So...

Yer saying you found nothing wrong with the clutch ball/ramp assembly, but when you pulled the derby cover off and during the adjustment process the clutch seemed to work. Then when you replaced the derby cover, it was no longer working?

What is year/model of your bike.

Reading your description, I might suspect something with the derby cover...
Could somebody have changed the screws and replaced with something too long? Are there any marks on the inside of the derby cover to show any type of wear against the clutch basket?

Those are just guesses. Almost anything could have made that 'clicking' thing you described. From a frayed clutch cable/jacket, or bad hub bearing, to the clutch plates wearing into the clutch basket.

One reason I asked about year/model, is the EVO had a different clutch setup, where there was a separator plate in the middle of the clutch disks that had/has a tendency to disintegrate.

The only way to find out is to begin dis-assembly, and examine each part thoroughly.

 

2005 stock dyna.

Nothing changed.
I do all my own wrenching.

 

When I had my problem I was on a run, stuck in stop and go traffic with lots of clutch usage.What I think happened,the clutch cable stretched enough for a momentary moment of slop, that let the ***** shift out of place. After I adjusted everything ,I didn't have any other problems with it. I sold it a year later,still worked fine.,,

 

There's a fine line between engaged and disengaged.

Did you do a "by the book" complete adjustment?

Odds are the cable has worn, some of the small cables are shearing off and putting a large strain on the remaining portion of the cable and allowing it to stretch. You may be one more lever action closer to snapping the cable.

 

Line by line from the factory manual.

It isn't stretched, it will not return to its standard position.

I am going to remove the cable today and see how it works off the bike. If that doesn't work i think it is in the clutch itself.

 

Had close to same issue on 02EG. Found that the top cable cover (shield) had slipped up and made the inner cable appear to be longer (top area of the adjustment). Almost new clutch cable(2 yrs). Was able to misadjust the clutch to allow for the extra length and made it home. New cable fixed it all.

 

Check the clutch-adjuster (the 'inner' Allen bolt) and its lock nut, make sure neither is damaged and both are functioning according to design, i.e., when you lock the nut, the Allen shouldn't turn freely. Don't need a lot of torque on the lock-nut...just enough to 'snug' it up. (Hopefully, you have a tool you can use to snug the lock-nut while holding the Allen bolt in place, e.g., an 11/16ths (or is it 13/16ths...been a while) socket with a bolt welded to one end, to be held with a wrench while you insert the Allen through the middle of the socket into the adjuster bolt).

Lookup "Hippo harley clutch adjustment" on the Internet. Re-adjust the clutch using that method. This ought to eliminate the possibility it's something simple.

If you're still not in business, go around to the other side of the bike, and pull the trans cover again. Check the *****/ramp (recheck), shift-shaft, throwout bearing, that whole assembly for wear/defect. Make sure all these parts are functional.

The point is, the shaft should move (toward the clutch side of the bike) when you pull the clutch lever...and come back toward you when you release. (Sorry I can't be more specific on characterizing the way the shaft moves...but hopefully you can test/inspect the operation, and determine if it looks like the clutch should be engaging/dis-engaging according to the movement of the shaft).

Your situation sounds--if it has to do with shaft travel--as if the shaft is at the 'fully disengaged' point (all the way toward the clutch side of the bike)...and it's not returning to rest (clutch engaged) when you release the lever.

Divide And Conquer:

A way to check this is, remove all 'tension' off the release-shaft. Having the tranny side-cover off should accomplish this, I think. (Take all tension off the clutch cable, before removing the cover). At this point, with no pressure on the release-shaft, the clutch should be fully engaged. If it's not, then there's a problem with the clutch itself, the basket, etc.

On the other hand, if the clutch engages with no pressure on the release-shaft, then there's a problem with one or more of the 'release' elements (shaft, throwout bearing...), or with clutch-adjustment, or the cable/cable-adjuster, or even the lever.

Good luck.

Alan

 

Sorry about your clutch troubles Jonesee. I am as perplexed as you and the others here. I have nothing positive to contribute except my heart felt condolences. I am looking forward to hearing what the culprit is in this situation however. Best of luck to you.

aka Bob

 

I don't know how it happened, but here is the resolution. If you haven't been into the clutch cable access on the transmission this may not make sense.

Everything kept checking out on the adjustment, but the clutch remained engaged and would not allow the bike go into gear. Total slack in the clutch cable.

The cam parts that hold the bearings in place were flat and the bearings were in the cavities they ride in.

Pulled the primary and the clutch looked fine.

Readjust it, no joy. Went down that road several times. (I bet I can now adjust a clutch faster than you)

Went to bed Saturday night telling the wife I was going to replace the clutch.

Laid awake all Saturday night (seriously, shtt like this really gets to me) and went through everything in my head. I grew up wrenching and my dad always told me to eliminate everything easy first so I got it in my head it may the cable. The original cable ran through its casing fine but I kept wondering if 8 years and that many miles could stretch it that much.

Sunday, got on the phone and bought the last cable in S Florida that would fit an 05 Super Glide.

Put it on being careful to get the bearings seated just as they were before, still no joy. Same symptom.

Pulled it all apart again (how many times had I done that? I really don't know. (Again I bet I can do that faster than you )

Had my wife work the clutch while I watched everything from both sides. With the cover off watching the clutch cable and cam it attaches to I saw something.

The bearings were seated but the cam was not getting full movement. Pulled it out and moved the top plate counterclockwise 1/3 of a tun. The bearings reseated with the top plate rotated, worked the clutch, got movement.

Put it all together again and have full movement. Readjusted the clutch again. The bike is on the jack and the exhaust is off, but I can turn the back tire with the clutch in, the clutch is engaging and releasing. I will put the exhaust back on tomorrow and get it off the jack to test tomorrow or the next day.

HERE IS THE MYSTERY:
How did the top piece the clutch cable attaches to jump over the bearings and reseat itself too far over? The spring clip was totally seated and that SOB is a bear to get out. There is no way in hell it jumped out of its channel and back in. I had never been in there before, no one else touches my bike. I can identify exactly when it happened and it wasn't anything special. Just stop and go traffic. No wear on the pieces at all. The machined trays they sit in looked like new. Nothing cracked, no sign of metal fatigue or anything being bent. I am a pretty big guy, but even if I could squeeze the clutch that tight, I would bet the cable would snap first before I could pull it hard enough to make it jump over.

Who knows. I hope it never happens again. If it does, I could fix it on the side of the road if I had to.

What did it cost:
First time the bike was ever towed, Insurance paid. (first time I haven't been able to fix my bike on the side of the road)
Cost me a night's sleep.
Cost me $40 for the new cable. (The old cable was fine, I will keep it for a spare)
Cost me a run to Key West for the poker run.
Cost me the following weekend of riding.

What it saved me:
Who knows how much a dealer would have charged me. Possibly a new clutch and cable.
Saved my run to Biketoberfest in 3 weeks. I go out of town Saturday for a week and had to get it repaired before I left.

 

Glad to hear the results.