Too much clutch lever slack
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Banned
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Too much clutch lever slack
I had to replace my secondary drive belt and while reassembling everything noted that I needed to adjust the clutch. I originally released the jam nut on the cable and rolled it all the way up and followed this by rolling the adjuster nut to just beneath the jam nut's location. After this, I loosened the jam nut on the pushrod and then turned the pushrod clockwise until I felt it lightly touch down. I then turned the pushrod a little more than 180 degrees counterclockwise. When I went to tighten the jam nut back onto the adjuster plate, it seemed to just continue to turn without tightening. Upon inspecting things, I found I had shredded the threads out of the center hole in the adjuster plate. I ordered a new adjuster plate and reinstalled the adjuster plate, pushrod and jam nut using the same process and all seemed to work just fine. The pushrod touched down, I backed it off, and then tightened the jam nut. However, when I go to roll the long adjuster nut back down on the cable, it doesn't take enough slack out no matter how far I adjust it. I can see the clutch lever moving when I move the long adjuster nut on the cable, but enough slack just doesn't come out. I went back and reread my manual and noticed it said not to pull the clutch lever more than three times. Unfortunately, I had already done this. Before attempting to adjust the clutch, I could also see the clutch basket move in and out in the primary when I pulled the clutch lever. Now, it doesn't move when I pull the lever. Not sure what I did or what is necessary to fix this problem, but I would appreciate some technical advice; thanks!
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
There are quite a few videos showing how to adjust the clutch pack and then the cable. They give you some insight . One thing you didn't mention was if you pulled in the clutch lever a few times to ensure the ***** in the clutch release mechanism are free.
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If I understand you correctly about shredding the threads out of the adjuster plate for the push rod, something was way over tightened there. There are several YouTube videos on clutch adjustment. Here is one I made, it might help you. The first few times I did a cable clutch adjustment I struggled with it.
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From: San Antonio, Texas
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Banned
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From: San Antonio, Texas
I adjusted the pushrod with the adjustment plate first; just can't seem to take up all of the necessary slack in the cable.
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Banned
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: San Antonio, Texas
I did pull in the clutch lever a few times after adjusting the pushrod with the adjuster plate. I originally saw the clutch basket within the primary moving back and forth when I pulled the clutch lever, but now it isn't moving. Not sure if this is just because there is still so much slack at the clutch lever or if it is due to something else.
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From: San Antonio, Texas
I did apply too much torque inadvertently. Not sure how I did it because the nut on the pushrod just seemed to turn fairly easily and never did tighten up. As I was turning the nut, I saw what looked like a spring starting to spiral around between the nut and the adjuster plate. As it turns out, it wasn't a spring but was instead the threads that were formerly on the inside of the center hole of the adjuster plate. Either way, I replaced the adjuster plate and the pushrod just for good measure and reinstalled them using the method in your video with the exception of pulling the clutch handle in the way you demonstrated. I did pull it several times after adjusting the pushrod in the primary, but not continually as I made adjustments to the clutch cable adjuster nut. I'll go back and see if pulling on the clutch lever several more times makes a difference. Right now, I just have way too much slack in the clutch lever even with the cable adjuster lever all the way down. I'll try the clutch lever first, but I am wondering if it is necessary to adjust something on the transmission side? I was pretty concerned that I may have damaged something or shoved something in too far from over-torquing the pushrod and jam nut in the primary. I spoke to a technician at one of my local HD shops and he didn't seem to think I could have caused any damage. I am hoping he is right. When I look into the primary where the pushrod goes in, I can see what looks like a ball bearing in the center. The new pushrod does make contact with this part and I was able to back it off after it touched down and then tighten the jam nut so I am hoping all is good within the primary.