Put 44,000 miles on an 07 ultra. Adjusted the cable once at 5,000. Never touched the clutch pack and never had any issues with the clutch on the bike. It all has to deal with how much you want to mess with things...but if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

Even though the manual is pretty well written, the clutch adjustment procedure can be a little confusing. I've done it a bunch of times and just had to run it this past weekend because the guy that worked on my bike had the clutch adjusted so that the bike wouldn't shift into neutral with the engine running. In fact, when I removed the derby cover, the adjuster locknut was missing. But, that's another story.

I adjust the clutch every time I do an oil change. You have the derby cover off to add oil to the primary anyway, so it just make sense to do the clutch adjustment at the same time.

The first thing you do is adjust the cable so that there's "a lot" of play at the clutch lever. The manual doesn't state exactly how much but, I just adjust the cable as much as it will allow. Basically, the clutch lever should be completely slack.

The manual then says to unlock the adjuster and "remove ALL of the free play" by turning the adjuster clockwise until it is lightly seated. What the manual DOESN'T tell you is depending on how much free play there is based on your adjustment of the cable, it may not remove ALL off the free play. As long as you get some pull on the clutch when you operate the clutch lever, it doesn't matter. You'll end up removing the remaining free play by adjusting the cable.

One thing that is noticably different about the adjustment procedure provided by "steelerdude1" is that in some of the manuals it tells you to operate the clutch lever once to set the ***** and ramps after you've lightly seated the adjuster screw (not sure if that makes a difference since you do it again later in the procedure). Then when you turn the adjuster screw counter-clockwise, make sure you turn it one (1) full turn instead of the 1/2 to 1 turn specified in the manual. Adjusting out 1 full turn will make sure that you can shift into neutral with the engine running (or at least makes it easier to find neutral).

Then operate the clutch lever 3 times as specified in the procedure.

Finally, adjust the free play out of the clutch lever using the cable adjuster. At the clutch lever pull the cable away from the lever and hold it there while you're adjusting the cable. That way it makes it easier to see when you get to the 1/16 to 1/8" clearance between the cable ferrule and the clutch lever specified by the procedure (as the clearance will decrease as you adjust the cable).

Hope this helps.

 

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Here is my deal....and hopefully it may be of some help.

Bought the bike new in March of 2011. So, here we are 6 months later, and 5500 miles.

Clutch cable has stretched to the point where the clutch lever has ALOT of play in it, and you have to pull it back to where it touches the grip to get it to work.

Okay...this is normal, so now what?

Go to the cable adjsutment. There is a long "nut" which is the adjuster with a regular nut against it. That is the locknut to keep it from moving. What you want to do....is move the long nut away from the locknut until the slack in the lever is gone, but you can still grab the cable housing and pull it about 1/8" inch away form the lever housing.

Then run the locknut down to where it touches, and with 1/2 and 9/16 open end wrenches, snug the locknut down.

EASY. Stretch has been eliminated....keep on riding!

~Joe

 

The adjustment on the cable is only for setting the amount of play in the clutch lever. It does nothing to adjust the clutch.

Every 5K on the clutch adjustment behind the Derby Cover. It is a very simple and easy adjustment.

 

When the cable stretches you don't need to adjust the clutch, only the cable. This thread kinda makes it sound like you have to adjust the clutch every time.

 

As long as you have free play at the clutch handle....
Yes you must adjust the clutch pack, then the cable...

To little free play the clutch will not engage completely
meaning if you gas it hard you will get RPM increase or slippage..

To much Free play and you cant disengage the clutch or it you'll be holding the brake at a stop sign.
either condition on the extreme long term will burn it out/overheat it

Yes it's "reset/checked" every time I take the derby off

 

I meant..after the clutch is adjusted.. you adjust the cable for your clutch lever release position to complete the procedure.. Oops.. maybe fine tune was the wrong description..

 

ok, my clutch works fine, releases and engages strong...why should I adjust it????Is it like oil ..something you just do every 5000miles even though the bike runs fine...