Stuck Clutch remedies

fasterspider · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:55 am Post subject:

Hammer each screw head 1st before you attempt to loosen it.
Use a hammer and a drift pin on each screw if you are afraid to hit it directly with the hammer.
Then take a #3 3/8" drive philips head driver and your hammer to fix each screw head and then remove with your impact driver.
Impact of any kind helps to break the screws loose and mushing the messed up philips screw holes down with that impact and then fixing them up again before you use them is a trick that works and works well.

jvandyke · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:25 am Post subject:

Thanks, will pick one up today. Lucky for me I have a Harbor Freight outlet near me. I know it's often very cheap stuff, but for the casual mechanic who submits such things to infrequent and very light use, I think it is economical.
What are the odds my Honda dealer has the gasket in stock?
I'll find out!

Later that day.....
impact drive in hand, not entirely sure how you reverse it, hand test indicates it wants to impact clockwise.....not to sure I want to tighten them anymore

Dealer doesn't have the gasket for a clutch cover and it's $20. RTV baby.

jvandyke · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:35 pm Post subject:

Impact driver worked a treat. Had to get the big beefy mallet out. Screws removed, not even mangled. Removed cover and discs. They were stuck together but easily popped apart with nothing but my finger nails. They looked new. I did not measure them as my vernier seized up somehow. Bike has 6500 miles for heaven's sake. I smeared some oil on them and reassembled. Too late and too cold for a real test but I can roll it back and forth in the garage in gear with the clutch lever in, ergo, the clutch works. Surprised

Getting closer.......
Best thing in the world for both this bike and me is going to be a nice long run through the country side. That is a couple months off yet though. Damn am I getting fired up again. Next item......

KirkN · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:21 am Post subject:

Outstanding! Great job.

I'd have not replaced the discs, either. But then, I think I've already demonstrated that I'm at the extreme cheap end of the spectrum... Very Happy

Sounds great. Looking forward to your next bit.

Kirk

jvandyke · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:20 am Post subject:

I was expecting to see some sort of rust or something. It that what I should have expected? Friction plates and steel plates sorta mated but not really. I would have thought engine torque would have pushed this apart with ease. Oh well.
Next is the blinkers, they don't flash.....new thread.

05c50 · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:50 am Post subject:

I kinda fell behind on this thread. I'm glad that you got the cover off and the clutch seems to be OK, but you mentioned one thing that concerned me....."Dealer doesn't have the gasket for a clutch cover and it's $20. RTV baby." I have more then 1 engine that was damaged by little pieces of rtv being sucked up into oil passages. My 750A required a complete top end because the po used rtv on a side cover. If the gasket is not available, go to an auto parts store and buy some gasket paper. It's cheap and not very hard to make your own gasket with scissors and a razor knife. My 2 cents........

..............Paul

jvandyke · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:08 pm Post subject:

I've made gaskets before, this one looked like a pain. Old gasket seemed intact and stayed on the engine. I cleaned the cover side a bit, put a very light smear of 2A on it and cinched it up. Not enough to allow any to squeaze out even. But advice is well noted. I heard of similar issues with over use of such materials. Hope to test drive later today, very very cold out but sunny and I'm at work, just an hour and a half to go!

fasterspider · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:21 pm Post subject:

If you have to use any kind of sealer, it should be Hondabond4, Yamabond4 or 1104 liquid gasket and it should be applied thinly and let to dry thoroughly before applying the part.
Never ever under any circumstances should sillycone be used on a motorcycle, it is a bruncle tool like a rock.

jvandyke · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 2:57 pm Post subject:

Ok, I'll swear off the stuff then.
But.
Just got back from first "ride". About 5 miles worth.
Clutch is very stiff and needs to be adjusted. If I got stuck in a traffic jam my left hand would cramp up and be useless in 5 minutes!
One carb will still occasionally dump gas. Not good.
But.
She goes like a scalded cat and by the end of the ride was running very well with good snappy throttle response and consistent low idle. I don't think it's too loud and I'm in love.
I think I'll head back out.
Cool.

KirkN · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:17 pm Post subject:

I'm still a bit confused on the 'stiff' clutch. It sounds like your CABLE needs lubed or replaced, or perhaps the LEVER is sticking at it's pivot bolt. The clutch just shouldn't be stiff. Especially after you had it all apart, freed it up and put it back together. Disconnect the cable from the motor and the lever. Check to see that you can move it easily by hand (the cable, that is). Squirt some WD-40 down the cable inner to help wash the gunk out. Work it in and out. Spin the inner inside the outer. Then, dribble some 3-in-1 oil down the cable inner to lube it up. Remove the lever from it's perch and clean the hardened grease from the pivot bolt. Re-grease it. When you bolt it back up, don't tighten the pivot bolt too tight. Most of 'em, the bolt threads into the perch, then a nylon nut screws on that from below, just to keep the pivot bolt from backing out. If either the bolt or the nylon nut is too tight, it can pinch the lever itself, making the lever stiff.

Sounds like you're really enjoying it.

But go ahead and fix it right. Don't just settle for 'good enough'. As happy as you are with it now, you'll be that much happier with properly working components. Especially if you've done it yourself.

Good luck, and happy motoring!

Kirk

jvandyke · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:32 pm Post subject:

Most of those I've done already as in take apart the lever, let oil run down the cable. I did just try to do the adjustment on the clutch end, the locking screw, turn the thing, it wouldn't budge. Did the lever end and that helped quite a bit. I'll need to go through it all by the book of course. Just got back from another cruise. I have to stop now or I'm going to get arrested.
Killer. It will bog out if I can it wide open but so far I'm very pleased.

fasterspider · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 4:07 pm Post subject:

The clutch on my little 350 was tough when I got her until the cable snapped.
After I replaced the cable, it was like a girly clutch that slipped.
So I replaced the clutch discs & springs too.
Now, it has a good feel to it and I have it adjusted just right for wheelies.
Now, I am not saying you should be doing wheelies, don't get me wrong.
I'm just saying my 350 can wheelie now that there is a new clutch, springs & cable in there.

Russell · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:51 pm Post subject:

Your description of the stiff 'locking screw' as you described it confirms for me that your real problem is in the actuating mechanism not in the clutch basket. The way your plates only needed fingers to separate them is totally normal,at least it is exactly as every motorcycle clutch I've looked at was.Cheap impact drivers are so effective eh...took me a long time to get past the idea that I was brutalising the bike...now I just do it.

Russell · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject:

Your description of the stiff 'locking screw' as you described it confirms for me that your real problem is in the actuating mechanism not in the clutch basket. The way your plates only needed fingers to separate them is totally normal,at least it is exactly as every motorcycle clutch I've looked at was.Cheap impact drivers are so effective eh...took me a long time to get past the idea that I was brutalising the bike...now I just do it.

jvandyke · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:41 pm Post subject:

I will attack the cable next. Although the clutch began working fine after I messed with the plates so that must have been at least part of the problem. I guess.