1978 gs1000 clutch not engaging after rebuild

[Big T]

The clutch arm is in the wrong location
move it counterclockwise 2-3 notchs

[salty_monk]

From memory you need to twist the shaft so that it is at the point where it starts to push again the clutch before you put the arm on otherwise it's really hard to get it in the right place....

[Blue_magician]

I took the slack out of the clutch rod before attaching the arm. I zeroed out the cable and readjusted it. It’s getting tension as if the rod is engaging the spring inside. I can click the shifter down into first from neutral but still the bike just idles and doesn’t move. IMG_4538.jpg

[Cipher]

Does the shift lever allow you to put the bike in gear?

https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac/~cliff/storage/gs/GS1000_C-E-S-L_Manual.pdf

[Rob S.]

Cable and arm look proper.

[Blue_magician]

Does the shift lever allow you to put the bike in gear?
https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...S-L_Manual.pdf

It appears to put it in gear but the clutch isn’t disengaging maybe?

[Rob S.]

What about with the engine off? Without even using the clutch lever, does it go into gear?

[Blue_magician]

I'm getting confused... with the end of the little arm, where the cable is attached, pushed in toward the middle of the bike, you should not have power to the rear wheel. With the little arm pulled out, as far as it will go, without the cable holding it at all (needs some slack in there) there should be power to the rear wheel... How are you checking things? Do you have the bike up on the center stand and the rear wheel up off the ground?

I just have the bike on it’s kickstand with my hand in the brakes haha

[Blue_magician]

What about with the engine off? Without even using the clutch lever, does it go into gear?

It’s does not seem to go into gear because I can still roll it around

[Blue_magician]

IMG_4540.jpg I feel like I’ve reached the point where it isn’t the cable and it’s something inside the clutch. I’m going to take the pressure plate off and make sure it’s all good. I used all Suzuki parts for the rebuild. Does anyone have a picture of how this part is supposed to be placed?

[Rob S.]

Since it was not running when you bought it, we really can't rule anything out. I was going to suggest it might not be the clutch at all. Does the gear shift lever feel proper with the engine on and off?

Are you saying that with the engine running, nothing you do with the gear shift lever makes any difference?

[Blue_magician]

Since it was not running when you bought it, we really can't rule anything out. I was going to suggest it might not be the clutch at all. Does the gear shift lever feel proper with the engine on and off?

Are you saying that with the engine running, nothing you do with the gear shift lever makes any difference?

When I first got it I took it to a mechanic for new tires and change the handlebars back to stock. They said it was good to go(they didn’t test ride it). I rode it maybe 100 yards before I heard a clack and grinding noises then the bike stopped moving forward but the grinding sound continued. I shut it off and had it towed back to my house. The mechanic said it was probably two fiber plates stuck together from the bike sitting, but they didn’t have a mechanic that knew how to rebuild the clutch. Took the clutch cover off and found out it was multiple broken friction plates.
The shift lever seems to move between the gears smoothly, there’s an audible click in between each gear and doesn’t seem to hang up. That is correct, when the engine is on the gear shift does not make a difference, there isn’t even a change in RPMs.

[Suzukian]

Wow, I don't know where you brought it too, but doing clutches is really easy. I would not go back there. Disassemble the clutch and plates, take pictures at each step. Get a Factory Manual. Then reassembly the clutch assembly (barring there are no chunks of metal in there. The side cover has to come off.

Normally, I would just say, take the clutch lever off (on the engine), and let it go into it's rest position, the remount, and it should pull back in. Usually the clutches have a set screw for the rod, but this may be different from my bike. Take it apart, fix it right, there's a lot of riding time left.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

When I first got it I took it to a mechanic for new tires and ……..The mechanic said it was probably two fiber plates stuck together from the bike sitting, but they didn’t have a mechanic that knew how to rebuild the clutch.

[Blue_magician]

Wow, I don't know where you brought it too, but doing clutches is really easy. I would not go back there. Disassemble the clutch and plates, take pictures at each step. Get a Factory Manual. Then reassembly the clutch assembly (barring there are no chunks of metal in there. The side cover has to come off.

Normally, I would just say, take the clutch lever off (on the engine), and let it go into its rest position, the remount, and it should pull back in. Usually the clutches have a set screw for the rod, but this may be different from my bike. Take it apart, fix it right, there's a lot of riding time left.

Yeah I’m not going back there, those guys were soup sandwiches. I got all the bits out and rebuild the clutch with new Suzuki clutch hub, springs, steels, and fibers. The problem is I thought that would fix it but the bike doesn’t want to move. Idles like a champ though haha.