Adjusting clutch engagement...there is a way...thoughts?
06-02-2009, 05:59 PM
#1
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Adjusting clutch engagement...there is a way...thoughts?
Okay, so i was riding today and got on the throttle first to second and man, i felt what i was sure was clutch slippage, kinda along the lines of go to redline, sihft second and watch the needle slowly go down instead of snapping to lower rpm....nothing worse than to think that you gotta spend more cash and more imporantly have your bird down for who knows how long while you replace parts...
so i did the classic things to determine if it really is a slipping clutch....get on the gas while in gear, no problems, shift hard without using the clutch, still good....so i started playing with the engagent point...its grabbing really really late, which usually indicates a worn clutch...but once its fully out its fine...so i must have kept my fingers on the clutch a bit and that cause it to not engage fully.
so here i am reading up on this seeing if there's an adjustment and apparenty our bikes have late engagement...nothing we can do about it.
so i decided to tear into the slave cilinder and just see how the sucker works and if there is something that can be done....
well i see two options (other than replacing clutches). one option is to shorten the rod going through the case to the other side, this will require the slave cylinder to push further in before the clutches disengage, further the rod goes, more lever you have to apply to disengage. voila.
other option, and this is how i determined if it will actually work or not is to place the slave cylinder further away from the rod. what i did is, i didnt thread in the 3 bolts holding the cilinder in fully. i left about a 1/4inch gap all around and fired up the bike, put it on the stand and ran it through the gear, by loading the engine with the rear brake and looking for the clutch slip point i determined that its moved about half way down the engagement....a place i really like it! so now comes the question of closing up that gap...its not that important, as long as dirt doesnt get in and contaminate the cilinder...any thoughts on this?
a nice plate spacer would be ideal...anybody wanna make one? lol...
so i did the classic things to determine if it really is a slipping clutch....get on the gas while in gear, no problems, shift hard without using the clutch, still good....so i started playing with the engagent point...its grabbing really really late, which usually indicates a worn clutch...but once its fully out its fine...so i must have kept my fingers on the clutch a bit and that cause it to not engage fully.
so here i am reading up on this seeing if there's an adjustment and apparenty our bikes have late engagement...nothing we can do about it.
so i decided to tear into the slave cilinder and just see how the sucker works and if there is something that can be done....
well i see two options (other than replacing clutches). one option is to shorten the rod going through the case to the other side, this will require the slave cylinder to push further in before the clutches disengage, further the rod goes, more lever you have to apply to disengage. voila.
other option, and this is how i determined if it will actually work or not is to place the slave cylinder further away from the rod. what i did is, i didnt thread in the 3 bolts holding the cilinder in fully. i left about a 1/4inch gap all around and fired up the bike, put it on the stand and ran it through the gear, by loading the engine with the rear brake and looking for the clutch slip point i determined that its moved about half way down the engagement....a place i really like it! so now comes the question of closing up that gap...its not that important, as long as dirt doesnt get in and contaminate the cilinder...any thoughts on this?
a nice plate spacer would be ideal...anybody wanna make one? lol...
06-02-2009, 06:51 PM
#3
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Squid
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ont. Canada
Posts: 15
Interesting...
I was thinking my SH was doing the same, clutch slip.
But I'm not positive yet.
After the oil change it seemed better.
The gasket idea sounds good.
1/4 inch sounds like alot.
Maybe a thick harder material such as plexi glass.
Or windscreen material, (softer) easier to cut.
Interested to see if this is a mod that really works.
Cheers
But I'm not positive yet.
After the oil change it seemed better.
The gasket idea sounds good.
1/4 inch sounds like alot.
Maybe a thick harder material such as plexi glass.
Or windscreen material, (softer) easier to cut.
Interested to see if this is a mod that really works.
Cheers
06-02-2009, 07:15 PM
#4
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1/4 does sound alot now that i think about it
it was more like 5/8's....its actually interesing how little actuationg there is....the rod moves very little to go from fully engaged to fully dissengaged
i have some aluminum plates at work, i'll see what i can do with that.
it was more like 5/8's....its actually interesing how little actuationg there is....the rod moves very little to go from fully engaged to fully dissengaged
i have some aluminum plates at work, i'll see what i can do with that.
06-02-2009, 09:46 PM
#5
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Before you go modifying stuff make sure the stock system is operating to its fullest. Do a clutch system bleed and change the oil to something that is not energy conserving. A lot of people don't know that most oils lighter than 10w-40 are energy conserving and don't play nice with wet clutches.
06-03-2009, 08:02 AM
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well, this whole slipping clutch is just what led me to looking at this mod, i'm not trying to help with the slipping. in any case i dont think i have a slipping clutch.
it will in no way or form help if your clutch is actually slipping...well maybe, if for some reason your slave cilinder releases fully and it still puts pressure on the rod, but at that point there is something wrong
all this plate would do is adjust the engagement point closer to the handlebar instead of where it is now, all the way out.
irony is that the clutch engages all the way out, but the microswitch engages all the way in to the handlebar...lol. so you gotta pull in the clutch all the way before it'll let u start while in gear and yet the clutch was engaged in the first 15% of movement...
it will in no way or form help if your clutch is actually slipping...well maybe, if for some reason your slave cilinder releases fully and it still puts pressure on the rod, but at that point there is something wrong
all this plate would do is adjust the engagement point closer to the handlebar instead of where it is now, all the way out.
irony is that the clutch engages all the way out, but the microswitch engages all the way in to the handlebar...lol. so you gotta pull in the clutch all the way before it'll let u start while in gear and yet the clutch was engaged in the first 15% of movement...
06-04-2009, 12:47 AM
#9
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SuperSport
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia
Posts: 963
I think the clutch operation is in the best spot, I wouldn't want to move it. Maybe it is because my technique is from riding dirt bikes, but I reckon the less lever travel the better. Makes slipping the clutch easier.
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