Hydraulic clutch converstion

[Guest]

here's the photo of the slave cylinder. just a generic ebay item, it came complete with a lever, iffy hose pipe and the cylinder.

From memory I think i had to have the piece of bar that connects to the adjusting arm threaded so i could adjust it.

 

[chris]

Nice job, thanks for posting the photo.

 

[Rob S.]

...never fix what ain't broken!

And never break what ain't broken!

 

[Hayabuser]

And never break what ain't broken!

Well that's easier said than done! :xsmilie_mrgreen:

 

[bobtail84]

I just need to send them a pic of the clutch arm/cable fitting and they do the rest.

I have been mulling this idea over for a number of years but just not got round to it, I have a Suzuki Bandit GSF1200 hydraulic clutch master cylinder (eBay) and a slave cylinder which cost ?85 at a bike show a few years back from Venhil https://www.venhill.co.uk/frando-clutch-cylinder-1270mm-long-11nbl.html I just need to measure the size of pipe I need and spend a couple of hours fitting it all up. The slave needs 10mm thow to work with the GS. This thread might get me inspired to start or possibly not..

 

[bobtail84]

I just happend to be down the shed and to add to the comments on this thread I have a little info with pictures and a mock-up of the Hydraulic clutch conversion that is fully reversable and may or maynot work. I have made sure the parts fit on a mill I have on the floor in the shed which is a GS1000 again this is a mock-up and I will no doubt get around to it after I have tried the idea out on the spare engine.
I have no particular reason for doing the conversion, it's only because I can and if it works woo hoo and if not I will put the cable back on.

Parts.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1PC-Moto...087259?hash=item2899dcf7db:g:wcwAAOSw-2JfKmAv

1PC Motorcycle Adjustable Hydraulic Clutch Brake Pump Master Cylinder Rod System Piston diameter: 14mm
Note: the piston size of the upper pump matched with the product must be no less than 14mm, and the working stroke shall be no less than 12mm. ?12.44

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clevis-F...var=513035775648&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

DIN 71752 Clevis Fork End / Rod End Joint Right-Handed Thread M5 x 0.8 Thread Pitch ?2.89

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-G...687284?hash=item5491949774:g:COIAAOSw53Ff1y-A

Suzuki GSF 1200 bandit 1996-2000 clutch master cylinder ?24.99

You can use braided brake line and you will need to measure the length required.



The reason I went for this set up was I have read many threads on the conversion and 1 chap on another forum spent the budget of a small south american country and the difference was sod all.. I do not have the spare $$ and I if was going to convert it back due to the idea being not much better than standard I wanted to spend as liitle as possible.

The MC was from a GSF1200 Mk1 and comes with or without mirror mounts as required.



The slave cylinder has 24mm of thread and 12mm stroke. My GS1000 uses 10mm of travel your may be different.



The slave cylinder comes with a hex threaded sleeve which I threaded to 5mm so the clevis fitted.



I made sure the slave fitted using the original thread and it does.



Then mocked up to see if it fitted.






My next job will be to connect the MC, bleed the system and make sure there is enough travel to operate the clutch.

As the braided pipe can be run in the most direct route I will look to run it gown the center of the frame and down between the carbs to make the shortest and cleanest run for the pipe but that may change.

As I said at the top of my post this is just to see if it works on a reasonable budget and is fully reversable if it's a complete and utter failure which there is a good chance it will be. Both pistons are 14mm and I'm aware there is a whole lot of mathamatical voodoo in regards to displacement and force and stuff and.. well, it's complecated but I thought I would have a go.

I will update when I have more info but please let me know what you all think but please bare in mind this idea is just for fun and will probably fall on it's arse.

 

[Grimly]

Should work. You still have the same-ish lever advantage at the bar end and the same operating lever at the clutch end.
The hydraulic leverage is zero, exact same as the cable, but minus cable drag.

