HELP - Clutch wierdness

[JonF]

Riding home tonight on my 850, and suddenly it feels just like the clutch cable has snapped. Hmm, thinks me, unlikely as I only replaced it a few weeks ago. Lever back to bar, no feel in the cable. I check both ends, and pull the cable, all is fine with the cable, but lever has gone right back to the bar. Both ends of cable fine, so it can't have slipped. I tried the lever adjuster and winding it out to twice the normal level and the springing came back, felt OK. Managed to ride it home without any problem, but odd that the cable had to be wound so far out. Clutch pushrod lever looks OK from behind, but when the clutch is pulled in it squeaks. Nasty. Rode fine the thirty miles home, including right across South London, but something obviously not right. Anybody got any ideas?

 

[Steptoe]

Check the adjuster bolt and locknut on the back of the gearbox. It could be coming undone.
Or the it maybe the clutch thrust piston starting to disintigrate.

 

[Noddy]

This sounds familiar Neil

Don't worry JonF, not the end of the world or terribly expensive but an absolute bugger to fix.

 

[JonF]

Thanks Steptoe/Noddy

Checked the adjuster and locknut - seems fine. Looks like the clutch thrust piston then. That's the bit at the back end of the push rod isn't it? Furthest away from the clutch? Why is it such a bugger to fix?

Jon

 

[Noddy]

Looks like the clutch thrust piston then. That's the bit at the back end of the push rod isn't it? Furthest away from the clutch? Why is it such a bugger to fix?

The thrust piston on my bike siezed up and the push rod slowly melted its way through the plastic piston, kept having to adjust the slack at the bar end to get the clutch to work. Finally it failed and left me with drive but no clutch action.

If thats the fault on your bike then it has to be replaced.

Its very easy if you are an ambidextrous midget but if you are normal GS size person you had better be good at doing three things with a couple of fingers

I repeat again, If that is the fault on your bike then the job can be done without removing the final drive etc. Check again and if you are certain I will run you through it and give you a few tips.

 

[JonF]

Thanks Noddy

Pretty certain it is the clutch thrust piston. How long did yours last from when it started to go to when it completely failed?

 

[Steptoe]

Thanks Noddy

Pretty certain it is the clutch thrust piston. How long did yours last from when it started to go to when it completely failed?

If it's the thrust piston, when it's gone it's gone, you don't normally get a period of grace - you'll just lose adjustment continously until there's no more left and be clutchless.
Not so much of a problem if your riding across the open roads of S/W france, but fun if your riding across london.

 

[Noddy]

Just as Neil said, I was lucky and got about 3 to 400 miles before failure, but I was riding across the open roads of Spain at the time.

And it was fun getting it back home again, fortunatly I was with a great band of tossers.

 

[JonF]

Thanks again. As my normal ride is a commute right across South London, maybe I'd better not chance it!