 1/2" wrench and unlock the clutch cable adjuster inside the boot on the cable, usually right around the voltage regulator. "Shorten" the adjuster to take all the tension off the clutch cable. 3. Remove the clutch cover (3 torx screws). 4. Remove the locknut with the spring attached. 5. Turn the screw in the center COUNTERclockwise until it LIGHTLY bottoms out. 6. Turn the screw clockwise between 1/4 and 1/2 turn, and reinstall the lock nut. NOTE - the screw has two flats on it and you may have to rubiks-cube the locknut a little bit to get it to line up with both the screw, and the clutchpack. Make sure you don't bump that screw too far out of where it was. 7. reinstall the clutch cover 8. lengthen the cable adjuster until there is very little freeplay in the clutch lever. DO NOT lock it down just yet. This is where I get the bike off the stand and start it. Put it in first gear and ease off the clutch to see where it takes up and the bike starts moving. Use that adjuster to fine-tune the friction point to where you want it in the lever travel. Once you find it...lock down the adjuster. Slide the boot back over it. Put a zip-tie around the top end of the boot to help keep water from getting in (leave the bottom of the boot OPEN so any water that does get in, can get back out). | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Are you putting the bike on a stand to make it upright, so the primary fluid doesn't come out? Or to take pressure off of anything? | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Update: Rat: Followed your suggestions. Thought I had it, but did not. The screwed seemed to tighten of it's own accord. I set it has you said, replaced the lock nut, spring, cover. Then started adjusting the clutch cable. While adjusting it, the lever never "sprang" back. I always had to push it forward. Once I had the cable "adjusted" for play, the lever still did not spring back. I pulled it in a couple of times, then it became very hard to pull. I loosened the cable, and pulled the cover off to find the center screw was very tight. I loosened it and set it again. This time I thought maybe the spring had gotten compressed and was not holding tight, so I pulled the spring out a little till I could feel resistance when I screwed the cover back on. I then tightened the cable a little and pulled back and forth on the clutch lever. It got real tight once again. Pulled the cover, same deal. I then reset it again. Only this time instead of putting the cover back on, I held the spring in place with my thumb, and pulled the clutch lever back and forth. The screw got tight again. Did this a few times, making sure the lock nut did not move, but the screw continued to get tight. That's where I'm out now. What's next? | ||
| Debueller |
Broken primary cover? http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/530855.html#POST1706193 http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/282980.html | ||
| Ratbuell |
The screw in the center of the clutch pack cannot adjust itself once the locknut is in place. You have six sides of the locknut holding it in place against the clutches; you have the two flats of the screw holding it in place against the locknut. Once that locknut is in place...its...well...locked. Look at the clutch while you're working the lever. First, does the locknut pop out because there's no cover holding it in place? Second, can you see the clutch end of the cable moving? Its attached to a little arm under the locknut, and that arm will pivot back and forth as you pull the lever. When's the last time you lubed your clutch cable? Take off the locknut, and you can remove the little arm that holds the end of the clutch cable. Pull the cable ferrule out of the arm. Push/pull the cable back towards the lever (you can pull the ferrule out of the clutch lever too, if you want to TOTALLY disconnect the cable). If the cable binds up in the sheath...there's your problem. Go to a bike store and get some cable lube. I use a brand called Dri-Slide, it has a nice applicator needle that you slide into the sheath at the clutch lever, and squeeze. It fills the sheath with lube and keeps the cable from sticking. If its not cable-stick...you might have lost a spring plate in the clutch pack. But try the cable first. | ||
| Etennuly |
The Ratman is correct, make sure the cable is not the problem first. Then read the links above about the cover and ball/ramp function. The way your problem sounds to have started I would think something broke more than gone beyond adjustment specs. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Clutch cable is fine, and does not bind or stick. I don't think the screw is turning, the lock nut is doing it's job. That's what is strange about it all. I will check this out again though. Thanks for the help. Will report back. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Debueller:  ...... So, It's on to trying Obiewan fix. Do not have access to a milling machine, but will try to "look" around. In any case I will be taking the bike to my buddy's shop. This is something I can't get done in my carport! Thanks for the help and advice everyone. I'll be back... | ||
| Ratbuell |
So I'm curious on this. I've heard about the "broken primary cover" but not seen one. Is it the inspection cover you remove to get to the clutch? Or is it the main, "whole big" primary cover that goes? | ||
| Whisperstealth |
The inspection area has a thin lip/flange that goes. The first link above has a great picture of it. To make makes worse... Thought I had my KLR finally up after my brother wrecked it 1 1/2 ago. Took it for a ride, about two hours ago. The water pump impeller screw snapped, causing the impeller to stop turning. My bike over heated and blew the head in under two miles! Milk shake oil  Oh - and my truck is down. But hey, I gotta stay grateful, things could be much worse! | ||
| Debueller |
When mine failed, there were no dealers that stock them, and they were on backorder so I bought one here: https://www.ironmachine.com/product_info.php?cPath =56&products_id=535&osCsid=t1ms5183spl6dpmvthcnpl3 9n4 $269.  I'm now in the process of doing a repair on my broken one like Obiewan's so I'll have a spare. (Message edited by debueller on June 01, 2011) | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'm wanting to do the Obiewan repair, but don't have the tools to do it, and getting to my buddy's shop 70 miles away is problematic. He doesn't have a milling machine, but does have the tools to shape the plate. I'm waiting for a reply from both Obiewan and Odie, to see if I can get some help. Odie has a machinist friend that did an excellent job on Odie's, and they were thinking about making / producing fixed covers for people. Looks like I may have to try my luck with a "local" - 30 miles away machinist. Living where I do, and not having running transportation sucks massively! | ||
| Debueller |
Wisperstealth, I bumped this one for you: (and me too) http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/622726.html?1306956720 (Message edited by debueller on June 01, 2011) | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Thanks Jerry! I'm thinking of starting one in the quick board as well. My number in case I lose my internet: 1-870-955-0725 | ||
| Debueller |
Gabriel, Your welcome. Starting a new thread in the quickboard might be a good idea. The one I bumped is lost in the archives where there is not a lot of visibilitiy. |
