GS450L clutch cover ?

[Anonymous]

hi, im new and thi is my first post, i just got a nice clean 20,000 mile all original spotless 1980 GS 450L this is my first bike to ride and its been great in the only two days ive had it except clutch cable nsapped at the lever today, so...
im very mechanically inclined , but:

which screws do i need to remove on left side cover to get the clutch cable unhooked under there ?

do i need ot remove the big cover big phillips or the small tiny round two smaller phillips screws cover ?

then after that what will i see and what do i need to do to just replace the cable (inside the engine/tranny end)?


help ?

thanks !!

Randy

[Anonymous]

Get yourself a manual before you go diggin'. Clymers for the GS twins can be had on eBay for about $10.

[Anonymous]

man... you guys are no fun..

i dont have time for finding a manual, rest of summer would be over by that time...
it cant be that darn hard to replace the cable, we arent talking about a space shuttle here,
please just tell me what screws to remove and ill get them out one way or another. dont make me start taking out screws and guessing til i get down to the clutch cable end lol!

thanks !

[AOD]

there's 5 screws that hold the clutch/sprocket cover on. they are the 'big' ones you refered to...and may require an impact driver to get them out.

two up top, two on the bottom, and one towards the front. you might as well remove the three smaller screws holding the clutch adjustment on, since after you adjust change the cable, you'll want to readjust the clutch rod.

you may have to remove the shifter linkage (requires snap ring pliers or needle nose) to get the cover off...if you're good, you can slid it past the shifter with some finese.

~Adam

[Anonymous]

there's 5 screws that hold the clutch/sprocket cover on. they are the 'big' ones you refered to...and may require an impact driver to get them out.

two up top, two on the bottom, and one towards the front. you might as well remove the three smaller screws holding the clutch adjustment on, since after you adjust change the cable, you'll want to readjust the clutch rod.

you may have to remove the shifter linkage (requires snap ring pliers or needle nose) to get the cover off...if you're good, you can slid it past the shifter with some finese.

~Adam

i got it all removed before i saw your response, it was simple, yeah i went after an impact driver first, borrowed one froma local body shop, got all screws out easy as cake or pie with it and the smal round two screw cover is an adjustment cover of some kind and grease zerk too, what grease do i use to gbrease that, i take it thats the clutch shaft bearings, right ?
i wont mess with adjustment unless i had a manual unless someone here would explain how to check and or adjust, but it doest need it it worked fine before cable failure, it failed because cable ball end was not greased at all, i will grease next cable religiously

having real hard time finding a cable, no shops in this town except Stroker Valley Custom for harleys and he was a prick and no help at all didnt even know what to remove to get cable off. thats pretty sad to be that way- and they have built from scratch a custom harley that was in the mags last year i believe
its not my fault i cant afford a harley, i hope not all places are like he is !

i know harley riders are not stuck up like he is cuz i know several harley riders here and in macomb IL western university too, he does not know this however,
i will not reccommend stroker valley to anyone for anything now that i have talked to him personally

but anyways, GS series cover removal is toddler work, have to move foot peg though, and use 8mm to remove the two hex bolts, and then the #3 phillips driver bit to get the rest out

piece o' cake !

you guys shouldnt discourage mechanically inclined individuals liek me from doing repairs such at this, seriously..

Adam, where you at in this state, btw ?


thanks:d

[AOD]

i'm up near Chicago for the summer...kinda northwest suberb-area.

have you tried bikebandit.com? www.bikebandit.com

they should have the part number to get you a cable...if not i have a dealer in Wisconsin that has been good to me. they'll order parts and ship it to you after they get it. lastly, you can try a bike dealer that carries the Parts Unlimited book. PU will have your cable in it...

actually man...i have one in my trunk i think. let me check out its condition...maybe i can send it your way if you can't find anything else.

