• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Hard clutch

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
My recently bought '79 gs750e has a clutch that really gives my left hand a good workout. It so hard my girlfriend can't even move it, and I get really tired after an hour driving. 'Oh, no, not another red light. My arm hurts...'. :mrgreen:

Q1: Is it possible that some previous owner has changed the springs?

Q2: Should the clutch really be so hard to pull even then?

Q3: Is it messy work to have a look at the clutch or to change springs?

[BTW, I have greased and checked the placement of the wire.]

/ Henrik
 
Re: Hard clutch

Henrik Palm said:
My recently bought '79 gs750e has a clutch that really gives my left hand a good workout. It so hard my girlfriend can't even move it, and I get really tired after an hour driving. 'Oh, no, not another red light. My arm hurts...'. :mrgreen:

Q1: Is it possible that some previous owner has changed the springs?

Q2: Should the clutch really be so hard to pull even then?

Q3: Is it messy work to have a look at the clutch or to change springs?

[BTW, I have greased and checked the placement of the wire.]

/ Henrik
Click to expand...

Q1 answer = yes
Q2 answer = maybe
Q3 answer = Not particularly
 
Yeeoww!

Yeeoww!

Sounds like they may have dropped a Barnett clutch in it. The springs they give you with the kit is enough to make your forearms sing the blues after about 45 minutes of city traffic. I've seem recommendations of swapping out 3 of the springs with factory units since they tend to have a bit less tension.

--- Frank ---
 
Yup, 10 to 1 it's the springs. I just replaced my clutch and got a spring kit labeled as "regular duty springs" and they still make the clutch a bear to dis-engage. It's easy work to get to the springs, but unless you have the originals, I'm not sure it will help much as my basic spring set is still pretty stout. Good luck.
 
I had heavy duty springs in my clutch years ago for the obvious reasons and got sooo tired of missed shifts that I did what my local Suzy dealer recommended and put in a set of new stock springs.Ahhhhh... No more missed shifts, no clutch slippage and and no more Popeye arm.
 
I currently have a performance "kevlar" clutch set in mine with the socalled 20% stronger springs, (more like 200%) and I hate the fool thing.
It is a pain in city traffic, no matter what I do it drags making imposible to get in neutral while sitting still, and I dont know how long the clutch cable is going to hold out against the strain of pulling the clutch lever in.
I am ready to put a stock clutch back in it.
 
How to do it?

How to do it?

Ok, so I guess I'll have to change the springs to softer ones.

Are the springs of a standard size, so I could get any type, or does it have to be original Suzie?

Is it an hour, a day, or a weeks job to do it?

Can it be done without any special tools (except hex wrenches, screwdrivers, etc)? The clutch is wet, right, so I'll have to tap the oil first?

Thanks for all your advice!
/ Henrik
 
cluth lever engagement

cluth lever engagement

It isn't hard to change the clutch springs...but my clutch was so hard to pull I wondered if I would be able to ride the bike...I tore down the clutch and saw nothing wrong. I took the cable out of the housing and cleaned it...(it had been greased and the grease had hardened) washed out the housing with solvent and air, hung it up overnight with 20W dripping down it...and now my clutch is easy to pull.

Before you tear at it...really be certain your cable is clean and lubed.

xo
 
Re: How to do it?

Re: How to do it?

Henrik Palm said:
Ok, so I guess I'll have to change the springs to softer ones.

Are the springs of a standard size, so I could get any type, or does it have to be original Suzie?

Is it an hour, a day, or a weeks job to do it?

Can it be done without any special tools (except hex wrenches, screwdrivers, etc)? The clutch is wet, right, so I'll have to tap the oil first?

Thanks for all your advice!
/ Henrik
Click to expand...

drain the oil, disconnect the clutch cable, open the clutch cover (8mm socket wrench, I guess), remove the 6 spring bolts (10mm socket wrench), change the springs, tighten the spring bolts to 1 Nm, close the clutch cover (do not overtighten the bolts...), connect and adjust the cable and fill the engine with oil again.

what to watch for:

- clutch cover can be tight, may need some light tapping
- do not damage the cover gasket unless you have a spare one
- check that the bearing is ok, it can also be a reason to stiffness
- apply thread locking compound
 
K?p originalfj?drar hos n?gon suzukihandlare, kostar v?l n?n eller n?gra hundringar.
Pissenkelt att byta, g?r som n?n sa ovanf?r: lossa koppingsk?pan, skruva ur bultarna som sitter i en cirkel i mitten, byt fj?drarna och s?tt tillbaks allting.

