Clutch Adjustment. Help please!
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
Clutch Adjustment. Help please!
Guys:
I looked for this issue and couldn't find it and may not be posting in the right place but this is my first post and I'm a brand new member. OK, so here goes.
I have a 2006 Street Glide FLHXI, stage II, with 56K Miles. I'm sick and tired of shelling out wads of cash to the local Harley dealerships and decided to do my own 5K service. Everything went without a problem until I attempted to adjust my clutch. I watched youtube videos and think I followed the manual properly however, here's what happens. I pull in the clutch, slip into into first gear, which it does very easily, give it gas, ease the clutch lever out and nothing happens. The bike doesn't move, at all. Obviously, I've done something seriously wrong.
I'm walking back to my garage to try again for the third time as soon as I hit send. Any help would be appreciated. I'm happy to be a new member and look forward to getting to know you guys.
Thanks,
Kenneth
I looked for this issue and couldn't find it and may not be posting in the right place but this is my first post and I'm a brand new member. OK, so here goes.
I have a 2006 Street Glide FLHXI, stage II, with 56K Miles. I'm sick and tired of shelling out wads of cash to the local Harley dealerships and decided to do my own 5K service. Everything went without a problem until I attempted to adjust my clutch. I watched youtube videos and think I followed the manual properly however, here's what happens. I pull in the clutch, slip into into first gear, which it does very easily, give it gas, ease the clutch lever out and nothing happens. The bike doesn't move, at all. Obviously, I've done something seriously wrong.
I'm walking back to my garage to try again for the third time as soon as I hit send. Any help would be appreciated. I'm happy to be a new member and look forward to getting to know you guys.
Thanks,
Kenneth
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,602
Likes: 3
From: Southeastern Michigan
Sounds like the clutch is still disengaged. Do you have an eighth inch of play at the lever?
If so - when you adjusted the clutch at the clutch, did you only turn the screw in until it was just starting to have pressure. I have a feeling that's where you went astray.
there's a plate that hits an inner ring that you can see near the screw. If you keep going after it makes contact, it will be impossible to adjust correctly until you back it off.
Also - did you pull the clutch in a few times once you tightened the nut to seat the ***** in their detents?
And welcome aboard!
If so - when you adjusted the clutch at the clutch, did you only turn the screw in until it was just starting to have pressure. I have a feeling that's where you went astray.
there's a plate that hits an inner ring that you can see near the screw. If you keep going after it makes contact, it will be impossible to adjust correctly until you back it off.
Also - did you pull the clutch in a few times once you tightened the nut to seat the ***** in their detents?
And welcome aboard!
Thread Starter
|
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
Clutch Adjustment. Help please!
If so - when you adjusted the clutch at the clutch, did you only turn the screw in until it was just starting to have pressure. I have a feeling that's where you went astray.
there's a plate that hits an inner ring that you can see near the screw. If you keep going after it makes contact, it will be impossible to adjust correctly until you back it off.
Also - did you pull the clutch in a few times once you tightened the nut to seat the ***** in their detents?.
And welcome aboard!
Kenneth
Thread Starter
|
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
Re-Reading the manual and watching clutch adjustment videos on youtube...again. I refuse to trailer my bike to the shop for something this frickin simple. I'm doing something wrong, something basic and just don't know what. However, I don't feel too bad about this my HD tech said it took him three tries to adjust my clutch.
An old veteran guy at a different HD shop who came highly recommended by one of the Scorpion guys I know said my clutch has an "assist spring" ? Anyway, that's where I am. Any help is appreciated. This is supposed to be simple...grrr.
It's been sitting overnight. Its completely cold. Noted by my HD service tech, my clutch cable had to be nearly backed completely out in order to take up enough slack when I pull the clutch lever to get the clutch to engage/disengage <scratches head> in order to change gears and the release point is near the end of the travel on the clutch lever.
Kenneth
An old veteran guy at a different HD shop who came highly recommended by one of the Scorpion guys I know said my clutch has an "assist spring" ? Anyway, that's where I am. Any help is appreciated. This is supposed to be simple...grrr.
It's been sitting overnight. Its completely cold. Noted by my HD service tech, my clutch cable had to be nearly backed completely out in order to take up enough slack when I pull the clutch lever to get the clutch to engage/disengage <scratches head> in order to change gears and the release point is near the end of the travel on the clutch lever.
Kenneth
Last edited by RoadDragon; Aug 3, 2012 at 02:09 PM. Reason: adding information
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
I read where you said that you "bottomed out" the adjusting rod (the one you turn with the allen wrench). I think that's your problem. You need to tighten that only until you first feel resistance, then back off 1/2 to 1 full turn. If you tightened it down, that's your issue.
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. Then complete the process.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. Then complete the process.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
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Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
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From: Dallas
Clutch Adjustment. Help please!
I read where you said that you "bottomed out" the adjusting rod (the one you turn with the allen wrench). I think that's your problem. <snip>
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. <snip>
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. <snip>
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Kenneth
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: anacoco, la
I read where you said that you "bottomed out" the adjusting rod (the one you turn with the allen wrench). I think that's your problem. You need to tighten that only until you first feel resistance, then back off 1/2 to 1 full turn. If you tightened it down, that's your issue.
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. Then complete the process.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
If that's what you did, back it back out, then turn it in with the allen wrench between just your thumb and forefinger. As soon as you get resistance, STOP. back it out 1/2 to 1 turn from that point. Then complete the process.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
OOPS. Possible mistake number one. Bike is on kick stand, not level on the lift as the manual says. Correcting that first.
Possibly mistake number two, the manual says introduce a large amount of free play in the clutch lever, not completely to the point the clutch lever is "freewheeling" all the way back to the handlebar grip
Next, I would almost swear that my clutch cable is too long. In order to take up the necessary slack I have to back it out to the point that the threads almost come out from the top of the cable adjuster.
Next, oil has already been added to the clutch. It doesn't have to be drained again? Right?
Putting my bike on the lift to get it level as the manual says, now.
The clutch adjuster screw, the HEX one, can that be backed out too far? I did as Harris suggested, backed it out, tightened with thumb and forefinger only to first tension, backed it out 1/2 turn and then adjusted cable so that I could pull the clutch lever a few times to seat it. The clutch plate didn't move when I pulled the lever.
In order to get the clutch plate to move in and out when I pull the clutch lever I have to turn the clutch adjuster HEX screw in considerably beyond thumb and forefinger strength.
Putting bike on lift, watching videos and rereading the manual.
The drama continues. Will update later.
Regards,
Kenneth
Possibly mistake number two, the manual says introduce a large amount of free play in the clutch lever, not completely to the point the clutch lever is "freewheeling" all the way back to the handlebar grip
Next, I would almost swear that my clutch cable is too long. In order to take up the necessary slack I have to back it out to the point that the threads almost come out from the top of the cable adjuster.
Next, oil has already been added to the clutch. It doesn't have to be drained again? Right?
Putting my bike on the lift to get it level as the manual says, now.
The clutch adjuster screw, the HEX one, can that be backed out too far? I did as Harris suggested, backed it out, tightened with thumb and forefinger only to first tension, backed it out 1/2 turn and then adjusted cable so that I could pull the clutch lever a few times to seat it. The clutch plate didn't move when I pulled the lever.
In order to get the clutch plate to move in and out when I pull the clutch lever I have to turn the clutch adjuster HEX screw in considerably beyond thumb and forefinger strength.
Putting bike on lift, watching videos and rereading the manual.
The drama continues. Will update later.
Regards,
Kenneth
Last edited by RoadDragon; Aug 3, 2012 at 03:54 PM. Reason: Adding information