~Adam

[Anonymous]

i'm up near Chicago for the summer...kinda northwest suberb-area.

have you tried bikebandit.com? www.bikebandit.com

they should have the part number to get you a cable...if not i have a dealer in Wisconsin that has been good to me. they'll order parts and ship it to you after they get it. lastly, you can try a bike dealer that carries the Parts Unlimited book. PU will have your cable in it...

actually man...i have one in my trunk i think. let me check out its condition...maybe i can send it your way if you can't find anything else.

~Adam

cool, youre up north, ok,
hey if that cable you have is in good shape then lemme know how much and where to send postal money order, as i have no options here locally at all, and i wanna get this fixed asap.


i made a post about new cable just before seeing this, oops!
lol

thanks Adam

fastr68@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

you may want to put some low strength loc-tite on those screws, Mine backed out on me the a couple of weeks ago, thought I lost a cable.

[Anonymous]

ill probably use antiseize or find allen head metric bolts soemwhere maybe possibly if i can.

im havnig a hell of a time getting a cable i will have to drive and drive out of town to find one and then they still cant get me one til tuesday at earliest,

can anyone help ?

i hate living in IL, there is nothing here..

thanks

[AOD]

i doubt i could get you my cable any faster...

[Anonymous]

looks like im down for a week at minimum no matter what i come up with..

what kinda deal on the cable you have ? fit 80 gs450l for sure ?

thanks!

[Anonymous]

If I'm not mistaken, the grease nipple you found is for the plastic "screw" that pushes on the clutch rod when you pull the clutch lever... If I remember correctly... When you pull on the clutch lever, it withdraws the clutch cable, which rotates the linkage under the cover, which turns the plastic "screw", which pushes on the clutch rod, which disengages the clutch. If the "screw" isn't properly greased, you will feel the clutch stick.

Good luck!

Michael

P.S. General purpose grease seems to work well here.

[AOD]

the whole thing needs to be adjusted too, especially after chaning cables...or the clutch may slip or not full dissengage.

i dont want anything for the cable...its just sitting around. it is in used condition...but it should fit the 450 fine, i believe its from a 550 cover. there's a chance i could ship it out tomorrow if need be.

~Adam

[Anonymous]

thanks for explanations, thats cool,

Adam, how much i need ot send to make sure it makes it here then ?
im very interested.

my mail is fastr68@yahoo.com


can anyone tell or show me where to find out hwo to check adjustment of the clutch ? i see slot end of threaded shaft and a locknut in there next to the grease zerk

thanks

[AOD]

fast, email me at reinkster@hotmail.com - and we'll work out shipping. i have to send a package out tomorrow during lunch, so i can ship the cable to you.

as for clutch adjustment, its pretty easy. it goes like this:

install the new clutch cable, and tighten the screw on the clutch lever all the way in, and tighten the bolt adjusting the clutch cable on top of the clutch cover all the way down. make sure the lock nut on both the cover and the lever is tight. make sure the clutch cover is bolted up to the engine case tightly.

remove the three screws holding the clutch adjustment cover on if you haven't already. you'll see a locknut with a flat-blade screw in it. loosen the locknut and back the screw out a bit. now slowly tighten the screw until you feel some resistance from the clutch rod. loosen the screw about 1/2 turn then, and tighten the locknut making sure the screw DOES NOT MOVE.

now make adjustments in the clutch lever free play by tightening the clutch cable adjustment on the lever or on the top of the clutch cover. loosen the locknut, and adjust until you have about 2mm of free play in the clutch lever. tighten the lock nuts for both then.

now put the bike on its centerstand. clutch the bike a few times to make sure nothing is binding and it feels good. start the bike engine, clutch, and put the bike in gear. make sure the clutch is fully disengaging and that no power is being transmitted to the rear wheel. it may spin a little bit due to vibration, but if you put your foot on it the wheel should stop with the clutch engaged.

if its dragging, you have the clutch adjustment rod too tight...readjust.

~Adam