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Clutch mod - easier clutch

Posted: 10:33 pm Nov 03 2009
by ihatefalling
Didn't know if ya'll had ever seen this or not:

cut the "tab" and add about half an inch...makes it easier to pull the clutch

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Posted: 06:45 am Nov 04 2009
by Julien D
Good idea!

Posted: 12:43 pm Nov 04 2009
by canyncarvr
The KDX is hard enough to move/kick when it's in gear and the clutch is engaged. Adding to the length of that lever will result in an easier pull..and less clutch pack separation.

This has been discussed in the past...don't recall any determination as to how the lesser separation impacted the already sticky KDX clutch.

This is your bike? If so....how 'bout it?

An easy clutch pull is fine. I've felt easier clutches than mine, but I certainly don't have any complaint about it.

I wouldn't want to sacrifice any clutch engagement.

Posted: 01:08 pm Nov 04 2009
by Julien D
"he KDX is hard enough to move/kick when it's in gear and the clutch is engaged. Adding to the length of that lever will result in an easier pull..and less clutch pack separation. "


Hrmmmmmm...... I can't see that making enough difference to well.. make a difference. The cable is still going to have the same amount of travel, and the lower rod should end up in roughly the same place with the clutch lever pulled back.

I do agree though, if it DOES make enough difference to matter, then I would rather deal with a harder to pull lever than make the already irritating clutch drag any worse.

Ride report, please?


J.

Posted: 01:20 pm Nov 04 2009
by Brian
I put a late 1990's Honda clutch perch and lever on my KDX's and my KX. I also move my levers as far inboard as I can (nearest the first bend in the bar) so my fingers are toward the outer end of the levers. That makes a pretty big differance in lever effort.

Keeping your cables lubed makes a big differance too. Get one of those cable lubers and once you use it you'll be amazed at how much easier and smoother your lever pull is.

Posted: 01:27 pm Nov 04 2009
by Indawoods
Cable has the same travel... not the arm. Not worth the effort in my case.... The clutch is easy as pie to use. Riding is a physical sport..... you gonna have to use your muscles at some point! :mrgreen:

Posted: 01:49 pm Nov 04 2009
by fuzzy
LOL, inda is right. Brian, your setup sounds good. Key is to get to where you only use two fingers to operate clutch (and corresponingly front brake), and the other two to hold the heck on. I'm starting to get sissy hands. Need to bust out the grip-excersise-tool here at the office.

Posted: 02:59 pm Nov 04 2009
by canyncarvr
Re: 'Cable has the same travel... not the arm.'

Yep.

So....
Re: 'Hrmmmmmm...... I can't see that making enough difference to well.. make a difference. The cable is still going to have the same amount of travel, and the lower rod should end up in roughly the same place with the clutch lever pulled back.'

'Roughly' the same place being NOT the same place is the difference I'm talking about. If it's marginal to start with, 'roughly' being LESS clutch engagement isn't going to be helpful.

Re: 'The clutch is easy as pie to use. Riding is a physical sport..... you gonna have to use your muscles at some point!'

Amen.


On my bike anyway. On Wibby's 'E'..the clutch lever is PAINful to pull...for no obvious reason.

Brian wrote:I put a late 1990's Honda clutch perch and lever on my KDX's and my KX.
Do you by chance have figures pertaining to there being a difference in cable travel between the two (OEM and Honda)?

One'a those adjustable levers would be nice. You could choose what you wanted between pull effort and pull travel.

In any case, you don't get more of one without less of the other.

I think they call that 'Physics'. :wink:

Posted: 03:51 pm Nov 04 2009
by Julien D
I gotcha, makes perfect sense. I would think there would be enough adjustment to make up the difference, but I'll take your word for it.

My clutch may have a similar affliction as Wibbly's. Mine's an E series also, and the clutch will really wear my forearm out. I notice it most going down long hills where I'm trying to keep it clutched on the way down, or sections where I have to do a lot of shifting. My left hand is usually killing me by the end of the day. Cable is new, clutch is in decent shape, perch is good. I have no explanation other than it's just a bear.

I'd love to make it easier to pull, but any more grab in the clutch is NOT what I'm after.

Posted: 04:05 pm Nov 04 2009
by canyncarvr
>|<>QBB<
juliend wrote:I gotcha, makes perfect sense. I would think there would be enough adjustment to make up the difference, but I'll take your word for it.

My clutch may have a similar affliction as Wibbly's. Mine's an E series also, and the clutch will really wear my forearm out. I notice it most going down long hills where I'm trying to keep it clutched on the way down, or sections where I have to do a lot of shifting. My left hand is usually killing me by the end of the day. Cable is new, clutch is in decent shape, perch is good. I have no explanation other than it's just a bear.

I'd love to make it easier to pull, but any more grab in the clutch is NOT what I'm after.
Maybe it's just an 'E' thing.

