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Super hard clutch lever!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flaming Chainsaws
  • Start date Start date
F

Flaming Chainsaws

Guest
I recently replaced my clutch cable with a brand new one and did a little bit of work to the clutch (tightened gigantic nut). Now it is VERY hard to pull the clutch lever. I can do it but it takes so much energy to do so.

Before I did anything, it was working great. What could be the problem? Maybe I tightened the clutch springs too much? I don't have a torque wrench. :o

The bike is a 1983 GS1100E with a 1982 GS1100E engine if that matters.
 
I think the springs can only be so tight and the rest is torquing the bolts so they do not back out.

Did you follow the manual's procedure for adjusting the cable? Didja lube it while you had it all apart. ( to continue the oddly perverse nomenclature so far used. )
 
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Clutch springs aren't anything but snug tight. Feel the bolt bottom out and that's it.
See if your clutch cable has an unusual bend in it or you put the arm on the clutch cover on at the wrong angle.
 
Check the inside surface of your clutch basket, where the plates 'ride'. The plates had 'dug in' to soft aluminum basket of mine, and when we went to adjust it, it was damned near impossible to engage it. Swapped it out with a newer basket with a smoother interior surface and that fixed it.
 
I have tried adjusting the bolt where it goes into the clutch perch. I have learned that that only controls where the clutch engages/disengages. I tried adjusting at the arm on the clutch lever as well. But it only got even harder. :confused:

My clutch basket is in superb condition. This is the only picture I have but you can kind of see where the clutch plates were. NO GROOVES! :dancing:
DSCN4365.jpg


I will need to check the clutch springs again. So I only tighten it until it's snug?

Does anyone know how the clutch cable should be routed? Oh wait, I can look at the manual I downloaded from BassCliff's site....
 
Pic does not show the full basket. Are the splines in the clutch basket smooth all the way in?

If so then that is not an issue. Mine had a lightly polished mark at the point each plate is shouldered but no wear.
 
JEEPRUSTY said:
Pic does not show the full basket. Are the splines in the clutch basket smooth all the way in?

If so then that is not an issue. Mine had a lightly polished mark at the point each plate is shouldered but no wear.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's not the best picture but that's all I had on file. I will take another picture when I get back into the clutch. But there are no grooves that I remember.
 
Ugh... Someone rated my thread with a 1 star. Seems to be happening a lot lately. :( Is it something I said?

Anyways, I rerouted the clutch cable according to the factory manual and it's still hard. I don't get it? Maybe my new clutch cable is junk...
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
Ugh... Someone rated my thread with a 1 star. Seems to be happening a lot lately. :( Is it something I said?

Anyways, I rerouted the clutch cable according to the factory manual and it's still hard. I don't get it? Maybe my new clutch cable is junk...
Click to expand...

I gave you 5 starts to offset :twistedevil:
 
78gs1000 said:
I gave you 5 starts to offset :twistedevil:
Click to expand...
Ha! lol

But really. A lot of my threads have been getting one stars. Including the GSR patches, my build thread, and more. Someone obviously doesn't like me. :( Whoever you are, if you have something to say, PM me or something. No sense in rating my threads with a one star.

Anyways, this bike would be near impossible to ride with the stiff clutch lever. I'd end up killing it at every stop. :rolleyes: Or maybe a wheelie! :eek:

So tomorrow, I'll pull off the clutch cable and check for damage, although it's brand new......
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
Ha! lol

But really. A lot of my threads have been getting one stars. Including the GSR patches, my build thread, and more. Someone obviously doesn't like me. :( Whoever you are, if you have something to say, PM me or something.......
Click to expand...

Maybe they don't like homosexual chainsaws?
They had to remove the tag feature on another board I frequent, due to build threads getting tagged "bootyfab" pretty sure it was done in jest, but some other members got quite upset.

Please post up if you figure this out, my hand starts to cramp if I hold the clutch in too much
 
I have the same problem but on a 550 ... Wondered if the PO put harder springs in...
 
I have the same issue on my 750, once i switched the cable (old on snapped) it became really hard to pull, much harder than my brake lever lol. i went thru everything and found nothing, that would help. its been like that for a bit over a year now and i havent wheeled or stalled due to it, you just build up the strength needed as you ride more. although i do get cramps while in traffic.
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
Ha! lol

But really. A lot of my threads have been getting one stars. Including the GSR patches, my build thread, and more. Someone obviously doesn't like me. :( Whoever you are, if you have something to say, PM me or something. No sense in rating my threads with a one star.

Anyways, this bike would be near impossible to ride with the stiff clutch lever. I'd end up killing it at every stop. :rolleyes: Or maybe a wheelie! :eek:

So tomorrow, I'll pull off the clutch cable and check for damage, although it's brand new......
Click to expand...

This Is silly if the system is to have any merit ( which it never can ) then the person being rated has no right to complain.

I want my star back.
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
Ha! lol

But really. A lot of my threads have been getting one stars. Including the GSR patches, my build thread, and more. Someone obviously doesn't like me. :( Whoever you are, if you have something to say, PM me or something. No sense in rating my threads with a one star.

.....
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it FC, I never get any stars so obviously noone likes me at all.:confused:
 
The clutch lever is getting easier to pull in after doing it like 20 times everyday. :rolleyes: Maybe I should try lubing it?
 
Through all of this have you followed the factory adjustment procedure for the cable and engagement mechanism?
 
Did this "hard pull" just start when you swapped the clutch cable?

So, it was easier before?

How much you tighten the clutch springs has no effect on how hard the clutch pull is.

Any new springs installed?
 
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