Clutch creep....

Previously richard_payne wrote:

My 16H with 'Dollshead' certainly has a ball there.

Which levers / pivots do you have fitted ? My understanding / experience is that it's pretty important to have pivots at 1 1/8" centres in order to obtain sufficient lift.

Are your linings period Ferodo or have they been replaced with corks ? The Ferodo inserts are an improvement but they can become loose in the drum.

There are plenty of alternative modern solutions for the plates and some specialists offer the bonding of friction material to the drum (an option is a later style clutch with bonded back plate).

If in good condition and well set up, it should be a nice light clutch allowing you to happily paddle the bike backwards with machine in gear and clutch disengaged.

Thanks Richard, the clutchlever pivot is 11/8", plates are all new ferodo, bought from the club spares dept, basket has ferodo inserts. It has improved slightly as I run it but I can't help thinking the ball is the right way to mate the rod and mushroom; one being static the other revolving... I'll rebuild it in morning. It's down now after collecting a puncture in the 20" rear from what looks like debris inside the rim from a tyre mounting machine shaving a slither of steel off the rim ð?.

Previously anthony_williams wrote:

Previously jonathan_newton wrote:

As soon as some temperature comes into my machine the clutch starts to drag and am unable to clear a gear. It's a 37 close ratio non kickstart dolls head box. My question is.... Do they have a ball bearing between the "Mushroom"and transfer rod? I'm thinking I may be short on overall length and not getting the best mechanical advantage from the actuating arm. Help, I am ok bump starting ðit's the Fred Flintstone stop that's bugging me ð?....

cheers

Jon

i have a single with the same gearbox the standard clutch was ok but not pertect.but for a 1940,s bike was ok and i,ve done thousands of miles on it.///then four years ago i fitted a [bob newby]belt drive and have never touched it since.also no oil in the case.

i now have a belt on my dommie.///its now better in traffic.but there is a cost.i think its worth it.

Thanks Anthony, I ran a newly belt and six spring clutch on my last bike; as you say faultless. It's a solution I'll keep in mind once I get this one up to spec. It's a bit tired with a few areas needing attention, especially in the handling department. Thanks for info, as I responded to Richard the ball seems to be missing, that may well get things back in spec..

Cheers

Jon

Previously stuart_munroe wrote:

Jonathan - did the ball bearing sort the problem? I have a Norvil belt conversion and suffer exactly the same problem.

Stuart, I inserted the ball andreadjustedcabletosuit. Theproblemwas still therebutafterspeaking with afew othersthe remedy wassimpleonce thecausehadbeendetermined... The old adage of onething at a time.

I replaced the clutchplates as the existing wereprettymuch gluedup with yearsof oil and cork and generaldebris. That doneI alsodecided to change the handlebar gripsastheywerethe oldfinnedplastic typesthat had gone hard (thismachinehasbeen stood40years). Curiouswhythe finswere worn away orremoved on theleadingedge. So I bought some nice thick antivibejobstoadd somecomfort to the experience andbang there was the issue. Ihadlost enoughmovement in the clutchlever to causemyset up problem. Quick cure wasashimbetween the bar and lever bracketto movetheleveraway, thenaslight tweak on theleverenditself to increase the pull,now it works. I thinkthecombination of afullbasket of newplates,thechangein handlebar rubber and too little attention to how well it wasset up before I messedwith itgave me the issue. But with abumpstart machineeithercondition,slip ordrag isa nightmare.

Now I'mrolling again,tubereplacedandworking on unwieldy suspension. How someonecanpedal oneof theseto a 90MPHlap before thewar is beyond me! 90 in astraightline ishairy at present,lets hope I can improve it...

Cheers

Jon

Thanks David, your right the basket was pretty gummed up but I also had the steel band off and scrubbed up. It's running on Manx square section springs which help with a parallel lift and plenty of pounds to overcome any binding. It works ok with the lever mods mentioned. I think an accumulation of all the mentioned above contributed to the "grey haired breathless old guy dangling from the bars of that old bike again mommy!"

cheers

Jon

Previously john_davies wrote:

Can someone tell me what the purpose of the steel band is? I don't have one on my '36 ES2 clutch but the clutch works fine.

John

Essentially to keep oil off thegrippy bits.... The oil is primarily for thechain theclutch worksfinewithout as per Manxopen casesetup.... but too much oil sloshingaround on theplatesandyou canget someslip...That's if you cankeep the stuff in there....