Hi All
I have a truly weird and baffling problem. My foot clutch control (the rocker) sticks in the toe down (engaged) position. To disengage it takes a couple of strong stomps on the “up†portion of the rocker. The baffling part is that it only occurs when the bike is moving and then only occasionally. When it is parked in the barn I can move the rocker through its full range with no problems by hand.
I’m sure the problem is in the rocker as if it was in the clutch itself the clutch rod would have bent considering the force needed to disengage the rocker.
Anybody had a similar problem or ideas?
King
Clutch Rocker
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FlatHeadSix
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king
The rocker on my 49 FL does the same thing but mine only does it when I reach over the bike from the right side and push the clutch in with my hand. If I engage the clutch with my foot while sitting on the bike it never locks in the forward position.
The problem is that there is a slight amount of side play which allows the toe of the rocker to go under the floorboard/mounting strap and hang up. On mine it takes a LOT of force if I try to disengage it with my foot. Like you said, you have to stomp the heal to get it to move. If I reach down and push it over a bit with my hand it will unhook and rock back easy.
Once I figured out what was happening I just learned to avoid using my hand to engage the clutch. I think that bending the bracket outward a little would eliminate the problem altogether.
mike
The rocker on my 49 FL does the same thing but mine only does it when I reach over the bike from the right side and push the clutch in with my hand. If I engage the clutch with my foot while sitting on the bike it never locks in the forward position.
The problem is that there is a slight amount of side play which allows the toe of the rocker to go under the floorboard/mounting strap and hang up. On mine it takes a LOT of force if I try to disengage it with my foot. Like you said, you have to stomp the heal to get it to move. If I reach down and push it over a bit with my hand it will unhook and rock back easy.
Once I figured out what was happening I just learned to avoid using my hand to engage the clutch. I think that bending the bracket outward a little would eliminate the problem altogether.
mike
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FlatHeadSix
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2682
- Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 8:21 am
- Bikes: '31 VL, '34 VD, '45 WLA, '47 WL, '49 FL, '51 WL, '58 ST (Hummer), '71 GE (Servi)
- Location: Lonoke, Arkansas
- Has thanked: 5 times
- Been thanked: 49 times
King,
I'm not a real big guy and my pan has enough compression that I find it easier to start by standing on the right side of the bike and kicking it with my left foot. I don't have much luck kick starting it while straddling the bike. If I left the bike parked with the clutch pedal rocked back and I'm standing on the right side of the bike I just lean over the bike and push the toe of the clutch pedal forward, to the engaged position, with my fingers so i can kick it. I think what happens is that pushing the toe of the pedal from that angle must also push the front of the rocker a little more inboard, toward the engine, and causes it to hook under the floorboard/mounting strap.
My clutch operating rod also drags on the outer primary case and has rubbed all the paint off where it hits. I think if I shimmed the rocker pedal away from the bracket with a thick washer it would move it far enough outward to solve both problems. One of these days I'm going to try it, I'll let you know what happens.
mike
I'm not a real big guy and my pan has enough compression that I find it easier to start by standing on the right side of the bike and kicking it with my left foot. I don't have much luck kick starting it while straddling the bike. If I left the bike parked with the clutch pedal rocked back and I'm standing on the right side of the bike I just lean over the bike and push the toe of the clutch pedal forward, to the engaged position, with my fingers so i can kick it. I think what happens is that pushing the toe of the pedal from that angle must also push the front of the rocker a little more inboard, toward the engine, and causes it to hook under the floorboard/mounting strap.
My clutch operating rod also drags on the outer primary case and has rubbed all the paint off where it hits. I think if I shimmed the rocker pedal away from the bracket with a thick washer it would move it far enough outward to solve both problems. One of these days I'm going to try it, I'll let you know what happens.
mike
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King
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Mike
Gotcha. I fiddled with the rocker a bit last night and noticed the "half moon" pedal on the toe position was hanging up on the edge of the floorboard when in the fully engaged position. So i moved it as far outboard as I could in the adjuster slot. Didn't have a chance to run it though and will be on the road for a week or so. When I get back I'll post the results
King
Gotcha. I fiddled with the rocker a bit last night and noticed the "half moon" pedal on the toe position was hanging up on the edge of the floorboard when in the fully engaged position. So i moved it as far outboard as I could in the adjuster slot. Didn't have a chance to run it though and will be on the road for a week or so. When I get back I'll post the results
King