Help!!! Please!!! Can't tighten a clutch cable
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Help!!! Please!!! Can't tighten a clutch cable
I just put Monkey bars on and bought a +2 clutch cable. I cannot get this thing tight.I've totally screwed clutch cable adjustment in and out but didn't get me close. I opened the primary and went through the steps on adjusting that and it was no help. I took the clutch cover off again on the other side where you connect the clutch cable to make sure that nothing bad happened in there after I installed new cable. I pulled on the clutch cable from down there and could see the clutch handle moving up at the grip so I know the cable is still in one piece.
I consider myself mechanically inclined and have done about every repair I can think of on a car, but bikes are new to me and one part of the problem may be that I don't totally understand how the setup works.
Can someone please call me and help me out with this? I reeeeally want to ride tomorrow. I'm going through some serious withdrawl!!!
Thanks...
I consider myself mechanically inclined and have done about every repair I can think of on a car, but bikes are new to me and one part of the problem may be that I don't totally understand how the setup works.
Can someone please call me and help me out with this? I reeeeally want to ride tomorrow. I'm going through some serious withdrawl!!!
Thanks...
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,945
Likes: 4
From: Victoria, Australia
When you adjusted the clutch at the derby cover, did you back off the luck nut, turn the adjuster screw in until it LIGHTLY bottomed, then backed out 1/2 to 1 turn and reset the lock?
When you did the above did you have complete slack in the clutch cable at the cable adjuster (in front of the frame downtube)?
And then after the derby adjustment did you re-take that slack in the clutch cable adjuster back up?
When you did the above did you have complete slack in the clutch cable at the cable adjuster (in front of the frame downtube)?
And then after the derby adjustment did you re-take that slack in the clutch cable adjuster back up?
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
I own the service manual and followed it to a tee. So yes I collapsed the clutch cable b4 adjusting primary.
I unscrewed the clutch adjuster till it was completely unscrewed and there is still waaay too much play.
I unscrewed the clutch adjuster till it was completely unscrewed and there is still waaay too much play.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Looks like I am OK now. I'm going back out to adjust and tighten. I screwed the primary adjuster all the way in and all the way out half-a-dozen times. Trying to play. Cause and effect. Trying to figure out exactly how the wet clutch works. All the sudden after going in/out enough times, the clutch lever started to tighten up a little. I really don't know what I did or why it worked. I can't tell you how excited I am though! Tomorrow will be a week since I've rode and it will be my first ride with my new Monkey bars. Very excited!
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 732
Likes: 2
From: SE Alabama
The continuous problem people are having is they only pay attention to the "+2,+4,+6", but what you need to pay attention to is the Travel. Which depending on model can be 2 7/8" - 3 1/2". This also needs to be looked at when cables are ordered.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Did I typo somewhere or were you being funny with the Money Bars? Either way, yes, I took some pics that I'll put up. Too late now I gotta get some shut eye.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 732
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From: SE Alabama
They have points at the bends that go towards the grips.
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Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Rode into work today! :-)
Was really crossing my fingers this morning hoping the clutch was right. I knew I did everything right, but with the unexplainable trouble with adjusting I was concerned. Especially since the clutch was sooo easy to pull! I guess Magnum just makes a better cable than the stock cable? My stock was never this easy to pull!
I did have a problem this morning but not with the clutch. When I used my left turn signal it activated the radio settings (bass, treble,...) When I pushed radio settings it did nothing. PTT did nothing either. 'Course I've never used PTT so it might have been doing what it is supposed to be doing. So I gotta take everything apart and double check connectors and that wires were reinserted in proper places...
Was really crossing my fingers this morning hoping the clutch was right. I knew I did everything right, but with the unexplainable trouble with adjusting I was concerned. Especially since the clutch was sooo easy to pull! I guess Magnum just makes a better cable than the stock cable? My stock was never this easy to pull!
I did have a problem this morning but not with the clutch. When I used my left turn signal it activated the radio settings (bass, treble,...) When I pushed radio settings it did nothing. PTT did nothing either. 'Course I've never used PTT so it might have been doing what it is supposed to be doing. So I gotta take everything apart and double check connectors and that wires were reinserted in proper places...