Im about a day away from changing my handle bars. The only concern I have is the clutch cable. Is there oil in the transmission side cover? Should I pick up oil and a new gasket? I will be using a jack to level the bike.

 

I recently did mine, and yes there is oil in that side

 

...yes, there is oil in the tranny. You will want to pick up a new gasket and fluid. It doesn't take much fluid.

 

it takes 1 quart to fill oh yeah and get yourself a nice snap ring tool also

 

I have read that this can be done not draining the tranny and only losing a little of the oil. I have done it a couple times now and figured for $10.00 and a few minutes time, I'd drain it and replace the gasket.

As NOTORIOUS1 mentioned, get heavy duty snap-ring pliers for an internal ring. I had the Craftsman standard duty with interchangeable tips and broke em all.

Be careful when you seat the ferrule of the new cable. I, and a couple others I read about, broke the ferrule when tightening it up in the cover.

 

You can do it on the Jiffy stand, you'll lose some oil, keep an eye on the little ball bearings under that cover and don't tighten the clutch cable down into it too dam tight, good luck! I found the throttle/idle cables to be a bigger PITA than the clutch. Have fun.

 

indeed! ....most important thing...HEAVY DUTY snap ring pliers....wait till you see that sucker..... seriously, do NOT settle for a regular pair...they'll twist and pop out of the snap ring....internal set, incidentally

and yes, side cover must come off, FIRST....drain oil beforehand.....make sure you disconnect all along frame and from lever first....you gotta pull that cable through so you can rest the side cover on something to work on that snap ring

 

Thanks Guys......This forum is the Shiznit

 

It sounds harder than it is. I bought a pair of HD snap ring pliers. (Not that HD - Home Depot) It became self-explanitory with each turn of the wrench.

 

I'm doing this now (mini apes to 16's) and wondered if I can lean the bike over enough that I won't lose any tranny fluid. Fluids were just done so I don't suspect losing a few ounces would hurt it incredibly. Of course it's way after 4pm and no chance of me being able to purchase tranny fluid or a new gasket till tues at the miminum.