13 replies to this topic

[Bjørge]

The clutch of my MkI has been shitty since day 1 (at ~42,000kms), a true nightmare when presicion driving. Two main problems:
- inconsistent bite point
- very short lever travel from zero to full, well below 5mm at lever end

The last days (at 113,000kms) it has started dragging noticeably more when lever pulled fully in, to a point that I can't find neutral at standstill.

Checked oil, level & colour is fine.
Adjusted clutch wire.

Whaddya think? Should I buy a new set of clutch disks? And, if so, also a set of steel disks?

Edited by Bjørge, 03 August 2018 - 07:53 am.

[Scurve]

Could just be the the clutch lever

I had a similar problem, kept trying adjustments then put in new plates etc but still as bad so took it to my local mechanic to look at it

Two minutes later he found that the lever had worn on the piviot point, new lever , no problems since !

[Hombre]

Two minutes later he found that the lever had worn on the piviot point, new lever , no problems since !

+1 on the clutch lever - it has no bush, just aluminium to steel pivot pin.  Worth changing even if it only sorts part of the problem.

[dablik]

I agree, funnily enough my original mk1's clutch lever pivot had a bush and this one does'nt, but they wear enough to bollocks it all up imo, have fitted zzr 600 clutch pivot and lever in the past, much better.

[Studley Ramrod]

Cleaned out the stale cruddy old grease from my clutch lever housing recently and it's now much lighter and smoother.

[fixitsan]

If you've adjusted the clutch cable (unscrewed the adjuster to set the bite point as far from the handlebar as possible) then you might have a non cable related issue. It's worth disconnecting the cable at each end and checking that it moves smoothly first though, and if not replace it or lubricate it. inspect the inner sleeve to make sure it hasn't pulled out through the adjuster nut

[Gdogg]

Had my clutch lever machined out at the time of the big rebuild and a phosphor bronze bush slotted in, dollop of top notch grease and plenty of silicone based lube poured down the cable and obs yer bunkle - super smooth operation 

Edited by Gdogg, 03 August 2018 - 02:52 pm.

[Bjørge]

When talking about "clutch lever", do you mean at the engine side of the wire?

[Scurve]

Bjorge

By clutch lever we mean the handle bar lever as per attached photo.

Sorry, I should have given a better description of which lever I ment

I spent loads of time and money trying to solve the problem when it really was just the lever pivot point that had worn out, changed the lever and all good !

Try changing this first, way cheaper to do this to see if it improves things. 

 TDM Clutch lever.jpg   2.21KB   0 downloads

Edited by Scurve, 03 August 2018 - 05:22 pm.

[Bjørge]

Bjorge

By clutch lever we mean the handle bar lever as per attached photo.

Sorry, I should have given a better description of which lever I ment

I spent loads of time and money trying to solve the problem when it really was just the lever pivot point that had worn out, changed the lever and all good !

Try changing this first, way cheaper to do this to see if it improves things. 

TDM Clutch lever.jpg

 

Well, I'm not that into the usage of the term 'lever', being Norwegian 

 

I have changed the lever a couple of times with little influence on clutch behaviour, once to swap a bent one, the last time to have adjustable ones.

 

I think I'll open up the clutch, have actually started to suspect the actuator (or whatever it's called) as there is something a little dodgy there. Seem sto be a bit of play on the axle, and, the spring doesn't effectively pull the "lever" back. Any worn parts here would affect the clutch much in the same way as a poor bar-end side lever, I guess.

[fixitsan]

Have you checked the cable by disengaging it at both ends ?  I've recently worked on a couple of bikes with a slipping clutch, which was caused because there was too much drag in the cable inner sleeve. one was an aftermarket cable where the inner plastic tube came loose and jammed the cable at the handlebar end, the other was a worn inner sleeve, full of dirt and solidified lubricants

[paultdm850]

The clutch of my MkI has been shitty since day 1 (at ~42,000kms), a true nightmare when presicion driving. Two main problems:
- inconsistent bite point
- very short lever travel from zero to full, well below 5mm at lever end

The last days (at 113,000kms) it has started dragging noticeably more when lever pulled fully in, to a point that I can't find neutral at standstill.

Checked oil, level & colour is fine.
Adjusted clutch wire.

Whaddya think? Should I buy a new set of clutch disks? And, if so, also a set of steel disks?

 

Yamaha had a habit of fitting plain steel clutch plates between the friction plates. They are shite! If you have them, replacing them for the dimpled type will improve your clutch bite no end. And you might as well get the stiffer 99 on clutch springs while your at it. See this for more information: http://www.carpe-tdm...topic=34412&hl=

[Bjørge]

Have you checked the cable by disengaging it at both ends ?  I've recently worked on a couple of bikes with a slipping clutch, which was caused because there was too much drag in the cable inner sleeve. one was an aftermarket cable where the inner plastic tube came loose and jammed the cable at the handlebar end, the other was a worn inner sleeve, full of dirt and solidified lubricants

 

The cable has been changed, and shouldn't be worn too badly. Operating lever feels totally fine - the problem is the "nervous" clutch engagement & a clutch drag no matter how far lever is pulled. This particular problem has become less evident, it lasted only a few days. 

 

I think I'll go for a new set of disks and springs....

[fixitsan]

 

The cable has been changed, and shouldn't be worn too badly. Operating lever feels totally fine - the problem is the "nervous" clutch engagement & a clutch drag no matter how far lever is pulled. This particular problem has become less evident, it lasted only a few days. 

 

I think I'll go for a new set of disks and springs....

 

 

If you're prepared to get a new clutch, i would be tempted to try to slip the one you have a lot, get a lot of heat into. Might be glaze on the plates, built up during the extended Scandinavian winter ?