Clutch Adjustment Procedure

[AX2007]

I'm having trouble with the clutch adjustment on my T. I have a brand new OEM cable, and this is how I tried to adjust it after installation:

1. Fully screw in the cable at the lever.

2. Fully screw in the hollow screw that is on top of the transmission case.

3. Set clutch arm (at the transmission) parallel with the transmission case.

4. Unscrew hollow screw until there is about 4-5 millimeters of play at the clutch lever.

5. fine tune at the lever.


Is this correct? The problem I'm having is I'm not sure how far out the hollow screw should be... On my bike it is only holding on with about 4 or 5 threads. I also have the screw at the lever about halfway out. It doesn't look correct, but that may just be how it is. Any thoughts?

On a related note, the clutch slipping I was experiencing with the old cable is gone (from a short 5 mile ride this morning). And the clutch is much lighter and easier than it was previously, with greater "feel".

[AX2007]

Can anyone help me out please?!?

[Brendan W]

Had similar issue recently with a new Slinky Glide cable. It looks like the cable inner is a bit too long for the outer. I set the arm on the case to about ten degrees out and screwed the hollow screw in until I had about a diameter and a half of engagement and then fine tuned at the lever to about 3mm play.

[Guest]

So the adjustment on the case is all the way out and the handle bar halfway with a brand new cable?
I'd try another tooth clockwise on the clutch lever at the engine.

[Gorminrider]

yes, the clutch lever in the casing should not move very much before it actuates what pushes against the clutch springs. There shouldn't be much slack- just enough to ensure that the clutch is engaging fully when it is released. It is the first adjustment. If you have too much slack here, you cannot adjust it out, because the cable is leveraged...a lot of cable is moving to move the clutch springs very little.

Motion is translated to power, so control the lengths at the "power" end first.

[tkent02]

Don't know your model, but the other GSes work the best with the the release arm at a 90 degree angle to the cable.

[AX2007]

Ok, so if I have this correct, both the hollow screw and the lever should be screwed in completely, and then adjust the arm so it is about 10 degrees looser than it is at tension.

Then I can adjust the hollow screw and the lever screw. Does all this sound right?

[AX2007]

yes, the clutch lever in the casing should not move very much before it actuates what pushes against the clutch springs. There shouldn't be much slack- just enough to ensure that the clutch is engaging fully when it is released. It is the first adjustment. If you have too much slack here, you cannot adjust it out, because the cable is leveraged...a lot of cable is moving to move the clutch springs very little.

Motion is translated to power, so control the lengths at the "power" end first.

Thanks. I think this makes the most sense to me. So all that "arm parallel with the case" stuff may not necessarily apply here.

[AX2007]

So the adjustment on the case is all the way out and the handle bar halfway with a brand new cable?
I'd try another tooth clockwise on the clutch lever at the engine.

Thanks Chef. Everything I have read says that the clutch lever on the engine HAS to be parallel with the case. I thought I was doing something wrong.

[AX2007]

OK, so with the lever, hollow screw, and arm in these positions, the bike jumps and stalls when I release the brake with the clutch full down.

[koolaid_kid]

So the adjustment on the case is all the way out and the handle bar halfway with a brand new cable?
I'd try another tooth clockwise on the clutch lever at the engine.

chef, are you sure clockwise is the correct direction? Unless I am mistaken, it looks like counter clockwise would give him more of what he wants.

[JTGS850GL]

You sure you have the right cable?

[koolaid_kid]

You sure you have the right cable?

It appears to be the correct cable. Rotating the clutch actuation arm counter clockwise would force the inner cable to travel further, meaning the adjustment screws would have to be shorter for initial adjustment.

[AX2007]

It appears to be the correct cable. Rotating the clutch actuation arm counter clockwise would force the inner cable to travel further, meaning the adjustment screws would have to be shorter for initial adjustment.

But even when I tighten both the clutch lever adjustment And the hollow screw, I can't get the clutch lever to be within that 3mm play. I end up unscrewing the hollow screw all the way to the end again.

What is the usual position of the hollow screw? All the way in? Out? Somewhere in the middle?

[gs58]

Try moving the lever anticlockwise one notch on the spline. You will need to wind in the "hollow" adjuster quite a bit, but you will probably find that a new cable will stretch a bit and with the lever in this position you will have the threads available to wind out as required.