Sudden slack in clutch lever

[Circus]

2008 610, 9000 miles.

I commute daily on my 610. The other day I had to make a larger adjustment on the barrel adjuster at the lever due to a lot of slack. This larger amount of adjustment was not normal. Since then I have been taking out even more slack. This is a Motion Pro cable (4000 miles, 7 months old). Both ends of the cable look good. The clutch is currently not slipping.

I took a look at the clutch springs and plates and measured the thickness and they are in spec.

What might cause this (increasing) slack in the clutch lever? What should I check?

 

[RDTCU]

Could the inner cable sleeve be split or worn? Does the cable have a tight kink right at the clutch end?

 

[pvduke]

try a new cable to eliminate same from the equation? compare wire (long = stetch, liner/case splits) and housing lentghs (short = compression). if that dont do it check the lifter etc. index your adjuster w/ a paint dot, sharpie etc to make sure it aint razzing loose and spinning in.

dont lube them, when they get gritty, crappy, stiff- REPLACE them.

 

[Up-tite]

Check the adjuster on the motor end of the cable if it has one might have just come loose.
Later George

 

[Circus]

Gentlemen, thanks for your replies. Clutch is getting even more slack and almost out of barrel adjustment.

George, I checked the motor end of the cable -- it was tight. Here is a photo of that end -- can't see the bolts, but it's tight. I checked it this past weekend when changing my cam chain (this issue started prior to changing the cam chain).

The existing cable is from Motion Pro replaced 7 months and 4000 miles ago. The old, stock cable was frayed bad at the motor end (down to 2 strands). But my clutch never felt as slack as it does now. Do these cables fray from within the housing (as opposed to the ends)?

I will go ahead an order a new cable -- anything better than Motion Pro? In the meantime if it is not the cable what else could cause this? What pulls the clutch lever back to taught? The 6 clutch springs, the spring on the pivot arm next to the starter motor . . .?

 

[Up-tite]

Some cables have an adjustment on the other end of the rubber billows where the end of your screwdriver is. Check that if not possible internal adjustment.
With clutch cover removed look at the center of clutch if the screw is backing out this will cause too loose a cable. to adjust need to remove clutch pressure plate then can see locking plate for the adjustment on the inside.
Adjust it in so arm has 7-10 mm free play then adjust the cable.
Later George

 

[Circus]

George, thank you.

I have the adjustment (at the other end of the bellows by the screwdriver) nearly maxed out. And the lock nuts are tight.

Here are some pics of my clutch from this past weekend. (In the first photo I had already removed 3 of the fasteners). Which nut are you referring to? I don't have the tool to hold the clutch basket so I could not removed it.

 

[Up-tite]

Usually the screw is flush with the lock nut, looks like it's backed out usually flush with the lock nut. The slot in the pressure plate is used to jam the sleeve so lock nut can be loosened then tightened. While there just pull out the clutch push rod if the ends are mushed or dimples worn into them it's because to much preload(cable to tight). Don't forget the ball inside the sleeve. This can cause the adj screw to back out resulting in excessive play in the cable. If unattended it just drills a nice hole thru the clutch cover. Try to screw it in with nut flush with screw. Reassemble the clutch, Jam the sleeve and tighten the lock nut.
While your there grab the outer basket see if you can rock it if so order a new bronze bushing and replace it.
With cable installed and proper freeplay should be able to spin screw if not to much pre load or not enough slack in the cable.

Never adjust clutch cable to get more throw to find N it's just not there just do the tap dance on shifter before stopped if need N.
Later George

 

[Circus]

George, thank you a ton for your help thus far.

Here is a photo of the pushrod (both ends) -- they don't appear mushroomed:

The ball (it looked round and okay to me):

Here is the thrust bearing assembly close up. Do I jam that large groove in the shaft in the very center of the screen (not the groove on the far left end of the threaded shaft)? Do I line up that groove with the groove on the pressure plate?

I would guess I have adjusted the clutch lever barrel adjuster around 4-6 mm in the last 3 days. At the lever I am adjusting out 5-10 mm of slack at the ball lever end every day.

