clutch crap

[weaselnoze]

so i went out for a pretty long ride yesterday and ran into some trouble that almost had me callin a cab for the ride home.  throughout the day it became harder and harder to shift into neutral when at a stop light or in the 7-eleven.  didnt think to much of it since shifting was always rough.  but then i came down a hill to a stop sign at a busy street and to downshift i really had to kick the lever HARD.  i knew something was up so i was gonna check it out when i got to the stop sign.  well when i got into first i pulled the clutch in all the way, preparing to stop.  the bike wanted to keep going but i braked so hard that i stalled it.  w/ the clutch in that is.  it was acting like i wasnt pulling it in all the way, but i was.  so i forced it back into neutral, started it, then kicked it into first, clutch still in.  the bike lurches forward and stalls.  i then pushed it across the street to a parking lot and scratched my head for 10 min. then tried again and everything was fine. like butter.  i figured i just need to adjust my clutch cable or something.  one thing i noticed was right under the shift lever, one of the case bolts was so loose it was about to fall off.  of course i tightened it right away as best i could w/ no tools.  so what the heck happened?

[se7enty7]

you mean the clutch cover on the left side?


that has to be on there tight... if it gets loose then no your clutch wont work

[Kerry]

My shortie Adjusting the Clutch Cable video might help you with the basics.  The main thing is to adjust it so the freeplay out at the end of the clutch lever is 10mm to 15mm.

From the Haynes manual:



se7enty7 is right about the left side clutch cover needing to be positioned properly.  If you ever pull that cover (to change sprockets or to clean out accumulated chain lube and road gravel) you'll see what I mean.

If you have no adjustability at the clutch lever end of the clutch cable, try adjusting it at the lower end:


While the arrangements on the two ends look different, they both work the same way:  Loosen lock nut, turn other nut to desired position, tighten lock nut.

Good Luck!

[weaselnoze]

kerry do u have a list of your shortie videos?

[Kerry]

kerry do u have a list of your shortie videos?

Ummm, that IS the list of my shortie videos.    I have only done that 1-minute jobbie with my "cap cam" and the current 1hr+ project on Adjusting the Valves.

Not much to show for a few months of video capture capability....  :dunno:

[weaselnoze]

a lil update: i went to see about adjusting the cable at the lever end today. well when i took the cover off, i realized my problem.  the adjuster part w/ the threads is cracked in half so it moves in and out.  it must have moved the other day when i had my lil issue.  can i buy the adjuster part or do i have to get a whole  new cable?

[The Buddha]

The sproket cover is the one that the clutch eccentric fitting fits onto ... so if your sproket cover bolts were loose ... you'd have no clutch disengagement...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Kerry]

the adjuster part w/ the threads is cracked in half so it moves in and out.

If you're talking about the built-in, longitudinal "crack" in the adjuster threads in this picture ... that's a feature, not a bug.  (It was designed that way.)



If the crack is across the width of the adjuster threads ... you need a new cable.
[EDIT: You need a new cable adjuster, NOT a new cable.  Thanks, MarkusN!]

can i buy the adjuster part or do i have to get a whole new cable?

You may be able to find a way to create a new cable from parts, but it would be much less hassle to just order a new one.  New clutch cables come complete with all of the mounting / adjustment hardware on both ends.
[EDIT: New clutch cables come with the mounting / adjustment hardware on the LOWER end.  But on the UPPER end the adjuster is indeed a separate part.]

[The Buddha]

The sproket cover is the one that the clutch eccentric fitting fits onto ... so if your sproket cover bolts were loose ... you'd have no clutch disengagement...
Cool.
Srinath.

Yea I am stoopid... dind't read the replies ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[MarkusN]

can i buy the adjuster part or do i have to get a whole  new cable?

The slotted adjuster nipple at the clutch lever is not part of the cable assembly. You can get it separately.

Bike probably dropped on its left side one time, that's what had the adjuster broken.


But what Srinath says is also true: If you had the screw of the sprocket cover that loose it is possible that all of them were. With the sprocket cover moving around there is nothing ta press against the clutch springs to disengage the clutch.

[Kerry]

can i buy the adjuster part or do i have to get a whole  new cable?

The slotted adjuster nipple at the clutch lever is not part of the cable assembly. You can get it separately.

My (very) bad!    That "crack" is there so you can mount / unmount the cable through it.  Nice catch, Markus!

See item 17 in this Ron Ayers diagram.

[tdan553527]

Kinda of funny, I was going to start a new thread about that part (#17), after my lowside a couple a weeks ago, I finally got my bike home two days ago to start working on it.

Last night, put new bars on and noticed that adjuster bolt by the lever snapped in half from the wreck. I need to get just that bolt. Will other bikes fit it? I'll just go to the junkyard and pull one off another bike is so.
I went out and looked at my friends R1, and it looks about the same.
Or, does anyone have an extra they want to sell?

[MarkusN]

Another bike's might work, but there are some very weird sizes around. The GS's is M7, if I remember right, which is an oddball by itself.

[weaselnoze]

the crack is with the threads.  im sure this is my problem.  the bolts on the cover were loose so i tightened them up, however that wasnt what was causing the problem.  so i can buy just the adjuster bolt at the lever end of the cable? suzuki dealer i presume?

[The Buddha]

Well a wrecking yard mught be the best bet, just yank one off anyhitng ... I believe on my 89 I lost the threads in the yoke a few years ago, then I tapped it to a bigger size and have a big ass aluminum adjuster and lock nut off a dirt bike ... Anyway that lever yoke is ~$6-7 and available at most stores... the thing is made in china and sold by Hap Jones ... cheapass crap.
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

BTW how did the thread less can episode turn out ... you getting a replacement???
Cool.
Srinath.

[weaselnoze]

well at first everything was just peachy. i notified them by email that i recieved a defective can and they were apologetic and sent me a prepaid postage UPS label that i printed out and taped on the package for return. also in the email, they stated to notify them when i sent the package, and they would send my new can the next day with a tracking number to my email.  so i sent the muffler, sent the email. 3 days went by w/ no response so i sent an email requesting a tracking number.  they said they will ship it in the morning and send me a number.  its been 3 more days now and no number or package.  ...assholes. but in the meantime i sanded down and painted the pipe u sent me, and painted the rest of my exhaust, so that when i do get it, everything goes on that day.  jesus its almost time to park the bike.