 

[bobtail84]

Should work. You still have the same-ish lever advantage at the bar end and the same operating lever at the clutch end.
The hydraulic leverage is zero, exact same as the cable, but minus cable drag.

To be fair I did not expect the conversion to make that much difference.

I have a luggage weighing doofa that I will try and get a base line figure for effort to move the lever before conversion then try the same after, but as you say the only true difference will be the cable drag and if the OE is set up correctly then I feel there will not be much between the two if anything at all.

 

[chris]

Nice work, hydraulic clutches are awesome. There is a reason why virtually all trials bikes made in the last 25 years have them. The sport is all about clutch control. If I could find a slave cylinder with a 25 mm or bigger bore I would put one on my GS, then again if I still worked at a machine shop I could simply make one. The only reason my wife does not ride my bike is because of the nasty clutch pull and yes I have a new OEM cables. I would say the clutch pull is nearly double as that of a modern bike . For a old school rider the clutch is fine it matches the heavy pull of the RS carbs.

 

[rphillips]

If clutch pull is near double that of the modern bike, I'd say something needs fix'in, something is wrong. No noticeable difference in my GS1100E & CB1100F cable operated & my newer Bandit, ZRX, & GSX1100G hydraulic operated. Just my opinion.

 

[salty_monk]

I've just bought a bike with the Magura unit on it (although I haven't seen it in the flesh yet!). There is a generic fitting kit that would provide the basis of a fit to a GS it seems....

 

[Agemax]

I did a hydraulic clutch conversion on my GS1000 years ago. proper set up with 1200 Bandit m/c and slave cylinder. made a plate for the slave to fit,made a pushrod with a modified GSXR pressure plate "pusher", and used a gs750 pushrod oil seal.
I love it, would never consider swapping it back to cable.

 

[rphillips]

Good to hear you accomplished the conversion. What effect did you see in the clutch operation?

 

[Agemax]

Good to hear you accomplished the conversion. What effect did you see in the clutch operation?

I would say its probably a bit lighter pull on the lever, not much though, but a much smoother action.
Also the added bonus of never having to adjust it

 

[rphillips]

I really can't feel much difference in the clutches on any of my bikes, cable or hydraulic operated...."BUT", I can't seem to get used to the hydraulic clutch on my "91" GSX1100G. Nothing drastic, but when taking off, a lot of the time I'll kind'f over rev the eng. before the clutch starts to engage. You'd think after riding this thing for 4 or 5 yrs. now, I would get used to it but just keeps happening. Never had this problem with any other bike I've had. I wish there was an adjustment to change something a little.

 

[bobtail84]

I did a hydraulic clutch conversion on my GS1000 years ago. proper set up with 1200 Bandit m/c and slave cylinder. made a plate for the slave to fit,made a pushrod with a modified GSXR pressure plate "pusher", and used a gs750 pushrod oil seal.
I love it, would never consider swapping it back to cable.

Agemax, I did read your conversion and really liked the way you did the whole job, if I was looking to do a permanent conversion thats the one I would go for, I might still do it anyway..

 

[Agemax]

Agemax, I did read your conversion and really liked the way you did the whole job, if I was looking to do a permanent conversion thats the one I would go for, I might still do it anyway..

I have done another GS1000 conversion, using a Ducati slave cylinder. the whole thing fits under the stock engine cover (although it has to be highly modified, it all looks stock from the outside). I will post up some pics when i get chance.

 

[chris]

If clutch pull is near double that of the modern bike, I'd say something needs fix'in, something is wrong. No noticeable difference in my GS1100E & CB1100F cable operated & my newer Bandit, ZRX, & GSX1100G hydraulic operated. Just my opinion.

I know what you are saying. I have a new OEM cable, but I might have HD. springs, just can't remember because it was so long ago since I had the clutch apart. It is still much stiffer pull than my gsxr1100, which I don't consider modern. My wife's Kawasaki enr650, has about half the pull. It would be really cool to do a Bandit style conversion.