B-inlaw has a 05 FLH Screamin Beagle Electra glide....Is there a way to adjust the hydraulic clutch?? I removed the inspection cover on the primary side and found a snap ring on a shaft at the clutch basket...not what I had expected. Usually I have found a allen bolt with a nut...loosen nut adjust allen bolt to correct clutch pressure tighten nut. Not this time. I can not believe there is no adjustment. I have placed the bike on a lift , placed bike into second gear, pull in the clutch lever, then try and spin the rear wheel. No way is thing even close to being disengaged. I can see the diaphram moving when I pull the lever in. Obviously the plates do not have enough spring pressure to remove friction from the disk.

 

To the best of my knowledge you cannot adjust the hydraulic clutch. It works or it doesn't. No adjustments.

 

thanks for the reply, this seems to be the word. Glad it isnt mine, this seems like a weird way to have a clutch on any motorcycle..... non adjusting.

 

Best, time proven method of operating a clutch there is. Self adjusting, just like disc brakes.
Ron

 

update....I have now pulled the primary cover, and clutch basket apart. All of the fiber plates are .030 better than spec minimum thickness, all of the steel plates are good, flat show no signs of wear, outer aluminum clutch cover looks good no grooves, Screamin Chicken diaphram spring looks good. I reassemble and pay particular attention to the "radius " edge of the steel plate facing outward, inner rings inside of the first fiber plate, push rod pin has no blunt tip, bearing at clutch side looks good so I reassemble, bleed air from line,... works..kinda. It now releases to turn the rear wheel, but when you ride it, pull in the clutch and the clutch drags a bit, not entirely disengaged, blip the throttle and it will surge forward a bit and un-lock..hmmm. I am now thinking that the master cylinder may be not holding the pressure. Thoughts??

I am going to bleed all of the fluid out, b-inlaw says HD dealer added DOT5, he's positive ......well my book says DOT 4 sooooo 4 it will be, out with the old in with all new 4...Does not make sense.

 

Thoughts, you say? Well, use the wheel spin method and tie wrap the lever for an extended period to see if it leaks down with a change in wheel spin. In a low heat enviroment like that the Dot # won't matter. Flex lines bulge ever so slightly detracting from master cyl stroke reducing the effect at the clutch. In such a small system like that one tiny air bubble can reduce disengagment quite a bit. Adding Kuryakyn iso grips will reduce lever travel as well.
My bet is air in the system, probably close or in the master cylinder. Try cracking the line loose on the mc and bleed there as air bubbles alway want to go to the highest point.
I'm out of thoughts.
Ron

 

Well if I had to put my two cents in, I would say you just needed to change the fluid, remember this is nothing more tham a simple hydraulic set up found on almost every car on the road, the fluid should be changed at least every two years, if not it begins to breakdown , hold moisture & thus loses its hydraulic ability.
I have HD hydraulic clutch on my bike & have had no problems

 

Changing the fluid to remove any moisture is a good idea, however if it was filled with ****, it would still work exactly the same since water won't compress either.
Ron