Clutch

[Guest]

Pulling in clutch lever is very hard even to change gear but all works fine any ideas !!

[tkent02]

Maintenance.

[BigD_83]

Welcome to the GSR.

Lots of information on here about your issue, but let's start off with the year and model, and some background information on what you have/have not done to the clutch.

How long have you had the bike? Has the clutch lever always been difficult to pull?

[bwringer]

Since you haven't revealed which machine we're discussing, I'm going to go ahead and assume it's a 1962 Tohatsu Runpet.

On the Tohatsu Runpet, lubricating or replacing the clutch cable and lever can help remedy a rough or heavy clutch pull. Inspect the clutch lever carefully -- quite often the cable hole in the lever is worn, so you'll need to replace it as well. Genuine Tohatsu parts are best by far.

The Runpet's clutch release mechanism often gets dirty, corroded, and stiff as well as the original decades-old grease is hardened or washed away. Disassemble and re-grease as per the factory Tohatsu Runpet manual.

[greg78gs750]

I would listen to bwringer here, but only add that this issue is common on ALL tohatsu models, not just the runpet.

Since you haven't revealed which machine we're discussing, I'm going to go ahead and assume it's a 1962 Tohatsu Runpet.

On the Tohatsu Runpet, lubricating or replacing the clutch cable and lever can help remedy a rough or heavy clutch pull. Inspect the clutch lever carefully -- quite often the cable hole in the lever is worn, so you'll need to replace it as well. Genuine Tohatsu parts are best by far.

The Runpet's clutch release mechanism often gets dirty, corroded, and stiff as well as the original decades-old grease is hardened or washed away. Disassemble and re-grease as per the factory Tohatsu Runpet manual.

[BigD_83]

Good, tongue in cheek advice from Mr. Bwringer...

[geol]

It is important to put a first time poster in his place quickly with the gang piling on to help make the situation more amusing. Geesh, hope the guy comes back. BigD_83 covered it with some tact and the other stuff... well it ups the post count for the comedians.

[tinners top]

Ok start again, hi men got a gs1000 1979 cast wheel chain drive poss 'n', came as a basket case and total rebuild, engine like new, re-spray,power coated and polished to with an inch of it's life. Clutch is very heavy to pull in, tryed my mates gs850 and smooth as silk

[bwringer]

Ok start again, hi men got a gs1000 1979 cast wheel chain drive poss 'n', came as a basket case and total rebuild, engine like new, re-spray,power coated and polished to with an inch of it's life. Clutch is very heavy to pull in, tryed my mates gs850 and smooth as silk

Okay, now we're getting somewhere...

On your bike, there's no clutch release mechanism over on the sprocket side to get gummed up -- it's a very simple lever on the clutch cover, and the shaft rides on internal needle bearings that rarely have problems. (Make sure the lever is at the right angle, pointing straight ahead at rest.)

Therefore the most likely source of your problems are:

1) Heavy aftermarket clutch springs. The OEM springs sag over the decades and may start slipping, so it's common for people to order up a set of "heavy-duty" EBC springs and drop 'em in. Well, the problem is that these springs are WAY too stiff for normal humans, even if your bike has been built into some fire-breathing torque monster. The solution is to order up six new OEM springs and a clutch gasket from your favorite source for online Suzuki parts. Stock springs are plenty stiff even if your engine has significantly more power than stock.

2) Dirty, kinked, and/or low-rent clutch cable and lever. A fresh OEM clutch cable and lever are smooth as silk -- they're like buttuh. And they're surprisingly cheap. Aftermarket cables cost just as much, but they're all crap. Yeah, they'll work, but they won't last nearly as long or feel nearly as nice as fresh OEM bits.

If the cable and lever are just old and dirty, you can usually get them working pretty well again with a cable luber (you can get a little can of cable lube that comes with a lube injection widget in any moto parts emporium), but they won't ever be quite as nice as new. Use a bit of grease on the lever pivot and where the cable end rides in the lever. If the cable is damaged or kinked, you'll just need to replace it.

I believe your bike's cable also has an adjuster in the middle, and it's pretty common that environmental schmoo gets in at the adjuster, washes out the lube, and causes the cable to corrode and stick in this area.


Most likely your issue is a combination of both 1 and 2.


Honestly, unless you're down to eating ketchup sandwiches and scavenging used oil through coffee filters, it's well worth the few bucks to order up new clutch springs, clutch cover gasket, clutch cable, clutch lever (or maybe even the whole lever and perch assembly) from Suzuki, and just refresh the whole system. The parts are not that expensive, and they're great quality. I did this last year on my GS850 with 125,000 miles -- even though everything was working fine, fresh OEM bits throughout really improved the feel and controllability of the clutch, and made the lever effort ridiculously low.

