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Clutch slipping, stuck on road in VT

  • Thread starter Thread starter jeneralist
  • Start date Start date
J

jeneralist

Guest
The short version: road trip. 2000+ more miles on a 1981 GS850. Going well -- until the clutch began slipping. No free play in clutch lever. Have tried to adjust at the hand lever, and at the linkage in the cable itself. Will try the adjustment on the right hand side, just before the cable ducks into the cover, tomorrow (when I work up my nerve). Any other ideas?

The longer version: other than a slight oil leak at the stator cover, addressed by about 4 ounces of oil added a day, the bike has been running great on a trip from NJ thru Nova Scotia. Now on the way home. Two days ago, noticed that there was extra free play in the clutch lever, and that neutral was hard to find. The oil level appeared to be correct. Thought it was something I'd look at when I got to my next stop, a friend's house near Brattleboro, VT.

Then I tried to get up a very steep, very loosly packed dirt driveway in the damp. Lots of revs, not much go forward. Thought the problem was just the poor road surface. After much ado, managed to get off that hill, turned around, and back onto the *correct* driveway (packed gravel, much less steep) -- and noted that the revs and speed still didn't agree. That was Friday. Saturday I visited. Today I tried to get home to NJ. Noticed that there was *no* free play (there had been too much two days beforehand); made what adjustment I could, and set off -- to discover that the clutch was slipping in ANY gear, even on the straightaways. If I tried to go over about 3000 rpm -> lots of revs, no more power. Fastest I can do is 45 mph in 5th. Not a good thing. Managed to get the bike into town, left it in a parking lot. Tonight I'm reading my manual -- but all I can see, short of new clutch plates, is adjusting the cable tension at the right hand side. (As I said, I tried adjusting the free play at the lever -- and even when I try to give it every little bit I can there, there's no free play.) I hope that will work -- but I'd appreciate other ideas from folks in the group.

Also, if anyone knows a good shop for our favorite bikes near Brattleboro, VT, that might be a really good thing....

Thanks!
 
If you can get it to waterbury there is Teds Kar Kare, thats about all I know :(
 
My vote is for either a seized clutch cable, frozen clutch release mechanism (converts cable action into pushing in the clutch), or a nuked clutch basket.

If your clutch basket is nuked (new disks and plates ~ $110 for parts), make sure you change your oil too because bits of the clutch disks will contaminate your oil.

Also, if a piece of a clutch disk came off and is blocking your oil flow through the clutch basket, that could cause a problem too.

I hope you get it fixed. Wrenching on the road canbe a bummer.

-Jon
 
Bad news, good news

Bad news, good news

Well, I went back to the parking lot htis morning, having read your suggestions and my manuals. I was able to readjust the clutch lever so that there is once again free play. But when I opened the oil filler cover, there were lots of these little brown bits stuck in the oil on the cover.

Needless to say, even after I adjusted the free play, the clutch kept slipping. (On the plus side, I can find neutral again.)

So, off to the shop -- the only one listed in Yellow Pages for Brattleboro. I was pleased to see several old Suzukis being worked on already. I explained my situation to the guy in charge -- clutch slip, out of state, sooner is better, yadda yadda. He double checked the cable and the free play, gave it a test drive, smelled that great burning clutch smell, and saw the bits.

But the good news is, he says he get get the replacement part by 10:30 tomorrow, and have me on my way early tomorrow afternoon.

I'll let you know how things really work out.

From somewhere near Brattleboro, Vermont,
 
Jen, sorry I just got back into town. Go to the Yellow Pages and look for Robust Sales in Hinsdale NH Phone # 1-603-336-7711.
A Suzuki shop that does excellent work. Closed today being Monday, but give them a call tomorrow. I will send you a PM with my number. I am right across the river.
 
Home safe

Home safe

Good news: I got to the shop on Monday, on Tuesday the clutch got fixed, and now (Wednesday) the bike and I are home, safe and sound, in NJ.

Turns out that the last time the bike had clutch trouble -- ten years ago -- they shop didn't put enough plates in. So, not only is the bike running better, but a noise on the right hand side that I had assumed was a problem in the exhaust pipe has gone away!

I hope to post something about the whole trip to the appropriate forum soon.
 
Jen,

Glad to here you made it out ok. Despite the inconvenience, at least you got a small bonus out of getting the proper clutch parts in there. It should give you years of trouble-free use now (as long you keep your oil level correct!).

-Jon
 
I'm glad to hear you made it home without anymore of those dang annoyances. :-) I guess the other good news is you got something fixed that needed fixing anyway. :-)

Happy trails :-)

Earl
 
Glad you made it back without any completely unexpected issues cropping up Jen. For awhile it sounded like there could be something more evil going on in there than just the plates and discs.

Regards,
Steve 8)
 
Great to hear you made it home OK.
Next time you're up this way, give us a head's up.
 
Re: Home safe

Re: Home safe

jeneralist said:
Good news: I got to the shop on Monday, on Tuesday the clutch got fixed, and now (Wednesday) the bike and I are home, safe and sound, in NJ.

Turns out that the last time the bike had clutch trouble -- ten years ago -- they shop didn't put enough plates in. So, not only is the bike running better, but a noise on the right hand side that I had assumed was a problem in the exhaust pipe has gone away!

I hope to post something about the whole trip to the appropriate forum soon.
Click to expand...

How much'd it cost?
:?
Dm of mD
 
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