MEN, 1Nm p? 'fj?derbultarna' l?ter som en felskrivning, 10Nm eller ungef?r ett kg l?ter mer troligt. Har f?r mig att bultarna p? min 1100:a ska dras 10-12Nm.
Dra inte f?r h?rt, de g?r av direkt d? ! Jag har bytt ut tv? stycken som g?tt av trots r?tt moment.

P? min hemsida kan du s?kert hitta n?n bild d?r du f?r ett hum om hur det ser ut under k?pan ;)
 
Springs are one likely culprit. I have some h/d ones in mine, but nowhere near this - but then I am used to older clutches and brakes you have to real squeeze - no one finger stoppies here!! (gets me when people complain about newer bikesbeing a bit hard to stop, as if using one finger hard is an effort!!)

Anyway, back to the current story...it could also be the inner sheath of the cable being worn. Once the inside goes the cable gets really stiff to pull, cleaning and lubing do no good. Modern cables (well, I think I got my last one in the 80s!!) are smooth and easy to pull. If the cable routing ws a bit suspect, this can lead to wear.

On the bright side, you will have a grip of steel after a while!!
 
biker66 said:
K?p originalfj?drar hos n?gon suzukihandlare, kostar v?l n?n eller n?gra hundringar.
Pissenkelt att byta, g?r som n?n sa ovanf?r: lossa koppingsk?pan, skruva ur bultarna som sitter i en cirkel i mitten, byt fj?drarna och s?tt tillbaks allting.

MEN, 1Nm p? 'fj?derbultarna' l?ter som en felskrivning, 10Nm eller ungef?r ett kg l?ter mer troligt. Har f?r mig att bultarna p? min 1100:a ska dras 10-12Nm.
Dra inte f?r h?rt, de g?r av direkt d? ! Jag har bytt ut tv? stycken som g?tt av trots r?tt moment.

P? min hemsida kan du s?kert hitta n?n bild d?r du f?r ett hum om hur det ser ut under k?pan ;)
Click to expand...

just s? d?r! alts? 10Nm, inte 1Nm... :oops:

tack
 
Anade en felskrivning d?r... :lol:

En sak till, du beh?ver inte t?mma oljan, st?ll hojen p? sidost?det s? l?gger sig oljan harml?st p? andra sidan i motorn !
 
Inte t?mma olja

Inte t?mma olja

Jo, det vore ju bra, men p? min hoj sitter kopplingen p? samma sida som sidost?det. Kanske g?r det att luta hojen ?t andra h?llet ist?llet eller s? kan man se till att byta olja samtidigt...

Tack f?r hj?lpen!

/ Henke
 
I had performance springs in my bike once, and I tell you when sitting in traffic my left arm was getting quite the work out. It looked like it belonged to the incredible Hulk while my right arm was this measly looking thing.
 
Yeah........what those 2 said;"*9hj& mk*543". I agree completely.
 
The last time I replaced my clutch, the shop did me a 'favor' and ordered stronger springs for me. After one day of left forearm muscle-building, I reinstalled my stock springs. And, at least on the 1100G, I did the work on the side stand and did not have to drain the engine oil. I also got to reuse the gasket as it had been on for only one day. Once the clutch cover is off, it is a pretty easy job.
 
TRY THE CABLE FIRST. I just snapped mine yesterday and got stranded.
Mine was super hard pull too.
when I pulled the cable out of the sheath, there was a 6 in rust area, bad too, not even where it snapped. but I lubed up the new cable and installed it. WOW it pulls with one finger now....
 
I have Barnett springs in my clutch. Don't find too much problem with them, although I ride differently than a few people by the looks of some posts in other threads. I don't sit with my bike in gear and the clutch pulled in at lights! (GASP!) 8O I did manage to place third in a slow race at a local bike rodeo, so I can handle the clutch. My wife can't, but who's bike is it now? I would rather have the peace of mind knowing that at 8-9 thousand rpm I can shift without hearing the clutch slip. 8)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Continued Hard Starting Woes
Replies
14
Views
330
Alexander
Alexander
brit7.11
GS425 Oil Consumption. Problem?
Replies
14
Views
356
brit7.11
brit7.11
A
1981 gs650g project
Replies
5
Views
175
jdub6092
jdub6092
I
GS400 clutch rod seal and cam chain noise.
Replies
1
Views
78
LAB3
LAB3
Redman
Clutch cable replacement . . . .
Replies
15
Views
371
Brendan W
Brendan W
Back
Top