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My Sport Glide clutch has been working perfectly, but along with an oil change I decided to lube and adjust the clutch free play. I’ve done this before without issue but this time I have way too much slack in the lower cable and the top cable is beyond its adjustable range.
Here’s a picture of the adjuster, the clutch lever is installed and top cable connected. The bottom cable is too far up inside the yellow sleeve.
this is the fatbaggers clutch adjuster. that red thingy Harley designed is a pos. I carried spares because it kept slipping. I installed this 2yrs ago, havent touched it since!
Follow up: I made 2 mistakes.
First, I watched the Delboys video about using the weight of the allen key to determine the spot where the clutch adjuster screw touches the pressure plate. This does appear to be a foolproof way to find that point, then back it off 1/2 turn and torque the locknut. My allen key is quite a bit shorter than the one shown in the video, about half that length, so much lighter and it found a tight spot in the threads long before the setscrew touched the clutch. So I had way too much free play in the bottom cable.
Second, as Coolbreeze suggested above, the plastic clip is not visible in my photo. It is there but pushed back to the release position and it should have been pushed in to lock the top cable spring in the compressed position. Doing that pushed the bottom cable down to where it should be.
Silly mistakes due to doing this work after a long tiring day. Fresh start this morning and it all became clear! All back together and enjoyed a cool 200 km ride this afternoon.
Follow up: I made 2 mistakes.
First, I watched the Delboys video about using the weight of the allen key to determine the spot where the clutch adjuster screw touches the pressure plate. This does appear to be a foolproof way to find that point, then back it off 1/2 turn and torque the locknut. My allen key is quite a bit shorter than the one shown in the video, about half that length, so much lighter and it found a tight spot in the threads long before the setscrew touched the clutch. So I had way too much free play in the bottom cable.
Second, as Coolbreeze suggested above, the plastic clip is not visible in my photo. It is there but pushed back to the release position and it should have been pushed in to lock the top cable spring in the compressed position. Doing that pushed the bottom cable down to where it should be.
Silly mistakes due to doing this work after a long tiring day. Fresh start this morning and it all became clear! All back together and enjoyed a cool 200 km ride this afternoon.
Follow up: I made 2 mistakes.
First, I watched the Delboys video about using the weight of the allen key to determine the spot where the clutch adjuster screw touches the pressure plate. This does appear to be a foolproof way to find that point, then back it off 1/2 turn and torque the locknut. My allen key is quite a bit shorter than the one shown in the video, about half that length, so much lighter and it found a tight spot in the threads long before the setscrew touched the clutch. So I had way too much free play in the bottom cable.
Second, as Coolbreeze suggested above, the plastic clip is not visible in my photo. It is there but pushed back to the release position and it should have been pushed in to lock the top cable spring in the compressed position. Doing that pushed the bottom cable down to where it should be.
Silly mistakes due to doing this work after a long tiring day. Fresh start this morning and it all became clear! All back together and enjoyed a cool 200 km ride this afternoon.
That tight spot is pretty much going to be there with those fine threads. I leave enough play in cable to lever so I make sure ball are in place on the lever cam on right side of transmission.
I screw the adjuster screen in snug and go couple turn is deburring thread and loading clutch. I pull lever till it locks ***** and let go slowly.
Then I back back out and come back to no play. Then back of 1/2 turn cold clutch on broke in clutch. 3/4 doest hurt in 100 degree placed.
That enough. Wear if you slip clutch alot makes it bigger.
Then hold Allen and snug locknut. You need a long Allen.
Then adjust cable.
Oil clutches normal don't wear. That setting will last. Cable may need tweeked.
That video is wrong..
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jul 17, 2023 at 08:49 PM.
what I said. If you insist on using the red clip in thingy, order a spare. It left me twice with a limp clutch lever. Come on, Harley, get with the program.
what I said. If you insist on using the red clip in thingy, order a spare. It left me twice with a limp clutch lever. Come on, Harley, get with the program.
I have replaced the hydraulic brake light switch 3 times on my old girl. Last time was a LT from AutoZone. Has 50 k on it.
My 46 Chevy truck has the original. It does refresh it's own brake fluid about ever third dive
Clutch adjustment gone wrong?
