89 clutch issues tried the regular fixes. Now what?

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Fletch
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89 clutch issues tried the regular fixes. Now what?

Post by Fletch »

I'm having this haunting issue with my new to me 89 clutch.
It doesn't dissengage fully, in fact it barely lets me go forward without revving the heck out of the engine then leaps forward when I shove it into first.
This sounds like sticking clutches, but I soaked them all in trans fluid,
SOunds like buggered basket but I filed down the high spots.

I'm thinking it's my lever or my actuator. When I turn the actuator with a wrench more than the clutch lever pulls it engages the clutch and I can shift just fine. I have adjusted the cable slack to spec or tighter, and have welded and reground the actuator and pin to a tighter tollerance to no avail. I think I have an aftermarket lever on there, is it possible it isn't pulling enough, I'll take some pics.
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii18 ... G_1152.jpg
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii18 ... G_1153.jpg
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii18 ... G_1154.jpg
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii18 ... G_1155.jpg

It is teaching me to be a smoother rider though......
Fletch
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rbates9
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Post by rbates9 »

Looks like the push rod is not shimmed correctly. Do you have any washers on the push rod in the center of the clutch? If so how many?
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Post by Fletch »

Yes I have one and I have built up the rest of the pushrod with weld and ground it to take up the rest of the slack in the shaft/pushrod. There is space between them when the clutch is released but not much at all.
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Post by SS109 »

There should be no space at all. Are you missing the large flat washer under the basket?
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Fletch
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Post by Fletch »

as in between the back of the basket and the case? it's there. and so is the one inside the basket.
Does the amount of lever movement seem like it's enough?
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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

Cable does not even appear to be tight in this picture

Not sure that jerry-rig is gonna work very well

Image

This is more like what it should look like

Image

Are you adjusting it it here first?

Image[/img]
Last edited by Mr. Wibbens on 02:50 pm May 19 2011, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Fletch »

There and on the lever itself. How tight is that cable suposed to be? The lever has about 2mm of freeplay before the actuator moves.
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Post by Julien D »

The actuating arm is at rest in the wrong place. Welding up the rod was probably a bad idea. The rig job for cable holder looks ok, but you need to be able to adjust from there as well.
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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

On my KDX, I've never been able to have any free play at the lever whatsoever and have the clutch not slip
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Post by Fletch »

maybe my basket is still buggered, I'll take it for a good ride and see if it smarten's up
Wibbens, I did tighten the freeplay all up and did have slipping issues so I'll bet that I'm at my limit there. I did that just so I could get the clutch to dissengage.
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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

Probably has more to do with your cable set up than anything
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Post by Fletch »

Ok so some progress, I welded and ground a ramped profile into the actuator which is normally flat and have made a decent improvement. I think I have to go a little more to get it just right. Basically what this is doing is pushing the actuator pin more than stock. The actuator was welded like this when I got the bike and when I tried to make it look stock again I guess I buggered that profile up.
I can still stall the bike with the clutch engaged but it's much easier to keep it running with a little throttle. so i'm on my way.
I also have a new clutch cable coming this weekend.

Side note: I am looking for a good used clutch basket, and I will get a new actuator and pin when that happens, so this is a band aid fix for now.
Are all the baskets 89-06 the same?
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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

89-94
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Post by Fletch »

Looks like they changed the design in that time period, as the later ones look beefier, what do you think of this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KDX200-K ... 5643e7265c

see the difference between that and the 89?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-KDX ... 1e6351d4fb
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Post by rbates9 »

I think there is a thread on here about some one using an H basket on an E bike. Might be worth a search. I think it had something to do with an auto clutch if that helps.
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Post by Fletch »

Looking at Mr.Wibbens' photo's before I go out and get a basket I'll follow the cable advice and make damn sure it's dialed perfectly. I suspect I have more effective cable pull losses through the old cable setup as Wibbens suggested. I'll let you all know how it goes down this weekend
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Post by dfeckel »

An H basket will mate up properly with all the gears and such, but because it's a different diameter, you need all the H plates and the H pressure plate and hub. So you'd have to get the whole assembly. And once you get the whole assembly in there, I'm not sure the E clutch cover and actuator arm would work with the H clutch.

Definitely get an E basket, 89-94.
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