How do I get this lever out? I took the tension off the clutch cable, removed the long rod, and then pulled up on the lever below but it did not budge -- do I have to pull harder (use a tool)?

 

[RDTCU]

George, thank you a ton for your help thus far.
How do I get this lever out? I took the tension off the clutch cable, removed the long rod, and then pulled up on the lever below but it did not budge -- do I have to pull harder (use a tool)?

Try detaching the cable and swing the lever around 180deg.

 

[Circus]

Thanks to George and everyone else for your help.

I was able to adjust the screw and make it flush with the nut. In order to get enough of the jam nut and shaft to stick out from the pressure plate I had to first take off the pressure plate, remove the thrust bearing and washer, put the pressure plate back on, line up the shaft notch with the notch in the pressure plate and then jam with a 5mm allen wrench.

I then adjusted the jam nut flush with the adjuster screw and locked it (may 1-2 mm is all), put the thrust bearing and washer back in. Well this 1-2 mm takes a LOT of slack out of the clutch. I was not able to extract the actuator, so could not check it.

I thought perhaps I had it fixed. However, today, while riding, the clutch slack built up again very rapidly. I did a before and after measurement of the actuator relative to a fixed point on the bike. If the clutch cable was stretching then the actuator position would not have changed. However, in this case the actuator position changed about 6mm during the day's ride -- indicating the issue is not with the cable. What is causing this build up of slack I don't know.

I took the bike into the shop today and will let a pro fix it.

 

[phennliegh]

Just had my Motion-Pro clutch cable give out, less than a year old.
Big time fraying at the lever end, very lucky to make it home without completely failing.
I guess I will try the Barnett cable to see if it lasts longer.
Been riding since 1967 and never had a clutch cable failure before, other parts of the linkage have failed but never a cable.

 

[Circus]

Well, got my bike back from the dealer today (27 days later). Clutch actuator arm was the issue. You can see from the first picture that it is bent, and in the second photo you can see a crack. Mechanics at the shop had never seen this part bend and crack like this before. $93 for the part. They also replaced the bronze bushing while in there, and replaced the washers.

 

[Up-tite]

Called that one on our phone conversation.
Later George

 

[Motosportz]

Just had my Motion-Pro clutch cable give out, less than a year old.
Big time fraying at the lever end, very lucky to make it home without completely failing.
I guess I will try the Barnett cable to see if it lasts longer.
Been riding since 1967 and never had a clutch cable failure before, other parts of the linkage have failed but never a cable.

If your blowing through cables at the perch you need to correct the alignment that is allowing it to rub and ruin the cable or it will just keep happening.

 

[Circus]

George, yes you sure did. Thanks for all your help. I think there must be a special way to get that actuator arm off. I hope there is not a next time. Total bill for this work $400 (actuator, bushing, washers + $270 labor).

 

[LRPct]

Hey Circus.. Thanks for posting updates and your solution. Since I just replaced my snapped stock clutch cable at 13,000 miles, I too have been dealing with ever increasing clutch slack. Seems also more than normal, new cable wearing in/stretching. Seems I need to dig in and see if I find the same as you did. I surely can't afford a $400 fix, but a DIY 90 something $ fix would be doable.

George, Any tips on removing the actuator arm for a look see???

 

[Up-tite]

Remove clutch push rod. Remove cable pull it up and out, if it's not bent to badly should come out with reasonable tug.
Later George

 

[LRPct]

As always thanks George, and thanks for explaining over the phone as well.
Roger

 

[Circus]

One way you can tell if your issue is cable stretch vs. the actuator arm issue that I had, is to measure the position of the actuator arm relative to a fixed point. Then you can tell from one day to the next if the actuator arm is moving -- in my case bending. If the actuator arm has not moved, then your issue is the clutch cable.

If you have a 610, then you will need to rotate that actuator arm to a specific position to remove it. I did not know this at the time, but the mechanic told me about this. Unfortunately he did not show me, nor have I done it myself.