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This has me baffled. A couple weeks ago, I'm riding, pull in the (hand) clutch to shift, and the lever goes to the grip, but doesn't dissengage the clutch. I figure I have a broke clutch cable, I get turned around, and head home, but on the way I go to shift, the lever is back, and all is well.
Then next few days it works as it should, a couple hundred miles. Then I go for a ride, the same thing happens, but doesn't go back, I cant dissengage the clutch. I'm 20 miles from home and made it back OK by up and down shifting without clutch and "drifting" though some stop signs.
My guess was it must be the pawl that operates the throw out bearing. I order it without opening the kicker box, and also a new throw out bearing kit, its a different style with an oil slinger, but supposed to be a direct replacement.
I pull the kicker box cover off, and nothing is broke. The push rod seems to be all the way in, and the clutch is fully engaged, the plates don't separate. There is almost no room for the pawl to move in the Kicker box, but first time I had it apart, so not sure if all is normal
I pull off the primary cover, compress the springs to pull all the plates out, and clean plates and friction disks. All seems well in there, they all come out without a problem. I reassemble, and adjust accordingly to the book. The arm a half inch from the starter motor, and adjust the push rod. It seems good, but the plates do not budge when pulling the lever, its like pulling against a brick wall.
So, I put the new push rod, oil slinger, and pawl, and try that, the new rod is a little longer, I'm hoping that will help. Nothing changed.
Revisiting this thread to tell the cure. This drove me nuts, nothing made sense how it would work, then not work, clutch staying engaged with clutch lever pulled.
I gave up and took it to an Indy shop near me, the guy is 81 years old, and still works full time in his shop. He called me back, and said the clutch hub fingers were grooved, which apparently was catching the disks, tipping them, or whatever keeping it engaged.
Replaced the hub, and all is well. I put 50 miles on it today "testing" it.
84 Shovel had a well known after market 5 stud Hub and pressure plate .dont waste your hard earned $$ . It broke 3 of the 5 studs in 150 miles . Found NOS Harley parts working perfectly now .
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Clutch problem 1966 Shovel
