Clutch lever went slack

Energy One
what?

what?

Active Member
so I was out this morning having a good time...........second time out on the bike by the way.................and the clutch lever got real loose and had to pull over.
I had no tools and was about 15 minutes from home so I got back on and got through some gears by powershifting.
The the lever would stiffen up........then go slack. I finally got it home in one piece..i hope.

Any ideas on what this might be? Is it the clutch? The lever? Maybe just need to adjust something?
 
05chop

05chop

Well-Known Member
Check the clutch basket nut you have to remove the primary cover to check the nut though!
 
BIG HOUSE

BIG HOUSE

DOG ONA DOG
Calendar Participant
Yup what they said. Same exact thing happened to me clutch hub nut:bang: make sure you check your tranny fluid after you tighten it.
 
what?

what?

Active Member
checked the transmission fluid and it seems like it is bone dry. Nothing shows up on the dipstick. I don't see any leaks though.
I'll start by topping that off.
Next question is the transmission lubricant. What tranny lube should i put in. the manual does not specify this.
Some kid at the local shop gives me a quart of 20W-50 synthetic motorcycle oil and said it can be used for either "engine oil" or "tranny lubricant". Something does not sound right with that.
What is everyone using for "engine oil" and "tranny lubricant".
 
05chop

05chop

Well-Known Member
Well you need to find out if you have transmission oil going into your primary first off. This problem you are having with the clutch has nothing to do with low trany fluid.
 
W

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
what? said:
checked the transmission fluid and it seems like it is bone dry. Nothing shows up on the dipstick. I don't see any leaks though.
I'll start by topping that off.
Next question is the transmission lubricant. What tranny lube should i put in. the manual does not specify this.
Some kid at the local shop gives me a quart of 20W-50 synthetic motorcycle oil and said it can be used for either "engine oil" or "tranny lubricant". Something does not sound right with that.
What is everyone using for "engine oil" and "tranny lubricant".
Click to expand...
DON'T TOP IT OFF!!!!!!!!!! IT IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE 20 oz. in it.
 
gbspear

gbspear

Member
Was the Transmission checked with the bike upright or on the kickstand. It should be checked upright. Check the clutch cable.
 
alphadog

alphadog

Active Member
Stripped splines on clutch basket.

what? said:
so I was out this morning having a good time...........second time out on the bike by the way.................and the clutch lever got real loose and had to pull over.
I had no tools and was about 15 minutes from home so I got back on and got through some gears by powershifting.
The the lever would stiffen up........then go slack. I finally got it home in one piece..i hope.

Any ideas on what this might be? Is it the clutch? The lever? Maybe just need to adjust something?
Click to expand...

Something to check and keep in mind.

I just replaced my clutch and clutch basket less than two months ago. It would lose and gain clutch pressure. And the clutch hub nut is reverse threaded so it was loosening and tightening on its own however it was due to my clutch spines being shot. Baker used alloy and non hardened splines in their clutch baskets while the male transmission shaft and splines are hardened. Bakers recommendation to me was to replace both the clutch and basket with their "upgraded" clutch basket and clutch. The "upgraded" is no alloy and hardened splines. $850.00 just in parts. I hope yours is an easier fix than mine. Good luck! Oh yeah I don't do burnouts and only had 6,000 miles on it before it did this.
:angry::angry::angry:
:bang::bang::bang:
 
Last edited:
TCALZ06

TCALZ06

Well-Known Member
alphadog said:
Something to check and keep in mind.

I just replaced my clutch and clutch basket less than two months ago. It would lose and gain clutch pressure. And the clutch hub nut is reverse threaded so it was loosening and tightening on its own however it was due to my clutch spines being shot. Baker used alloy and non hardened splines in their clutch baskets while the male transmission shaft and splines are hardened. Bakers recommendation to me was to replace both the clutch and basket with their "upgraded" clutch basket and clutch. The "upgraded" is no alloy and hardened splines. $850.00 just in parts. I hope yours is an easier fix than mine. Good luck! Oh yeah I don't do burnouts and only had 6,000 miles on it before it did this.
:angry::angry::angry:
:bang::bang::bang:
Click to expand...
Damn! I've got over 17k on mine no problems so far.
Did you do the work yourself?
I think your post is the first I've heard of this problem
 
what?

what?

Active Member
this is what I got thus far.

checked the engine oil and it was fine.
not a drop was showing on the tranny dipstick even in the upright position. I took a long allen key and inserted it into the filler neck and there was barely any in there at all.
primary drive lubricant was checked and seemed to have enough in there to wet the chain at the front and rear .
adjusted the clutch cable and the clutch lever did stiffen up.

now the question becomes where the f'n tranny fluid went to. I did not check the level before riding and there are no visible leaks under the bike.
the drain plugs are where they should be.

I am assuming this is a contained system. My question now is, can the tranny fluid migrate into the primary, if so there should have been more fluid showing up in the primary, no?

any recommendations on
A) engine oil
B) transmission lubricant
C) primary lubricant

thanks for the feedback.............you guys are awesome.
 
narow37

narow37

Angry Southern White Man
yes the tranny fluid can "migrate" into the primary through the tranny bearing and seal.

1.) mobile 1, amsoil, royal purple, all of these 20w/50
2.) redline heavy shockproof gear oil(used to be Baker recommended), spectro tanny fluid(Baker recommended)
3.) drag specialties, bikers choice, automatic tranny fluid, bel-ray primary fluid
 
alphadog

alphadog

Active Member
TCALZ06 said:
Damn! I've got over 17k on mine no problems so far.
Did you do the work yourself?
I think your post is the first I've heard of this problem
Click to expand...
I had the work done at Black Label Choppers. I seen my original clutch assembly out of the bike and the new "upgraded" one before it went back in my K-9. The splines on the clutch assembly were completely chewed down. No sharp edges left in splines. I even seen the shaft and splines coming out of the trans which were nice and sharp.
 
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