Clutch slipping

[GreasyRag53]

I got the bike running again yesterday, I pulled in the clutch while in neutral and popped it down into first.
When I drop into gear, the clutch grabs with clutch lever still pulled in and then i stall out.

It started with my actuating lever losing tension, I opened up the primary got it all back where I felt it should be.
etc. so on and a couple days later Im having the problem Im having now. I get back into the primary and play with the tension springs on the clutch.
It has acted in different ways during adjustments, maybe it wont grab as bad or enough to stall out, but the trans still engages with the clutch lever pulled in.

In the manual its telling me about 3 adjusting screw nuts, mine has 5. Dont know how much of a difference this makes, in the manual Im told to leave the springs at 31/32" any less than 7/8" is no bueno but Im not sure if this applies to this clutch.

I thought I may have tightened the springs too much at one point I tried to kick the bike over and I got this epmty hollow type sound kinda like a "whoo, whoo" coming out of the clutch, when I loosened the springs I lost the sound that wasnt right, but then my problems just go back to what I was sayin above...

If I can get the bike rideable and the clutch is pulling, when Im stopped I have to keep my foot on the brake, its like Im trying to burnout.. ugh.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[1950Panhead]

Adjust the ten springs to 31/32"
Adjust the clutch rod to 1/2 turn free play.
Pull clutch lever and watch pressure plate, it should move out.
If these three items check out ok disassemble clutch and clean plates.
The plates stick together in clutches not used in decades.
Clean metal disks with sandpaper, clean friction disks with 220 wet dry UNDER WATER, friction plates are asbestos, don't release dust.
Jerry

[GreasyRag53]

Right on dude, your the man. Thats what Im going to try.
I was beginning to think it could be the plates sticking together, or something along those lines but I had not got that far into the project yet.
It makes sense, the bike had been sitting in this shop for some time without a whole lot of attention until I came in and swooped the old girl up.
That'll definately be what Ill try next, prob tonight after work.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[Panhead Ed]

Hey Greasy, make sure you get the hub clean as well, the dust builds up in the nooks n crannys and can fk with you . Alot of earlier aftermarket clutch plates were not as good as oem . just ussually made a big fkn mess , if your chops been settin for years your looking in the right direction.. Are you using a mousetrap "clutch booster" eleminator ? .. opp never mind the last question I just looked at the pik from the otherday . I see you have a booster ,, ok follow the book measurements for starters , later on when you get that mastered you can dial some things in to your likeing . Ed

[Hauula Pan]

Also check that the hub studs are all straight and that all the plates move easily on them, if any stud is just a little bent the plates can stick. Also make sure the discs are not worn out, once they're too far gone the line between too tight & too loose goes away.

[GreasyRag53]

I had been riding around for a couple of months before I started having issues with the clutch.
Then my actuating lever went, when this happened I had to readjust the moustrap booster, the pushrod for the actuating lever, etc.
Since then is when it seems I started having the problems Im having, it may have been tough or a little hard to shift before but I wasnt getting the drag I am now.
So I dont know exactly how Id been having these issues with a few small adjustments of my doing, like I was told, it still may very well be the plates just happen to be sticking now, and dissasembling the clutch, cleaning and inspecting may be the remedy.

[nmaineron]

Here is a little tip that I used when running the five stud clutch setup.I adjust the springs down to 31/32 or 1" and then I pull the clutch lever in and adjust all the springs equally while compressed.Just evens things out a little better!

[rrhawg]

You may want to check your throw out bearing. It could be your pushrod is pushing thru the bearing check that you have the proper bearing, pushrod and lever.
Rich

[Hauula Pan]

When you say your actuating lever went what do you mean? Are you talking about the one on the trans.? Did it break? Did you replace it? If you replaced it was it with an OEM lever or after market? There are different lengths which will throw your measurements off. Also if one is bent the same thing applies & you have to adjust your measurement accordingly. It sounds like your adjustments are making the clutch too tight causing the drag or too loose causing it to slip & you can't find one that allows it to work. All of the things mentioned in the previous replies can cause your problem but I would go back to the beginning. If it all worked ok before you had the issue with the lever start by determining what went wrong with the lever then what did you do to fix that original issue? From there once you know the original issue is really fixed go on to what else might be causing your adjustment difficulties. Without knowing what went wrong with your original lever when you say it went, & what you did to fix that issue its hard to know if you just have an adjustment issue now or if its something else.

[GreasyRag53]

I guess by saying that the lever went was a little broad. Thinking back to when this started to happen Im thinking I adjusted the booster, didnt take the primary cover off or adjust anything there. I remember taking the bike out and it pulling on me with the clutch lever pulled in while in gear. I pulled off to a parking lot and tried adjusting a few things and the actuating lever went lost tension and went loose, but it didnt break or bend, just lost tension. From then I opened the primary and tightened the pushrod pulling the actuating lever back tight. The first time I adjusted it too tight and the kicker wouldnt engage anymore, so I did some adjusting again got the bike to kick over and since its been dragging with the clutch pulled in while in gear.
Thats really not a lot of useful information, Ive tried readjusting everything in different sorts of configurations but have not disassembled the clutch yet. I played with the booster, the actuating lever, the springs adjusting evenly from .700" to 1.00" (7/8"-31/32"). Sometimes while adjusting the springs it will catch differently popping into gear but still it catches everytime and stalls. It was working fine before, this is a recent issue. The bike had been sitting for some time, but it rode fine for a few months, now this. Could my plates be sticking now? I mean they could be worn too for all I know, not having taken the clutch off and inspecting properly yet...

[Panhead Ed]

?

[Panhead Ed]

HEY MAN now your backin up to your first post .... havent you cleaned it yet? stop pissin up a rope n clean em then come back and confuse me.. thanks Ed

[Bigincher]

The first response, by 1950panhead, pretty much summed it up...!

[BlainesGarage]

a bent pushrod will screw with you. roll it on a flat surface. if it is bent, sight down it from the ends and this will show you where you need to hold it to gently bend it back into shape. when it looks straight, rotate it 90degrees and sight it again. if you're not having any luck trying to straighten it, just replace it.

...Blaine

[BlainesGarage]

Rag,
Check your clutch cable too. If you
Have any broken strands near the
Bead on either end, it may just be
Stretching and not giving you enough
Travel at the clutch.
...Blaine