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Clutch not engaging or disengaging

  • Thread starter Thread starter dluszcz
  • Start date Start date
dluszcz said:
So, I must do this after I finish building it then. I don't have the gas tank on yet cuz I'm still rattle can painting it.

Maybe everything is well and we'll find out when I put the tank on. I thought I could adjust it without running.

Maybe I'll toss the tank on quickly just to see if it works. I have a little gas left in the lawnmower tank that I can put in my bike.
Click to expand...
You can adjust it with out the motor running. You just cant test it w/o the motor running. If you put the bike on the center stand and put it in gear and pull the clutch in all the way, turning the tire by hand will make it feel like its not disengaging because of the stiction of the fiber plates. You may be worried for nothing. I am suprised BlowerBike didn't connect BTE to Barnett Tool and Equipment or he would have told you they are garbage. Use the OEM Suzuki plates. Get an inch lb. torque wrench. Ditch the Haynes manual and get a Clymer manual. With the clutch lever pulled half way in, the release arm for the clutch should be 90 degrees to the threaded part of the cases where the cable attaches. The release arm when relaxed should be pointing toward the front of the rear brake disc (approximately)....Also if you broke off a clutch spring bolt from over torqueing it (with the wrong tool), the broken piece should be easy to remove from the center hub....Billy
 
BadBillyB said:
You can adjust it with out the motor running. You just cant test it w/o the motor running. If you put the bike on the center stand and put it in gear and pull the clutch in all the way, turning the tire by hand will make it feel like its not disengaging because of the stiction of the fiber plates. You may be worried for nothing. I am suprised BlowerBike didn't connect BTE to Barnett Tool and Equipment or he would have told you they are garbage. Use the OEM Suzuki plates. Get an inch lb. torque wrench. Ditch the Haynes manual and get a Clymer manual. With the clutch lever pulled half way in, the release arm for the clutch should be 90 degrees to the threaded part of the cases where the cable attaches. The release arm when relaxed should be pointing toward the front of the rear brake disc (approximately)....Also if you broke off a clutch spring bolt from over torqueing it (with the wrong tool), the broken piece should be easy to remove from the center hub....Billy
Click to expand...

BTE...
ahhhhhh
i never really put it together (barnett) as i'm sometimes confused that people have problems with simple things.
every clutch and every clutch adjustment is different for the individual.
the 2mm free play thing would be for a bike that is the same as new in every way.
i also didn't know that he had a project that wasn't runny yet.
that really blew my mind as to why he was questioning the adjustment before it was time to pop it in gear.
 
Sorry for the confusion. I guess the bike not running part was a VERY significant piece of info to leave out.

I did have the tank mounted and ran it about 4 miles around the block trying to free the plates. The next morning, I realized that I didn't have a good seal for the petcock and pull the tank back off. At that time, I figured it was a good time to repaint it since the 1st paint job didn't turn out as expected.

So, basically, I will not know if I did a good job until I get it running, correct?

Attached to this post is the thumbnail of the clutch cable at the engine threads. I can only post 1 pic at a time, sorry.
 
Last edited:
This is with the handlebar lever pulled in.

I previewed each post so I hope the thumbnails are visible to everyone. I had issues the last time I posted pics.
 
needs to be outwards another 1 or 2 teeth.
near even with clutch cover gasket.

same plain as the clutch cover gasket.
 
Here's my adjustment per blowerbike. This is with the handlebar lever relaxed.
 
Last edited:
maybe one more tooth outwards?
somebody else that has one of these in front of them needs to chime in.
 
OK, going back out to try to get it one more out. The cable wouldn't give me much more. I'll tug a little harder to get what I need to do this. Any chance that I could possibly snap the cable down the road if I make it too tight?
 
you have adjustment at the engine.
you have adjustment at the lever.
you may also have adjustment in the middle of your cable.
i have seen this before on pre 1980 GS1000's.
take a look.
 
There is an adjustment in the middle of my cable that I can get to since the gas tank is off. However, that is already adjusted to give me as much cable as possible.

When I turn the nut on there, the cable gets shorter and the arm on the clutch at the engine moves toward the engine.

I have to move the handlebar adjuster out a little bit so that the clutch lever doesn't bounce around. The pics are with that adjustment already done. It did slightly pull the arm in towards the engine but not too much.

At the engine, I have that one all the way in to give me as much slack as possible. If I start cranking it out, it will make the lever move in and make the cable tighter.
 
looks good to me..
you will still have to adjust so that it doesn't move while in gear running and also that it does not slip when the throttle is twisted while moving.
when your ready to ride do the fine adjustments on the handlebars.
 
Here is a pic of the handlebar lever at it's current adjustment.
 
And finally at the engine.

While I was uploading the 1st two pics, I noticed that I got a reply. Figured I'd add the last one anyway just in case someone spots something that I did incorrectly.
 
it appears you will have more than enough for the total adjustments needed when the bike is ready to ride.
adjust the clutch lever with zero free play and make changes as needed when the bikes ready to ride.
always be careful when putting the bike in gear while running for the 1st time after working with the clutch because it could lunge(ride away) on its own.
 
OK, at the sake of repeating myself, I am going to repeat myself....With the clutch lever pulled 1/2 way in, the clutch release arm should be at a 90 degree angle to the threaded part of the upper case where the cable threads into. This will give you maximum travel of the release arm....Next you put the adjuster at the clutch lever at a midway point. Now adjust the cable at the upper case to where when you pull the lever in with your pinky finger you have a gap at the front of the lever that is about the thickness of a nickel......Simple as that. Now you can fine tune it at the lever after test riding the bike.....I also noticed that you have a bolt at the end of the cable where it attaches to the release lever. This is not the right part. There should be a short pin with a small washer and a cotter pin there. The bolt you have can work in a pinch, but must NOT be tight. In one of the pics it looks as if the cable is bowing when you pull the lever in. This is bad....Hope this helps you....Billy
 
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