After taking my Clutch Assembly to my local H.D.Shop for the mechanic to compress Pressure Plate with Special Tool to enable fitting Circlip/Spring clip complete the Assembly,I was thinking about the Special Tool ie. cost,availability etc. I wonder if anyone has used a large worktable mounted Vice to re_assemble the Clutch & compress Pressure Plate?? If the COMPLETE Clutch Assembly was put in the Vice (well protected by cloth or similar) the Back/Rear of the Assembly against the back/rear "jaw" of the vice and with a home made Compression Device ie. something like an old/used Large Commercial Piston which would be the same diameter as the Pressure point on the Pressure Plate. If the Piston had 2 sections cut on the sides (like a slipper piston) to enable access to insert small backplate & then Circlip. Whew...does all that make sense??. Doug.

 

The best price I've found for a clutch spring tool is below...

http://american.partsandmotorcycles....tment-tools-2/

 

Test your theory with your old clutches!!

 

Hi ,Thats not a bad deal for the Clutch Puller and you KNOW its going to work ok.
Must say though..I am at a stage,having spent £££££££s on this old 91 Ultra,that I am trying to save money wherever possible.
Also good suggestion by Hatchet Man re. USING OLD CLUTCH ASSEMBLY as a trial.
The thing I like about older Harleys is....they keep you thinking about the mechanics of the bike and when you do manage a normal "Harley Technician" repair,there is a great sense of achievment. !!!

 

I just modified an old steering wheel puller I had lying around. I doesn't take much pressure to put the thing together.

 

Being an automotive guy, I just modified an old auto trans clutch too I had.. So, yea it can be done and your idea sounds like it will work.. My question though, how often do you think you'll be changing clutches?? I figure I just changed mine at 50k mi, and they didnt need it. I suppose I could have gone at least 100k on the originals.. I dont beat my bike, but its not stock either.. Just wonderig if its even worth worrying about at this stage, especially if you could rent the right tool cheaply.. Welcome to the forum...

 

Hi,Believe it or not,Ive had the complete Clutch dismantled 3 times in the last month!
1st time was to renew Alloy pressure Plate (not black pressure plate) because there was a small fracture on the edge of the Alloy Pressure plate where the Circlip holds everything in. I had noticed the fracture last year but decided not to fix it at the time as the Circlip was still doing its job. I was worried that the fracture may have spread since then and therefore I decided on a stripdown to re-check beginning of June.
I renewed the Alloy Pressure Plate but as described on my previous/earlier thread...I wasnt getting any adjustment on the Clutch at levers or Clutch Hub centre. I then decided that the Clutch centre nut & allen screw were not tight enough and proceeded to continue tightening when...."ping" the Circlip came flying out,fracturing the Clutch Hub Nest. A new nest needed @$170. The reason for me being unable to adjust Clutch at bars and Hub centre was that I HAD PULLED THE CLUTCH LEVER WHILST THE CLUTCH WAS DISMANTLED.THIS ALTERED THE SETTING IN THE "TRANSMISSION SIDE" (3 ball bearings etc.) AND I WAS UNALE TO GET ANY ADJUSTMENT. Hope this explanation is of help,and a WARNING...DONT PULL THE CLUTCH LEVER DURING STRIPDOWN OF THE CLUTCH. There you have it....a few Clutch stripdowns in a short period due to MY STUPIDITY IN NOT READING H.D.WORKSHOP MANUAL FULLY before starting dismantling. Doug.
ps.Still not sorted,or identified,"vibration" problem yet.