Hi guys....I need some help.. A little background first. I've been "messing" with 74's since my '48 Pan when I was a teen. Back in '73 I was a motor officer on a '73 Electra Glide. Needless to say, I'm getting on in years. I have a full race FXDR and my old outlaw bike. With all that said, I met a guy at Sturgis in '96, and he had a '73 police issue Electra Glide. it was "crusty" but very well kept. I finally acquired it in December '24. It's now part of my stable of V twins. I am 90% finished with it ........I am restoring it to exactly the way Harley sold it as a police bike.
I guess you could call it my "bucket bike"! I beat cancer.... but have heart failure.
I finally got to the point it needed to be test fired.....the base motor and tranny needed no work at all....only the rest of her! Last couple of years it was not driven except the occasional down the road and back by its old owner.
Now for the problem....I adjusted the clutch, SO after it's warmed up and I put it in gear.... holding the brake, simulating a stop sign, the clutch is "grabby". If you stand still long enough (like a traffic light) with the motor idling it will stall..
Tomorrow, I plan on adjusting the clutch another 1/2 turn to maybe a full turn and see what happens.
If nothing improves.... maybe a new set of discs?????
Any ideas??????
BTW: It's really nice now, this is a "before" pic. I'll post a pic ounce it's completely finished. BTW: ALL the dresser stuff will be for sale at bargain basement price, once I'm done, including the Harley buddy seat.

My '73 Electra Glide as I got it, most of the stuff has been stripped and replaced with original HD police items as it was new!

 

I gave up after the first 3 lines.

 

Your clutch springs may be too tight or unevenly adjusted.

With the clutch held in. kick the motor over and watch the pressure plate, does it rotate on an even plane, or is it lopsided? if itis lopsided, correct it by slacking off the clutch springs where it is lower, that is, closer to the plates.

Once even, try riding it and see if that fixes it, if it doesn't then evenly back off the springs, half a turn at a time, and paying attention to the pressure plate being level still, ride it each time until, you reach nirvana, that is, it goes into neutral but the clutch doesn't slip under load, going uphill.

If you can't get to that point, you may have a warped plate or two, or excessive chatter-marks in the clutch fingers.

You can usually test ride it with the derby cover off, there isn't a lot of oil in there.

 

If its been sitting a long time your clutch disks are swollen and it's all gummy. It'll create uneven surfaces thus the grab. Get some new discs and install a clutch tamer while you're in there.

 

if all else fail get a Rivera clutch

 

If you have the factory service manual, follow the instructions carefully. If you don't, see below.





ADJUSTING HAND CLUTCH CONTROL
(Figure 4 -2)
Adjust control cable sleeve (1) as required to maintain ap* proximately 1/ 4 in. freehandlever
movement before clutch starts to disengage. To adjust, loosen adjusting sleeve locknut (2) turn
threaded sleeve out for less handlever free play or intobracket (3) for more hand lever free
play and retighten locknut.
If sleeve adjustment has been all taken up or there are other indications of incorrect clutch operation
such as slipping clutch, gear clash due to dragging clutch when shifting, the following adjustments
should be made in the order shown.
Move end of lever on transmission forward until it becomes firm indicating that all slack in the
actuating mechanism has been taken up.
Measure clearance between starter motor (7) and clutch release lever (8) which should be 3/ 8 to 5/ 8
in. If not within this range, adjust as follows:
Loosen control coil adjusting sleeve locknut (2) (Figure 4-2) and turn control coil adjusting sleeve
(1) all the way into bracket. Remove chain housing cover, loosen clutch push rod screw locknut (4)
and turn screw (5) in (clockwise) to remove lever (8) to the rear, or outward (counterclockwise) to
move end of lever forward. When 1/ 2 in. clearance between lever and starter motor has been
attained, tighten locknut (4) and reinstall chain housing cover.


ADJUSTING CLUTCH
If the clutch slips after adjusting clutch contr,ol increase spring tensionon the
three clutch spring guide stud nuts (6) Figure 4- 2).Remove clutchcover and tighten all three nuts
one-half turn at a time until clutch holds. Test after each half turn by cranking the engine.
Usually a clutch that holds without noticeable slipping when cranking the engine will hold under normal
road conditions. Do not increase spring tension any more than is necessary to make clutch hold.
A new clutch is assembled so the distance frominner edge of spring collar (2) Figure 4-3 to the
surface of the outerdisc (8) is exactly 1-1/ 32 in. If springs are compressed so this distance is 7/ 8 in. or less the
clutch probably cannot be fully disengage, Check the dimension at several points to make sure that
releasing disc is parallel with plates.
When clutch will nothold without tightening beyond this limit, disassemble the clutch for
inspection of the clutch discs. Discs may be worn or oil soaked and in need of replacement or
washing.

Paul

 

All Good Input...and I Mean All
best to remember...as stock the Dry Shovelhead clutch does Not deal with Oil contamination very well causing grabby, nasty, Symptoms.. ensure dry, remove frictions, scrub in Mineral Spirits...dry, figure 8's on smooth-ish Concrete floor..install ....Keep Dry!!!

 

Yes clean fiber discs and make sure after you adjust the distance to spring collar to outer disc so that when you pull in the clutch handle the clutch pack come out evenly, if it don't back off 1 or 2 of the nuts as needed to even it up. If it doesn't come out evenly it's going to will drag.(You should be able to turn the clutch by hand with the clutch lever pulled,) Also make sure the plates slide easily on the splines, drill out or file the openings to achieve this if necessary. I use white gas aka coleman fuel to clean fiber discs works great.