How to get a good friction point on the clutch on a 80 GS750E

[pnedac]

As promised here is the link to the video I made to try and show what the problem is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhZZ8vt6tH8

If anyone knows where to go from this point I would surely appreciate it. I am even open to insults if it gets the job done. I am so close with this build, but this is my big hangup.

Thanks again for the support

Pnedac

[gearhead13]

Clutch plates sometimes stick together, baskets get grooves worn in them. Sometimes when my bike has been sitting for a while, I start it in neutral, pull in the clutch, click it into first and the engine dies. I restart it, and do it again and the engine doesnt die.
Try turning the real wheel with more than your toe.

[pnedac]

Thanks for the tip. I did try that tonight to no avail. I think this bike was last running (roadworthy) only about 5 years ago. I can't confirm that for sure, but the PO mentioned that it had been 3 or 4 yrs since they last were using it. Everything on this bike has mostly been in pretty okay shape. Anyway I did make an appt for Saturday to take it to the shop if I can't figure it out before then.

Thanks again

[chuck hahn]

I agree on the grooves where the plates mesh with the basket. Had an 1100 that had the same problem. Switched baskets and problem gone.

[GateKeeper]

Take the bike off the stand, sit on it, put in gear, pull in clutch, can you move the bike ?

.

[pnedac]

I have tried sitting on the bike and taking it off the stand and pushing it into/out of gear in both 1st and 2nd from neutral to no avail. I think I like this groove in the basket idea and that is going to become my next plan of action. I think I can just put the bike on the kickstand and get in there without draining the oil right? Not the end of the world of course, but it would be a shame to waste the oil. I think it just needs some good lean on it to be able ot get in.

Thanks again for helping me work through this. I would be lost without this forum I swear.

Cheers

[GateKeeper]

put a clean container under the bike to catch what will come out and you can reuse it once you put it all back together.

My question was more like this, if the bike is on the ground, and it's in gear, say first, and you pull in the clutch cable, will the bike roll forward as you try to push it with your feet, or is the rear tire locked up ? and the bike will not move, until you select neutral with the gear lever

the other thing, is if it's in first gear, clutch pulled in, and you hit the starter button, does the engine turn over and start, or does the whole bike lunge forward, or at least try to move forward ?

.

[Agemax]

you could try putting the front wheel against a wall, then try starting it with the bike in gear and clutch pulled or put it in gear while the engine is running.do not rev it!

if it is the clutch plates stuck, the shock of doing this should free them up.

if this also fails then i think you really need to pull it apart and have a look

[pnedac]

Thank you for that tip Gatekeeper. I will try and reuse what I can. Also, when I sit on the bike and I put it in first with the clutch lever pulled the bike DOES move forward, but it doesn't want to. In other words I would say that the wheel is locked up. When I mean it moves forward I mean it only moves a little bit and that is because I am pushing it pretty hard.

I think at this point it can't hurt to pull it apart and at least have a look. Maybe it is something glaring (hopefully).

@Agemax, I did try that too and the bike definitley lurches forward even with the clutch lever pulled in. It lurched forwards and dies.

I WILL get this resolved and it WILL work properly once again. You have my word on that. I can't thank you enough.

Next step: Pull it apart. It is officially party time!

[GateKeeper]

Yup, something is wrong for sure.....you should be able to pull in clutch, no matter what gear your in, and you should be able to start the bike....need to be able to do this in case you stall the bike, and need to get going fast, pull clutch lever, hit start button, and release lever to get you going....one should not have to try and find neutral to get bike going....especially say at an intersection...


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[chuck hahn]

I am with the other guys...something inside the basket is snagging and not letting it disengage fully.

Be sure the basket is fully seated back against the oil pump and the connector pin back there is sitting inside the allowed space. Look at the inside edges of the basket that recieve the plates and fibers for ridges worn in them from the edges of the plates. Look at a parts fiche and be sure the big washers ( spacers ) are in the right order as well.

http://www.bikebandit.com/1980-suzuki-gs750e/o/m21462#sch261637

[pnedac]

Alright I might be getting somewhere here. I have taken the clutch apart and I do detect that there might be some ridges digging into the basket.

Now, it is subtle, but there are ridges. You can see all along the inside where the plates go that there are marks, but the outside ones are a little deeper.

I took a dental tool and ran it along the inside between the ridges and some of them were deep enough to just barely grab the tool. Mainly right toward the outer edge of that basket. I'd say about the first four slots were a little deeper; the further back I go it becomes more and more smooth.

To be as specific as possible the parts fiche listed it as number 5 (Hub, clutch sleeve)

Otherwise everything looks to be in order and the parts were in fact put in correctly.

Next, if that is the part that needs replacing how in the heck does one go about getting it off as it spins freely? Put it in gear?

Hopefully this amounts to progress!

Thoughts?

[pnedac]

Pictures help!

[chuck hahn]

The grooves we are talking about will be on the outer basket ring..take a look in along the sides of the raised parts of the aluminum that the tabs for the plates and steels to slip in to. And put the steels and plates back in starting with a fiber..then a plate.


Also lay the steels on a perfectly flat piece of steel of glass and observe if they are warped. look for wear marks and/or bluing of the metal.

[gearhead13]

So, does the wheel turn freely with the plates out?
To take it apart, bend the tab off the nut, stand on the rear brake and use a breaker bar. Some coarse sandpaper or small file will knock down the sharp edges where the plates make contact with the basket.