Refitting Clutch Cover

[Froudster]

Is there a knack to re-fitting the clutch cover on a 1978 GS1000E and getting the rack and pinion for the clutch actuation mechanism in the right position? I did mine earlier for the first time since owning the bike and it was a right pig to do.
I removed the lever from the spline and took the cover off to polish it. When I refitted it it took 3 attempts to get it right and even then I had to adjust the cable to get it working correctly. I assumed that as I didn't slacken the cable when I removed it that it was just a case of refitting the lever onto the spline in the same position and it would work the same as when I took it off.......But no
I don't intend to remove it again until I have to, but any advice would be useful for future reference.

Thanks

[82Shafty]

I chipped a tooth on my rack the first time I ever went to re-install the cover. After that I learned to turn the pinion as I started the cover. Once tooth mating has commenced, it's a walk in the park from there.

[hampshirehog]

As long as you line everything up it should just slot in nicely.

[Froudster]

Thanks Shafty. Thats how I did it in the end. I held the rack out with a screwdriver and "wound" the cover on.

[psyguy]

Thanks Shafty. Thats how I did it in the end. I held the rack out with a screwdriver and "wound" the cover on.

yup, thats the way to do it, but its not that obvious at first, it wasnt for me anyway
so you shouldnt have any probs next time, if you happen to have to take it off again

[Froudster]

Thanks for the advice guys
It's now 05.30 and I'm off to the workshop to finish off a few jobs ie. Clean and re-fit the exhaust system, remove the front forks, change the fork oil and polish the lowers on them and a few other bit's n bob's