The difference between mine and his isn't a little bit..it's not a matter of 'Yeah, I guess yours is harder to pull.' Me pulling his lever is more like, 'What the HECK is goin' on HERE???'

He's got a brandy new cable, too.

Posted: 05:54 pm Nov 04 2009
by Julien D
Maybe so. It'd sure be nice to figure it out though. I love riding my buddies KTM jus cuz of that hydraulic clutch. Hell, his 92 yz250 is feather light on the clutch compared to my KDX too. I've jus kinda resigned to it, but I'd sure like to come up with something. Hence my excitement over the original post, lol.

I've read some good stuff about these...
http://www.afterburnermx.com/MSR-Pro-Ra ... -lever.htm
I have my reservations about spending $50 on a clutch lever though...

Posted: 06:07 pm Nov 04 2009
by canyncarvr
How about one of the adjustable levers? Haven't looked recently..but seems they're pretty spendy.

No cutting, sawing, welding required.

OK...just went looking...how 'bout THIS?


Still anything mechanically leveraged that reduces the effort to pull will also reduce the amount of pull (movement..actuation). It's finding the balance between the two that works best for you.

Same is true with hydraulic clutches...they are still 'mechanical'. It's not like a hydraulic cylinder driven by a pump..move a little lever..pick up 10,000lbs. I recently put stronger springs in my Honda clutch to keep it from slipping. It's hydraulic. I didn't want the increased pull I knew it would take..but that was better than the slippage I was getting. Now I do have a stronger pull but the clutch don't slip either.


There's THIS!

I didn't even know they MADE clutch levers specifically for 2Ts..but there 'ya go!!

Posted: 06:15 pm Nov 04 2009
by Brian
As far as using the Honda clutch perch and lever I'm not sure why it's supposed to better but I read an article in Motocross Action Magazine about ten years ago and they said to us the Honda parts on my KX 250 because it improves the clutch feel and reduces lever effort a little. I've been doing that ever since. I tried it on both of my KDX 220's and it did seem to improve the feel and make it a little easier to pull the lever. Pull effort is a big deal to me cause I use only one finger on my break and clutch levers. I keep them covered at all times when I ride. Sometimes you can't get off the gas so I just pull in the clutch when I get all out of sorts.

Posted: 06:22 pm Nov 04 2009
by canyncarvr
'Late '90's...'

Closer than that? A particular model?

Juliend: That link is for a lever that has needle bearing in the pivot. Not all the 'easy' levers have that. Any 'bearing' would work better'n a pin stuck in an aluminum hole.

Posted: 07:55 pm Nov 04 2009
by Brian
I just get a lever and perch for a 99 CR 250. I don't know what years are the same. MXA said to replace the 99 KX 250 perch with a 99 CR 250 perch. It's been so long ago that I don't really remember the article to well. I've been putting the Honda perch and lever (clutch) on all my Kawasaki's since. Habit I guess.

Posted: 08:01 pm Nov 04 2009
by Indawoods
I honestly think a 4 year old girl could pull my clutch in without much effort....

I find the reason that people get tired is due to arm pump and really has nothing to do with the clutch....

The best thing you can do is install a Scott's stabilizer.... I have 0 arm pump every since I installed it. I recently went riding at H&M with a bunch of forum members with a lot of rocky uphills and down hills and everything in between... I never got tired due to that stabilizer. Set it hard and go when it's nasty....

Posted: 09:29 pm Nov 04 2009
by TWMOODY
I agree with Inda on the Scotts stabilizer just wished I had mine
on the H&M ride.
ASV makes some nice controls that you can adjust the amount
pull from the clutch that you like without over adjusting the cable.
Smooth as silk, one finger operation although my clutch was
always pretty easy anyhow.
The ASV's look pretty sweet too !

Posted: 10:47 pm Nov 04 2009
by IdahoCharley
Don't know about the E series but on the H series - making sure the clutch engagement actuator rod (flat to round transition) is smooth will make the clutch pull easier.

P.S. Too lazy to dig out a manual and look up the actual part's name but it (engagement actuator rod) is what I have named the piece within the clutch's sidecover - the top of which is physically connected to the clutch cable as seen in the original post starting this thread.

Posted: 01:13 pm Nov 05 2009
by Mr. Wibbens
>|<>QBB<
Indawoods wrote:I honestly think a 4 year old girl could pull my clutch in without much effort....

I find the reason that people get tired is due to arm pump and really has nothing to do with the clutch....
:?

Never had arm pump


Hell ever freezes over and you actually come out this way I'll let you ride mine

End of the day you'll be feeling like a 4 year old girl :wink:

Posted: 01:26 pm Nov 05 2009
by ihatefalling
Sorry guys....been away for a while. Yes, it is my ride. I have a friend with a KDX as well and can tell the mod makes a difference. It's not a HUGE difference but, you can definitly tell it helps.

As far as the clutch releasing and grabbing....it still does...all the way. I ride this bike every other weekend or more, pretty hard, and the bike still has the original clutch....it's a 2005.