81 450t clutch rod dilemma

[Guest]

My loose chain popped off while i was riding up a nasty gravel road. The chain bound up around the front sproket and bent my clutch rod. I am in the process of repairing it but the clutch rod is supossed to slide out from the right side of the bike, but it is bent on the left side so i cant pull it out like the manual says. I have been trying to cut it with a dremel type thing, but the steel of the clutch rod seems to be very hard, is there a better option? Is there a way to take it out the other end? Or could i take my clutch apart further to take it out through the right side?

[pete]

Sounds like you have the original one piece clutch pushrod... ouch! I've never seen one to know if there's a way to take it out from the left or not, can't help you much unfortunately but it will be hardened steel so cutting it off is going to be a bit of a nightmare.

What I can recommend though is once you get it out, replace it with the newer two piece pushrod. The left side is the short side so if it gets bent like that again you pull it out and replace it, no need to disturb the clutch.

[Cmiller]

Do you think its safe to try and heat it with a torch to ruin the temper on the steel and soften it up?

[Nessism]

A dremel cutoff wheel will cut through the rod easily. Get the fiberglass reinforced type cutoff wheel, not those cheesy stone wheels that come with the dremel kit. Those shatter at a moment's notice.

[pete]

Good to know Ed!