ES2 clutch problem

Previously wrote:

OOOOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST SPOTTED THAT YOU SAY YOU HAVE BOUGHT ALL NEW PARTS.....doh!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT: SUGGESTION 4) COULD STILL BE WORTH CHECKING!

Anyway, for someone with a clutch dragging problem, it could well be worth running through all the points and suggestions from 1-4 as I havemade above, so I might not have wasted my time after all.

Les

Thank you for your suggestions anyway Les. I've been through all you suggest but cannot say I have found anything truly amiss. There are two things I must check out which I haven't so far. One is the actual length of the clutch pushrod (i believe it should be 7 and 1/4" long) and two the clutch cush drive rubbers. The first could be shorter than standard so not giving me the correct lift while the second could be responsible for the jerky take off.

I just cannot identify the problem.

Regards,

Albert

Previously wrote:

Hi Albert. The length of the "laydown" gearbox clutch push rod should be 7 3/4" long! if your rod is 1/2" too short it will mean you will at the very extreme end of the clutch operating worm and this is very likely to give too short a push on the clutch end cover.

I note the early manuals suggest the steel inner plate which is the one behind the main driven clutch basket can become "roughened" so this seems to be a possible known fault that may well cause grabbing. perhaps you have not removed this as it requires the chain to be removed to remove the basket?

Another possibility (very small) is that your clutch lever is coming back to the bar too quickly because it has the wrong fulcrum pin distance but as the standard amount is the smaller 7/8" size this would be unlikely.

Just some more ideas though.

Les

Hi Les,

Many thanks for your reply, I will check out your first 2 suggestions. Regarding the last it's an interesting thought, as a matter of fact that's where I started from. I felt that the clutch lever was getting to the handle bar, as you say very quickly and I reasoned this was hampering lift. So I now have, if I remember correctly 1 1/16" fulcrums (luckily I have big hands!). This helped but not enough and I still had to run with all the slack taken out of the cable, to stop the drag.

Would you know the standard length of the bolts that hold the clutch springs down? Mine have be replaced and don't look original at all, so I cannot tell if the springs are coil bound on full lift !

You are right, I have not removed the primary chain, but will do so this evening and will have a good look at the plate you mention. I will also check the pushrod length against the dimension you have given, I am nearly sure mine is shorter.

I thank you for your helpfull suggestions I'm keeping my fingers crossed they work cause this clutch malfunction has really robbed me of the pleasure of riding this otherwise excellent motorcycle.

Albert

Previously wrote:

Hi.

I previously posted this in reply to someone who had the same problem with a 'doll's head' gearbox. As there's not a lot of difference internally between these and the lay-down box soit may help.

It could be that youhave too much play in your mainshaft. On the upright (doll's head) gear boxes the end-float should be 1/32nd of an inch. On Manx upright gearboxes the mainshaft play is 8 to 10thou. This is adjusted by fitting shims (~13 thou) behind the clutch worm nut. These push the mainshaft bearing inwards so taking up any play.

The usual cause of excessive end float is wear of the bronze thrust washer between the 3rd & 4th gear. In addition to this there is a hardened steel washer between the bronze washer and the rollers in the 4th gear. The grooved side of the thrust washer goes against this. Also, there should be large pen steel washers either side of the large sleeve (4th) gear bearing (to cut down on oil leakage apparently). These are a pain and always seem to break up. There should also be a dished steel washer between the small 1st gear and its bearing â concave side to the bearing.

Hope this is of use.

Ian.

Hi Ian,

Yes I came across your earlier post while I was looking through the earlier posts in a bid to find possible answers to my problem. Endfloat was the first thing I checked when I got the bike but cannot report having found any there.

Its an odd problem which seems to stem from lack of lift. I've checked all the normal things we check with clutches but to no avail. I am now nearly sure it must be the pushrod that's a wee too short but anyway have decided to take the cluch off completely and check everything through.

Many thanks for your help,

Albert

Previously wrote:

Hello!

If you going from original plates with cork to the new glue type you have to reduce the number of plates

GÃ?ran

Many thanks Goran for the suggestion but the problem was with the pushrod being 1/8" too short.

best regards,

Albert

Previously wrote:

Hi Albert. The length of the "laydown" gearbox clutch push rod should be 7 3/4" long! if your rod is 1/2" too short it will mean you will at the very extreme end of the clutch operating worm and this is very likely to give too short a push on the clutch end cover.

I note the early manuals suggest the steel inner plate which is the one behind the main driven clutch basket can become "roughened" so this seems to be a possible known fault that may well cause grabbing. perhaps you have not removed this as it requires the chain to be removed to remove the basket?

Another possibility (very small) is that your clutch lever is coming back to the bar too quickly because it has the wrong fulcrum pin distance but as the standard amount is the smaller 7/8" size this would be unlikely.

Just some more ideas though.

Les

Hi Les,

The problem was the pushrod. I pulled it out and measured it. It was just 1/8" too short. I have made a new pushrod out of some silver steel (heat hardened the ends) shoved it in and the clutch now works a treat.

Many thanks for the pointer.

Albert