Another Clutch Question

[landisr]

Ok, what am I doing wrong? The clutch cable on my '76 LTD broke late last year. So I purchased one from Motion Pro. I was very diligent about the routing, which was verified as correct by the shop that was recommended by D & D here in Phoenix since they quit working on them. They (Eastside Performance Motorcycles) rebuilt my carbs and properly adjusted the clutch & cable. Shortly after I got the bike home, something made a loud snap and the clutch acted like the cable broke. So I had it delivered back to Eastside to have it fixed again. They said it wasn't adjusted right (?!) and the actuator arm traveled 'past center'. They adjusted it again and I brought home. A week or so ago later I rode it 2 miles to the bank, and when leaving to return home it 'snapped' AGAIN. I pushed it home and let it sit..... Finally, I spent the better part of yesterday removing the rear wheel to re-do it again, following the owner's manual to the letter. Put it all back together and it felt great. I just went out to go for a short shakedown ride, and you guessed it... SNAP. I swear this beautiful bike is going to be a parts bike yet...

Any ideas? Thanks.

Ron in AZ

[Rambozo]

Sounds like time to take the actuator apart and check for excessive wear.
How much free play did you have it setup with?
Is the lever stock?

[landisr]

Hi back. The lever has a black rubber cap or coating on the end which I believe was stock. It worked fine for the 6,000-odd miles I put on it before the cable broke plus untold years and miles before I bought the bike from the original owner.

1) I ran the adjuster at the top all the way in.
2) I then ran the adjuster at the bottom all the way in/down and made sure the outer cable housing was fully seated in the adjuster.
3) I then loosened the lock nut on the adjuster screw, backed the screw out until it was good and free (about a full turn), turned it in until I felt resistance, backed it out 3/4 of a turn and tightened the lock nut.
4) Then I backed the lower adjuster on the cable out until I had 5/8" of free play at the end of the handlebar lever.
5) I did not have to back out the adjuster at the lever at all. It felt good.

BTW, when adjusting the cable adjuster at the bottom in step 4 I had to back it out a LOT. More than I expected to. Is the actuator arm supposed to be loose when the lock nut is loosened for adjustment?

[joecoolsuncle]

never ever saw a motion pro cable break. i would suspect quality has gone down hill.

[landisr]

I may have not stated 'my case' well enough. For all I know the cable that first broke may very well have been the original. And since that break I have only been dealing with a Motion Pro cable, which is still intact.

[DenverWinger]

If I remember how my old GL1000 went together I'm thinking the Adjuster on the back of the clutch case is not tight enough. Back off on the adjustment for the cable, then tighten the clutch lifter in the clutch cover as in photo.

You are probably pulling the clutch lever on the engine far enough that it reaches maximum release and the roller balls inside are jumping to the next detent.

[landisr]

Roger that. That's exactly what I did.

[FM-USA]

Had this happen on my '65 Triumph Trophy. . . eeesh, 1/2 century ago.
Found the cable's barrel wasn't pivoting in the lever. Constant cable bending at the barrel it snapped.

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[joecoolsuncle]

Had this happen on my '65 Triumph Trophy. . . eeesh, 1/2 century ago.
Found the cable's barrel wasn't pivoting in the lever. Constant cable bending at the barrel it snapped.

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are you sure it wasnt burned in half by the zener diode?

[Pipesmoke]

Like Joecoolsuncle, I too think it's the barrel not rotating in the clutch handle. There wasn't a bike that left the shop that I didn't take both the brake and clutch lever off to lube the pivot points with simple wheel bearing grease. With the clutch lever, pack the barrel cavity B4 the cable gets installed and where the cable follows the groove of the lever then the adjuster, while the cable is off put some dry lube or molly lubricant down it, even if it's new. Wipe off the excess grease. Pull the lever while looking underneath, make sure that cable end is pivoting. Now, concerning that dad-gum stiff side stand..... Cheers

[collinsa]

Laid up with broken ankle from dirt road fall and have a lot of time to watch YouTube.
An adventure biker had the same problem and it turned out to be the clutch itself that was not functioning properly and overloading the cable causing multiple cables to break.