Clutch adjustment questions

[buddy rawls]

I am in the process of adjusting the clutch.  the bike is running and very ridable.  However, I cannot figure out the adjustment technique.  the Bridgestone data simply tells you how to adjust (the mechanics of the operation, but no target values like freeplay, etc.  The CLymers book gives some dimensions and settings to shoot for, but they are counter productive.  On my bike, when these are set close to this requirment, there is not enough slack in the cable assembly and adjustmnet to produce an acceptable amount of freeplay.

For example if you set the clutch bolt depth to just touch the throw-out ball and cover plate, the arm is not where it needs to be for for proper operation and dimensions between the spring mounting pin and arm are pretty far off.  If you rotate the adjustment screw to rotate the arm clockwise, the clutch bolt depth is then not adjusted per spec, and the clutch is very high and begans engaging instantly (no freeplay, and possibly even partially released at idle and drive)

Right now, the bike drives fine.  the N-1-2-3-4-N  works fine.  However, the N-4 action grinds pretty hard.  That is typiaclly a sign of the clutch not separating the gear train from the motor rpm sufficiently to permit the change over. Atleast it is car drivetrains, that I have worked for many years.  It has been doing this for a little while.  This is the reason for the want/need to adjust it.  Also, still messing with the neutral light.  My son does not have a proper feel on the clutch, and sometimes even I struggle to find where I am a little bit when the light does not come on.

Also, when checking on the clutch, I saw the clutch bolt screw driver slot was damaged.  So I brought the end back flush and recut a new slot.  It used up some of the thread region, but should still provide ample adjustability.  And it still working.

So, what is the acceptable accpetable method?  becuase shooting for requirments in CLymers is counterprooductive.  One adjustment cancels the other.

Intuition tells me adjust the bolt to just touch the clutch assembly (ball contact), then simply get the cable and arm as good as possible.  How do you guys do it?

Or possibly is my trouble maybe indicating the plates are worn nearly to the extent of their life?  and if that being the case, I just get it as good as I can and drive it.

[1966BS175]

Buddy. What BS are you working on?

[buddy rawls]

sorry about that.  it's a  '65 Sport 90 non-injected

[reed]

buddy rawls
Back off all the adjustment on both sides of the cable.
Then loosen the clutch adjusting screw lock nut, and
turn the clutch adjusting screw in until it touches the
thrust plate bearing.Then back off the adjusting screw
out counterclockwise about a 1/4 of a turn then in that
position lock the nut.Then check your free play on the
Clutch lever  you need about 2 or 3mm of play.
If you need to adjust start at the bottom of the cable
First and then adjust at the top of the cable last.
Thanks.
Steve. 

[buddy rawls]

So, the part adjustment shown in the Clymer manual is not necessarily correct then.

http://bridgestonemotorcycleparts.com/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=2

I need to clarify my comments:  Clutch "arm" is at the clutch assembly.  Clutch "lever" is on the handlebar.

Clymer has you adjust freeplay and clutch arm position both, and that is impossible, becuase freeplay and arm position are completely related to the same adjustment.  My problem is in the 1.25" distance between the arm and spring anchor.  There is no way I can achieve this AND the proper freeplay on the clutch plate.

Next, my cable does not have enough travel (cable length versus cable housing/sheathe) to acheive the 1.25", even with the cable adjuster fully bottom out.

The 1.25 assures the cable action is fully seen by the clutch engagement gear, in other words the cable action to the release lever is as close to tangent as possible (giving the utmost travel possible.

My set-up adjusts the best when the lever arm is just below horizontal, which puts that spacing dictated by the CLymer manual around 1.5" or possibly even a touch wider.

SO, with all that being said, it sounds like I need to ditch the 1.25" measuremtn attempt, and simply achieve the proper spacing on the clutchplate (touch and 1/4 turn back), lock it down, regardless of where the clutch arm is positioned, then adjust the clutch cable/hand lever to its correct freeplay. This is pretty much what I have done currently, but I will perfect it this morning.  

My whole issue with this stuff is that the clutch was working, just a little rough engaging on the n-4 change (which happens when you mistakingly pass 4th to N, and have to go backwards to find 4th again.

This whole exercise is because I was suspecting there could be a little more adjustment left after wear has occurred.  Using the Clymer manual has not been helpful in this particular instance, speciafically the 1.25" clutch arm distance.  My set-up, in the state or wear that it is in, just cant achieve it.  And my cabling doesn't seem to achieve it either!  Which leads me to belive something on the bike is wrong, but I honestly think everything is 100% stock on it.

[reed]

buddy rawls
I am in the shop today give me a call i am one of these people it easier to talk than type!
The clutch adjustment is the same for most models.
Many Thanks.
Steve.

[buddy rawls]

Thanks for the contact info.  I went out this afternoon to really understand how it functions and I got it figured out.  

My problem and the reasoning for it, was I was under the impression that all of the adjustment was performed by the clutch adjusting screw.  Its not.  So what I did was, back out the adjusting screw, then adjust the clutch lever angle to be perfect to my maximum cable free length.  It wasn't 1.25" (per clymers) but it is ok.  At that point, I turned the adjusting screw in till it contacted, and backed off 1/4 turn and tightened the locknut.  Then I performed fine tuning of the cable length (which did not effect the lever position, because I had freeplay.  So,  now I am good, and it works like a charm.

The problem was in reading into the process that the adjustment screw is used to position the lever arm.  Its not. It is only used to set the clutch assy gap/freeplay.  Just like on a car.  the cable adjustment is to tune the lever engagement.  Had this been clarified in the Bridgestone as well as the clymers manuals, I would have been ok from the start.

Once I really got into it and saw how it worked, it was not an issue.  thanks for the offer.  I am sure I will be contacting you at some point. 

[reed]

buddy rawls
Glad that you have the job done on the clutch adjustment!
Thanks.
Steve.