So i have been working on a bar swap on my 06 Street Bob. All went fairly well. Went from drag bar that was on it when i boiught it to 10" wild 1 chubby outlawz. they look fantastic. but here is my issue...

i was able to reroute the clutch and other cables to get them to work. once i was complete with the swap i took her for a little spin and i wasnt happy as to the feeling of when i let out on the clutch i actually started to creep forward (whatever that term is called before you need to give it gas before killing it?) i was trying to turn around in a parking lot by just being in gear and letting it out and i had to let the handle go almost all the way before i got anything.

so then i decided to dive into it with a clutch adjustment (using the full HD sevice manual) i folllowed the steps to a "T". the lever felt great when i pulled it when the bike was off. so i jump on pull the clutch in and put it into first ot take off and i had the lever released all the way and in first gear (at least the "n" light went off so i thought i had gone into first) and didnt move?? gave it a little throttle and didnt move. i was baffled. so i started over. loosened the jam not on the "turnbuckle" and gave the lever some slack. took off the primary cover and adjusted there. if i turn the adjusting screw all the way in i really cant ppull the clutch lever so i adjusted it to where i thought it shoud be and then adjusted the turnbuckle so the lever was comfortable. put it all back together again. fired it up ...and nothing again!!

why would i not be engaging the transmission. seems like the cable is to long now but if anything it should be to short. how do i adjust it and know its right wothout having to start up and try to take off? i have had the damn primary cover off like 5 times in the last 2 nights! i cant seem to get it where it should be. is there somerthing else that could be causing it? throttlle feels ok and it feels like its going into gear? but i cant even get that "creeping" feel when you let the clutch lever out?

please, im baffled. any suggestions would be awesome. i think its time to make some phone calls for some favors around here to someone who can help me??

 

Sounds like what happened to me when I tried to take a short cut when changing my levers. I never released the tension on the cable and ended up pulling the clutch lever to hard causing it to be stuck open. It wasn't a big deal to fix for me I had to tap and move some part around with a screw driver on the clutch and it sprung back together. Sorry if this don't make sense but I'm tired. Figured I'd try.

 

When you adjusted the clutch did you screw the cable slack adjuster (the adjuster on the cable) all the way in? On the clutch did you undo the locknut? Did you then back out the clutch adjustment screw with an allen wrench until the screw felt like it was about to fall out then screw it back in until you could barely feel a little resistance and then back it out 1/2 a turn? Then did you use a wrench to tighten down the locknut while holding the adjustment screw and not letting it move with an allen wrench? Then did you adjust the cable until you had about 1/16 to 1/8" of end play at the lever? If you missed any of these steps in this particular order then go back and do it again in this particular order. You can have all the slack in the world at the lever but, if you have the clutch pack adjusted to tight then the clutch will not let the bike move and will eventually burn up the clutch.

 

Watch this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl92w...feature=relmfu

Then watch the second half.

http://youtu.be/iiC5d2gBoKU

 

are you adjusting it when its cold? after you have adjusted the clutch and have the lock nut tight give the clutch lever a few pulls before you adjust the cable

 

I would start with the correct length cable so there is no binding. Going from drag bars to 10" bars might need a longer cable. Sometimes starting correctly from the begining (attach longer cable) and following all the steps in the manual helps.

Good luck,
Mike

 

Ghostrider, thanks. i did watch that video a couple times. then decided to go back out last night with the computer and do it again. i just needed to take my time but i think i got it. not sure waht the issue was. took it for a little spin and it seems to be ok.

thank you everyone fotr all your insight. i am a car guy and not really a bike guy but i have learned more and more on this forum and enjoy doing things on my own to it. makes you appreciatte it more. my next venture will be the Burly lowering kit before Sturgis. i thinnk that should be much easier!

thanks again.

 

Glad you got it straightened out. A couple of key notes, make sure the clutch adjustment pin is not adjusted in to far and make sure you have the proper end play at the lever.