Clutch doesn't disengage?

[MK3Brent]

Hmm, thought so. It's definitely moving a lot.

One last thing I'll try before swapping the basket out, is get that piano wire off so I can get those last couple plates out.

Perhaps they're the ones sticking... the other plates have been cleaned, oiled, and re-installed properly.

[Flyboy]

Good call, thought you had done that, it does not take a whole lot to stick, one or two will do it.

[MK3Brent]

Good call, thought you had done that, it does not take a whole lot to stick, one or two will do it.

Yeah, sucks that threaded hole is stripped though.

I really appreciate everyone's help here.

Hope to have it fixed by the weekend... can't be but so many things.

[Flyboy]

Ya, it's not a complicated system, not much to go wrong in there.
Fiber plates connected to the crank, steels connected to the gearbox, like putting the whole pack in a vice and clamping hem together so they turn as a solid unit, transfering the force from the crank to the gearbox.
Pulling the clutch effectively is like opening the vice two or three turns, removing the clamping force so they spin individually, removing the driving force of the crank from the gearbox.

But you knew that already.

[MK3Brent]

Well, I learned there's only a steel friction plate, wave washer, and some kind of wave washer seat behind the piano wire.

The friction plate looked a little different from the others. Looked like it have a little more wear on it.

I'll mic them all in a minute and post the results.

[A-train]

Check your cable routing and free play, make sure you have free play and the cable is not partially applying tension to and riding the clutch.
The most common causes of a slipping clutch would be due to fair wear and tear, either the friction plates worn down beyond service limits, or the clutch springs have have lost their tension and no longer clamp the clutch pack together tightly enough, resulting in slip.
However, at 17k miles I doubt one of these would be the cause, unless the clutch has seen some serious abuse, so check the cable first.
Have you added any sort of low friction additive such as "Prolong" or "Slick 50" to your oil?
If so, that is in all probability your problem, drain the oil, junk the clutch plates for new ones and start again, and don't ever put that stuff in your bike.

Flyboy - I have no play in my clutch. I tried adjusting it out (more closed) where it meets the trans, but then it didn't shift right at all - wouldn't even go into neutral. Almost like the travel of the full pull isn't enough to fully disengage.

Thoughts?

[blowerbike]

bad cable/cable routed wrong with tight bends/after market clutch fibers/heavy duty springs and on and on.......
this will make you have to run zero free play for the bike not to pull when in gear and stopped and to shift correctly and can/will cause clutch slippage on a more powerful bike like yours.
can you verify the parts in your clutch as factory/stock?
most L model's end up with lower bars which makes the clutch cable way to long and you end up with tight bend's.
please post a picture of your bike if possible.

[MK3Brent]

Wouldn't that be easily ruled out by measuring the amount of travel at the pivot bolt? (Throw-out to the pressure plate.)

For example, even if the cable were too long (which mine pretty much is), as long as the pivot point is still rotating say 1/4 turn, there should be sufficient travel to release the clutch.

[blowerbike]

Wouldn't that be easily ruled out by measuring the amount of travel at the pivot bolt? (Throw-out to the pressure plate.)

For example, even if the cable were too long (which mine pretty much is), as long as the pivot point is still rotating say 1/4 turn, there should be sufficient travel to release the clutch.

sorry i was responding to A-train's post.

[MK3Brent]

So I measured all my drive plates I had, and checked my driven plates for warpage and was pretty surprised.

Even some of the good looking steel discs had some warping. I used a mirror to check, and while the burnt up ones had some issues, I had just as many clean looking ones.

With everything buttoned up, I started the bike and let it warm up and circulate the oil.

Holding the rear brake while on the center stand, I kicked it down into 1st and held the revs up and it was able slowly slip and become normal again.

A little more tension on the clutch cable, and it was even better.

I think the issue might be solved, so I'll have to get back at it tomorrow.

Will post results in case anyone else is searching for the same issue.

[JTGS850GL]

Good to hear that you've got it resolved.