clutch adjustment?
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
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clutch adjustment?
are 2020 clutches adjustments same as older bikes? (waiting on my shop manual to arrive)
backstory: bought new softail friday. riding home, when holding the clutch lever in, as i shift i can feel a 'click' in the handle when it goes in to gear. i've had several harleys and none felt like this. i rode back to dealer saturday to have them test drive (after all it is a brand new bike so i wanted them to check). tech said it was "fine". it is bugging me so i'm thinking i should open the primary hole and check the adjustment myself. i have already ordered a shop manual but don't know when it will arrive so meanwhile i'm asking here if the procedure/specs are the same as my older bikes ( '16, '14, '10, etc) have been?
also, any thoughts/experience on feeling the 'click' (don't know how else to describe) in the lever? i'm used to total smooth lever feel.
tia, rem
backstory: bought new softail friday. riding home, when holding the clutch lever in, as i shift i can feel a 'click' in the handle when it goes in to gear. i've had several harleys and none felt like this. i rode back to dealer saturday to have them test drive (after all it is a brand new bike so i wanted them to check). tech said it was "fine". it is bugging me so i'm thinking i should open the primary hole and check the adjustment myself. i have already ordered a shop manual but don't know when it will arrive so meanwhile i'm asking here if the procedure/specs are the same as my older bikes ( '16, '14, '10, etc) have been?
also, any thoughts/experience on feeling the 'click' (don't know how else to describe) in the lever? i'm used to total smooth lever feel.
tia, rem
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,215
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From: Living in a van down by the river
are 2020 clutches adjustments same as older bikes? (waiting on my shop manual to arrive)
backstory: bought new softail friday. riding home, when holding the clutch lever in, as i shift i can feel a 'click' in the handle when it goes in to gear. i've had several harleys and none felt like this. i rode back to dealer saturday to have them test drive (after all it is a brand new bike so i wanted them to check). tech said it was "fine". it is bugging me so i'm thinking i should open the primary hole and check the adjustment myself. i have already ordered a shop manual but don't know when it will arrive so meanwhile i'm asking here if the procedure/specs are the same as my older bikes ( '16, '14, '10, etc) have been?
also, any thoughts/experience on feeling the 'click' (don't know how else to describe) in the lever? i'm used to total smooth lever feel.
tia, rem
backstory: bought new softail friday. riding home, when holding the clutch lever in, as i shift i can feel a 'click' in the handle when it goes in to gear. i've had several harleys and none felt like this. i rode back to dealer saturday to have them test drive (after all it is a brand new bike so i wanted them to check). tech said it was "fine". it is bugging me so i'm thinking i should open the primary hole and check the adjustment myself. i have already ordered a shop manual but don't know when it will arrive so meanwhile i'm asking here if the procedure/specs are the same as my older bikes ( '16, '14, '10, etc) have been?
also, any thoughts/experience on feeling the 'click' (don't know how else to describe) in the lever? i'm used to total smooth lever feel.
tia, rem
If you want the clutch to start grabbing sooner (start to engage closer to the grip), leave it closer to the 1/2 turn measurement. If you want it to grab later (further away from the grip before engagement), be closer to 3/4 turn.
I've seen other posts about the "click" but can't recall if they decided it was normal or not. I had an '18 Low Rider and don't recall feeling that. My current ride has a hydraulic clutch.
Last edited by ole_phart; Sep 28, 2020 at 09:41 AM.
Mine feels the same way too. Not sure if its from the new M8 motor? But I have hydraulic clutch and that sensation is normal as im told from other people with same clutches.
Im assuming ur softail is cable. I believe the clutch cable adjustment on yours has the newer style with the spring that makes it easier to adjust so I wonder if that makes you feel it more when you shift.
As for adjusting the clutch pack, its the same.
Im assuming ur softail is cable. I believe the clutch cable adjustment on yours has the newer style with the spring that makes it easier to adjust so I wonder if that makes you feel it more when you shift.
As for adjusting the clutch pack, its the same.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
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Maybe it’s a trade off- either a click feel at the lever or a clunk at the Tran!
btw, what I am feeling at the lever is not the clunk, of especially 1st gear, of the tranny. Mine is every gear and nothing you can hear as much as feel in the hand/lever.
btw, what I am feeling at the lever is not the clunk, of especially 1st gear, of the tranny. Mine is every gear and nothing you can hear as much as feel in the hand/lever.
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From: Upstate New York
Mine does that "click" thing you can feel through the clutch lever, but not all the time. It seems to be something in the clutch release mechanism, but since everything seems to be working properly, I just ignore it.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
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Thanks uncle G. Guess mine isn’t the only one, which is what I was wondering.
thanks keith, maybe it is just the, new to me different setup. As far as fuss, I didn’t feel it when I first test rode a 2020, at the price I don’t expect bad things but i’ve Experienced enough to know s..t happens in new stuff, you can’t always trust HD, I’d rather be safe than sorry, and riding many Harley’s I’ve never felt what I’m talking about in the lever. And finally, a big value of this forum is to find out things like this. Rem
thanks keith, maybe it is just the, new to me different setup. As far as fuss, I didn’t feel it when I first test rode a 2020, at the price I don’t expect bad things but i’ve Experienced enough to know s..t happens in new stuff, you can’t always trust HD, I’d rather be safe than sorry, and riding many Harley’s I’ve never felt what I’m talking about in the lever. And finally, a big value of this forum is to find out things like this. Rem