1978 gs1000 clutch not engaging after rebuild

[Big T]

IMG_4540.jpg I feel like I’ve reached the point where it isn’t the cable and it’s something inside the clutch. I’m going to take the pressure plate off and make sure it’s all good. I used all Suzuki parts for the rebuild. Does anyone have a picture of how this part is supposed to be placed?

No picture, but the bearings face the base (T) of the clutch pull

[rphillips]

Clack and grinding noises don't sound good, and from what I've been around maybe not clutch. Just wondering, is there room for maybe the front, countershaft, sprocket to slip out enough to disengage, that could make a clunking grinding sound and act if in neutral. Those clutches are so simple, hard to do them wrong enough they won't engage at all.

[unfocused]

Did this ever get fixed?

I blow my clutch plates out often on my 1000 - I use cheap ones because of the weak clutch basket and my right wrist :-)

[Blue_magician]

There’s no grinding or clacking now after the rebuild. I’ll check the gear side of things then

[rphillips]

Checking the gear side? If you're taking the clutch cover off, the inner and outer clutch hubs should seem glued or locked together. If you can turn either at all, without the other turning the same amount, something in the clutch isn't right. If you have access to a center stand, this stuff would much easier to try to figure out.

[Blue_magician]

Checking the gear side? If you're taking the clutch cover off, the inner and outer clutch hubs should seem glued or locked together. If you can turn either at all, without the other turning the same amount, something in the clutch isn't right. If you have access to a center stand, this stuff would much easier to try to figure out.

I wish this bike still had its center stand, I have it on a motorcycle table lift. I’ll get a motorcycle jack stand for it tomorrow.
I feel like they were locked together. I remember putting the bike into first gear to torque down the friction plate or else the clutch would rotate, but in first gear the clutch was locked in place allowing me to torque the friction plate bolts. I used that clutch tool to torque down the clutch hub nut.

[Suzukian]

I have run tie down straps off of the rafters in my barn to get the bike hanging at a nice altitude so I don't have to bend over to fix it. Just get one end up, then the other. I used very high quality tie down straps. I had the front end off, and the front of the bike pointing to the ceiling, when I had to drill and tap, then Heli-Coil all the broken exhaust studs out.

[Blue_magician]

I got the rear tire off the ground yesterday, put it in first and from the resistance of the tire moving it’s in gear. So the bike goes in gear it must be a clutch issue

[Suzukian]

Not necessarily, it means that when the clutch is engaged, the gears aren't moving. When it's in Neutral, the rear wheel should spin, if the clutch is working properly, If you have a bad gear, then the clutch won't move.

If you took it apart, remove the spark plugs, you should be able to turn the whole thing over by spinning the clutch basket. That will tell you if the drive line is O.K.. You could put a wrench on the crank too, that will turn over the engine, and you should see the clutch basket move, and be able to shift through the gears.. I say to remove the spark plugs as that will make it much easier to spin. Once you can, or can't go through all the gears, then you will know where problem is. .

[Carter Turk]

I wonder if the gear pawl behind the clutch basket is aligned correctly or maybe the notches in the back of the clutch basket aren't properly engaged to oil pump drive gear.

[Blue_magician]

After going through the clutch again, the correct answer was 8 friction discs not 7.

[rphillips]

That's great, just glad the fix wasn't near as bad as finding what was wrong.

[steve murdoch]

Good to hear you got it sorted.
I regularly seem to be missing things not adding things when i am reassembling.