How do I know when the clutch is adjusted correctly

[AJ SMOOTH]

I just replaced my clutch cable with the help of Gas Mans thread "How to replace your clutch cable". but my question is how do I know when the clutch is adjusted correctly. Since my exhaust is off the bike I put the bike in first gear, then pull in the clutch to see if the bike rolls and it doesn't. Is this a good way to check to see if the clutch is adjusted right without riding it? I have been working on this for days and can't figure it out.:bang: I am just beginning to work on my bike instead of bringing it to the dealerships, so I value the threads on this site to get me through the sticking point.

 

[Sven]

I'm going to drag you thru theory so you get a grasp of the whole package you are dealing with.

STEEL Plates:
1. Are stamped out of sheet steel.
2. Have memory.
3. Theory goes; Take your hands and pray is the hand position. If a steel plate is stamped out, there is a cut side to it. Press your fingers together in that pray position, and now, see the drag of the memory fighting each other? Now lay your palm over the top of your hand so your fingers now move in one direction and the memory is not in the opposite direction [fighting each other].
a. Stack all your steels so all the cut sides [face in one direction] as you hold them in your one hand.
b. Look for any daylight between the steels. One warp in a plate can kiss the next plate and you might as well bust your ankle looking for Neutral. Replace as needed.
c. When installing the steels, make all cut sides face you on assembly.

Friction Plates:

1. Find the same type of cut or similar in stamping as the steel plate.
2. Face the same pattern of friction plate [cut side] also facing you on assembly.
3. For example; If you found the friction pads to have a spiral cut in the pad? It means it flings oil out. So you would follow the rotation of the big clutch outer as the engine rotates. You know the correct direction is to fling oil out, not spiral the friction so the spiral is moving oil into the clutch basket. Make sense?
a. Take each friction and lay it on a flat surface.
b. Touch the end of the plate so it will rock off the flat surface, meaning, stab the ends at 9-12-6-3 o'clock so if there is a warp, the rocking will show it lift off the flat surface.
c. If you found both friction and steels having warp damage, replace the pack as a whole set.

Screw/Cable Adjustment:

1. I haven't read the article so this is more generic to any clutch so far. You want slack at the cable so the ball ramp is home, or push rod arm is as far back as possible. Like a batter up at bat. The bat is set back behind home plate.
2. The screw is going to touch the bat [past] home plate. You do not want to jam the screw and load any arm or home the ramp any deeper than just making contact. Then, back the screw out 1/4 turn and lock it down. This is far enough past home plate, meaning there is a gap now between the bat and screw tip end.
3. You now take up all the slack with the cable. At the perch lever, you want the gap about a 1/16th to an 1/8th inch until your feel the cable slack being taken up.

The Static Test:

1. You now have a small gap at the clutch lever. Your left hand is holding that lever.
2. Your right hand is down at the pressure plate and is about to check for smooth release.
3. That release is as soon as you take up the cable gap, you should feel the pressure plate about to break. Half way in the hand throw, you should be able to spin the clutch center freely with the lever at the grip [even more].

This is basic inspection/assemble/adjust 101.

 

[BWG56]

Holy moly, batter up, that should cover it, if your a praying baseball player:2thumbs:

 

[BigDogBro1]

Make sure the grip end of the cable is proper seated into the ferrule and the adjuster. Check for other assembly errors.

The Basics:
1. Loosen pushrod jam nut and backout the pushrod until no tension.

2. Adjust pushrod inward until you feel a light stopping resistance then back it out 1/4 turn and then lock it down with the jam nut. This will take a few trys to get the feel of the actual contact point.

3. Adjust out the cable play at the adjuster to leave a lever gap of around 1/8" to 3/16" when you pull clutch lever and take up cable slack.

Cleaned, inspected and lubed the ball ramp assembly?
Re-greased the pushrod?
Cleaned, inspected and lubed the clutch hand control assembly?

 

[AJ SMOOTH]

Sven, The "Static Test" once your in step 3, would I be able to move the bike once it is in gear and I squeeze the clutch lever?... I haven't reinstalled the exhaust yet. I am making sure the adjustment is correct before I install the exhaust. I already went through a set of exhaust seals putting on and taking off.

 

[Sven]

AJ,

You can do a few combo's of clutch break.

Wheel Break Style:

1. Set the bike in first gear. Stand to the left of the bike and begin to push the bike is your stance.
2. Loading the clutch like this will tell when the tire breaks from the engine.
3. Now begin to slowly pull the clutch lever in as you push the bike forward;
a. This is, no, you are not dragging the back wheel and leaving marks is the push.
b. The push is to see where the clutch lever is in proportion to the break?
c. The closer the lever is to the perch, the adjuster is correctly set; the plates show flat is present.
d. The throw also shows how much ramp it took to follow the wearing down of the plates?
e. The closer your lever is to the grip, the more ramp is about to end and now the lever never touches the grip = Worn past its limit of service/Slips at high rpm/Creeps in gear/Hard to find N.
d. Is for Done! That pack is done! Replace all plates.

Hand Feel Style:

1. You do not need to set the bike in gear.
2. The feel this time is back to the basket by hand.
3. The final feel is you need to push the whole clutch center around with one finger [when] the lever is kissing the grip.
a. If not, no joy finding N.
b. If not, warp is you missed one!
c. If not, the pressure plate is not flat [if] this is your style clutch pressure plate is that wave type of pressure plate that needs to be flat as a steel plate [when] the lever is not pulled in at all.

 

[Moespeeds]

What BigDog Bro said. My method is to turn the adjuster in with 2 fingers on the wrench until it stops. 2 fingers keeps you from going past "bottomed out". Now back it off 1/4-1/2 turn.

If you are able to spin that adjuster cover off with the exhaust pipes on, just cut an allen wrench short and use a double offset wrech for the lock nut. This will allow you to adjust the clutch again once the exhaust is back on the bike.

 

[AJ SMOOTH]

Thanks for all the tips, I will work on it Saturday and will let you know how I made out. Sven thanks for your theory and different ways to adjust.

I haven't even thought about replacing any plates yet, I should look into it, I have 22,000 miles on the beast and they haven't been replaced.

 

[outdoorsman26]

does it slip??? if so 1/4 turn out on the rod til it stops slipping

is it hard to shift into netural?? 1/4 turn in, while going in make sure its not slipping!! GOOD oil in the primary will help too there are plenty of threads on oil for you to read

when ur all done check lever play put a dime in the pivot point and loosen it til if falls out.

 

[AJ SMOOTH]

I finally put it all together and went out for a test ride today and the clutch was smoother than it has ever been. The only issue I had was the battery died and I only had it for a little over a year. The batter had a two year warranty on it and I brought it back to Batteries Plus Store's and they replaced the battery at no cost. They tested the battery and told me that it was only using half the cranking amps and therefor it wouldn't turn over. The CCA is 310 for the battery...anyway thank all of you for your advice and it worked out.

 

[Brew]

Good to hear that you're up and running... :2thumbs: