| Author | Message | ||
     Barker |
I Just recently noticed the pull on the clutch lever. It seems to feel chunky not smooth. I dosent glide. It feels segmented, almost like a ratchet. It not really bad its just not completely smooth feeling. Right now it still seems to drive normal. XB9R 2003 w/ 13000 miles. Anybody had this happen? Is it normal? Does this sound like bad things to come? What should I do? Please advise. | ||
| Djkaplan |
It's not normal. Check the lever, the cable, and then the ramp and ball mechanism that disengages the clutch. | ||
| Jackbequick |
I'd back the lever freeplay adjuster off and remove the cable from the lever to see if strands are broken and binding. If that looked okay, I'd check the other end behind the clutch cover. With the cable end out of the lever and the adjuster fully shortened you should be able to pull that far enough out through the inspection cover to see if it has been chafing and losing strands where it comes out of the cable housing inside the primary. Sounds like it may be time for a new clutch cable. But if you don't see any damage, you might try dribbling a lubricant/penetrant like PB Blaster down through the cable and working the cable in the housing to see if maybe it is just some accumulated crud. Jack | ||
| Sparky |
I had that happen to my 03 9R while on a BRAG ride hundreds of miles from home. "Chunky" describes it pretty well, definetly not smooth. I found a bicycle shop that had liquid Triflow, a popular penetrating lube for bike chains and cables. Squirting some of that into the cable at the lever end helped a lot but not like I remember when the bike was new. When I got home, I unscrewed the cable completely and found it to be in good condition. However, when I pressure lubed it from the lever end, dirty goop that had accumulated in the lower end of the cable dribbled out. So what I suggest is carefully remove the cable from the primary housing and lever end, then pressure-force cable lube down the entire cable enough times that you flush out any accumulated crud and it comes out clean. You don't want that gunk contaminating the primary case, chain & clutch mechanism. Upon reinstalling the newly cleaned & lubed cable, the lever action felt like new again, smooth and stiction free. Works for me. | ||
| Jessicasdad |
I just want to add that I had a LOT of issues last week.. Clutch was not disengaging the transmission etc ..... took the cable off .. then the ball and ramp .. and noted the the bearing that sits behind the ball and ramp .. the one that the adjusting screw rides in was totally fragged ... there is a snap ring that you need to remove to get it .. but easily removed without taking the entire cover off ... pressed out the old .. got a new one .. and WOW !!! NEW FREAKIN' BIKE !!! I think that the part number on the bearing was an 8558 ... a generic Harley/Buell part ... ended up replacing the cable as well while I had it all apart .. | ||
| Barker |
Got some "Lubit8 w/ Teflon" from the HD dealer today. After reading the service manual, I found out that it calls for this lube to be put on the clutch cable as needed. Put a little bit on and its alot smoother. Thanx for the advice. (Message edited by barker on May 23, 2006) |