[geol]

Dang son! Bwringer, you can be helpful when you try... that should be a sticky somewhere. Good post. I would like to add that MOST replacement aftermarket clutch springs are called heavy duty. These suck big time as they greatly increase clutch pull. I like old, tired clutch springs up till the point where the clutch can slip and then I try and use OEM springs for that reason.

[tinners top]

Okay, now we're getting somewhere...

On your bike, there's no clutch release mechanism over on the sprocket side to get gummed up -- it's a very simple lever on the clutch cover, and the shaft rides on internal needle bearings that rarely have problems. (Make sure the lever is at the right angle, pointing straight ahead at rest.)

Therefore the most likely source of your problems are:

1) Heavy aftermarket clutch springs. The OEM springs sag over the decades and may start slipping, so it's common for people to order up a set of "heavy-duty" EBC springs and drop 'em in. Well, the problem is that these springs are WAY too stiff for normal humans, even if your bike has been built into some fire-breathing torque monster. The solution is to order up six new OEM springs and a clutch gasket from your favorite source for online Suzuki parts. Stock springs are plenty stiff even if your engine has significantly more power than stock.

2) Dirty, kinked, and/or low-rent clutch cable and lever. A fresh OEM clutch cable and lever are smooth as silk -- they're like buttuh. And they're surprisingly cheap. Aftermarket cables cost just as much, but they're all crap. Yeah, they'll work, but they won't last nearly as long or feel nearly as nice as fresh OEM bits.

If the cable and lever are just old and dirty, you can usually get them working pretty well again with a cable luber (you can get a little can of cable lube that comes with a lube injection widget in any moto parts emporium), but they won't ever be quite as nice as new. Use a bit of grease on the lever pivot and where the cable end rides in the lever. If the cable is damaged or kinked, you'll just need to replace it.

I believe your bike's cable also has an adjuster in the middle, and it's pretty common that environmental schmoo gets in at the adjuster, washes out the lube, and causes the cable to corrode and stick in this area.


Most likely your issue is a combination of both 1 and 2.


Honestly, unless you're down to eating ketchup sandwiches and scavenging used oil through coffee filters, it's well worth the few bucks to order up new clutch springs, clutch cover gasket, clutch cable, clutch lever (or maybe even the whole lever and perch assembly) from Suzuki, and just refresh the whole system. The parts are not that expensive, and they're great quality. I did this last year on my GS850 with 125,000 miles -- even though everything was working fine, fresh OEM bits throughout really improved the feel and controllability of the clutch, and made the lever effort ridiculously low.

Excellant Many Thanks for that 1&2 seem the most poss as new cable fitted

[Joe Garfield]

Also, if there are different (lower) handlebars, the clutch cable can be routed with tight bends making it more difficult to pull.

[bwringer]

Also, if there are different (lower) handlebars, the clutch cable can be routed with tight bends making it more difficult to pull.

Good point -- kinked misrouted cables are pretty common, and sometimes when people change the bars they don't find a good way to deal with the extra length.

[hannibal]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a clutch question about the 8 valve GS750. My clutch has been slipping for most of the 500 miles I've ridden. Didn't bother me at first because I was taking it easy and using low rpms and throttle. Finally getting comfortable enough to give it some gas and it seems to be slipping more (below 5000 rpm) which it didnt do before.

I did some reading and was ready to order springs and a new cable, but on the advice from other threads, I adjusted to cable at the lever. It now slips far less if at all, and I was able to go fast enough to scare myself a little. I believe the clutch wasn't releasing fully before I adjusted the cable at the lever.

My question is have I solved the problem, or should I continue digging? I now have more play at the lever which I didn't have before. Will I have to adjust again soon?

I couldn't find a write on troubleshooting clutch slippage so I'd appreciate a list like bwringer made for the GS1000. I don't have the lever pivot on the RH side clutch cover, so I'm guessing the lever and clutch release thingy under the LH cover are my only adjustment points.

Lastly, I have the parts to convert to a 530 chain and sprockets. I'm kinda afraid on screwing up the clutch adjustment when I take off that LH cover since some of the clutch release set up seems to sit under the small cover but on top of the larger LH cover.

Any advice is appreciated!

[geol]

What he said to the other fella probably applies in large part to your issues with the clutch. I suggest you adjusted the clutch but:
1. either didn't adjust enough
2. the cable is stretch, old and in need of replacement

If the clutch arm is under a cover (not all that familiar with your model), you will need to take off that cover anyway, if the cable needs changing. There is a screw in that area that appears to be part of the adjustment process. Time to get a service manual. It doesn't look hard.