About 2 weeks ago my clutch started losing adjustment at a stop light after a 100 mile or so ride, like, not slipping real bad, but creeping at stoplights and neutral was almost impossible to find. If you missed neutral and dropped into second, you could just forget about getting into first. Once the bike was underway clutch problems went away and the bike would shift just fine. The friction zone would go from close to the bar to the end of the clutch pull though. Keep in mind, that before this the bike had only been jidden in short jaunts around my neighborhood as I was too enamored with the Kawasaki in my garage, which means it got to sit for a few months with no long 100-400 mile weekend rides.

After all of this I put it up on the jack, and adjusted the clutch. I snapped the cable a few times, loosened it up all the way, screwed in the adjuster on the clutch pack hard, backed it off all the way, screwed it in until I felt it touch the pushrod, and then backed it off about 1/3rd of a turn and tightened the nut. I adjusted the cable to about 1/16th of slack. I took it for another 100+ mile ride and at first the bike was shifting fine, neutral a little hard to find (it used to snick right into neutral with no fuss) but the friction zone was at the end of the clutch pull where I want it and where it should be. Halfway through the ride the problem started again... you couldn't find neutral, it wasn't creeping at stoplights anymore, but you could tell the clutch wasn't all the way dis-engaged. Now, the funny part about all of this? It is intermittent... it goes away after a while and then comes back depending on riding/traffic conditions. Running down 2 lane black top with no car in sight, and you come to a random stop, it will go into neutral just fine. Or at least I think so anyways... maybe not, maybe it comes and goes regardless of what the riding conditions look like... it's hard to tell.

I tried adjusting the clutch again and this time backed the adjuster off a full turn while also giving the cable an 1/8th of slack, and the problem got a little bit better, but it's still coming and going.

Before any of you scream I have done everything I can possibly think of doing and what is listed in the manual. It's hard to track down a problem that comes and goes. The primary chain is within spec, but I can loosen it up a little bit. Would this be a ball and ramp mechanism issue? Should I try going to Dexron 3 ATF in the primary? I don't think it is a transmission issue.

 

Warped plates in the clutch? That's my first guess.

 

Could be the spring plate coming apart.

 

Throw out bearing is toast, hopefully you caught it before it welded itself to the clutch push rod. Pull the actuator cover off and have a look.

 

Sounds like an oil issue maybe too high or low or wrong weight? Especially if it goes away and comes back. If the ball and ramp jams up it would be slipping or if it jammed it would not let you pull the lever to the bar. It's only going to jam on the engaged or disengaged but you'll know at the lever. Maybe your clutch wants to go haywire like mine. You do have my mids they may have some bad vibes built in from my bike!

 

It is almost surely one of these 2 things...throw-out bearing is the easiest to check.

If it is the spring plate...I would eliminate it, as apposed to replacing it.

 

I know what is involved with replacing the clutch, but what about the throw out bearing? How do I check it? What is involved after I pull the actuator cover off? Do I need to pull the transmission gear set out for this?

 

No, the throw out bearing is under the right side cover. That's all you have to take off. What year is this bike?

 

1996. I was reading that there is some stupid *** plate in a 96 clutch assembly that can break and cause similar problems... causes the spring plate to break I believe. If it's the clutch hub I'm just going to have to sell the bike as a broken bike... no way I can afford a new set up. I can buy a tube of RTV and a new throw out bearing and have it on the road Sunday morning.

 

Are you telling me TJ doesn't have a spare clutch hub sitting around????
Keep the damned RTV off the bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!