Clutch Handle Has No Tension (lots of pics)

Bike: 1980 KZ 440 - My first bike.

Problem that occurred: I pulled on the clutch handlebar and heard a snap. The clutch handlebar did not have any tension.


What I did: I bought new clutch cable, new clutch plates, and new clutch springs. I replaced them all to the instruction manual's specifications, but it's the same problem, no friggin' tension in the clutch handle.

Here's the exploded view:



I don't know if this has contributed to the problem, but inside the clutch housing "8", there seems to be a groove:





I've replaced the clutch plates and springs and have tightened them down evenly:



Here's a pic of the clutch pushrod "17". I think it looks fine.



Here's a pic of left side of the bike where the clutch cover goes.



Here's a pic of inside the clutch cover with the cam release "18" tightened into the sloted screw "22". It is tight for now.



I then put on the clutch cover and tightened the cover to the bike. Here's a pic of the slotted screw with the nut. I couldn't turn the screw clockwise, so I turned it counter-clockwise a few times. It was hard to turn. As I was turning the screw, I pressed down on the clutch, but there was NO tension still. I pushed the handle back to the released position, back and forth while turning the screw counter-clockwise.



NOTHING! Here's a pic of the handle first pressed in, then me pushing it back to the released position.





I'm at my wit's end. The web is my last hope. I'm fresh out of ideas on why there's no tension in the clutch. It feels as if the clutch release "15" doesn't push enough into the pushrod for the springs to engage, like the pushrod might not be long enough. The conundrum is that it's the same pushrod.

In addition to, I've tried all different ways of tightening and loosening the clutch cable. No success. The new clutch cable is the same length as the old one.

BTW, I did put the ball bearing back in.

Any ideas?

Hello hanilrez and welcome to KZr.
We're glad you're here!
And will try to help you out.

Questions please.
Did the old clutch cable break,
and was that the snap you heard?
Or is the old cable still in one piece,
so the snap was maybe something else breaking,
such as a component in the adjustment assembly?
Was the initial repair effort to simply
replace a broken clutch cable?
What prompted replacement of the clutch plates
and springs?

Here's a swag -- With the new (thicker) plates,
maybe the existing pushrod is now too short
regardless of the adjuster setting?

Other members can better advise on the particular
type clutch adjustment assembly shown in the diagram.
But recall hearing that proper re-assembly and
installation can be problematic with this type.

Good Luck!

No, the old clutch cable did not break. It's still in one piece. I decided though that MIGHT have been a problem, so I replaced it.

Because replacing the wire did nothing to solve the problem, I went on to the next phase, clutch plates and springs.

The plates and springs were under the required thickness and lengths; so I replaced them. The clutch plates are a little bit thicker, but not by much. The springs though are visibly longer.

If somehow I get a longer pushrod, shouldn't it be tough to pull on the clutch handle, ergo the opposite that I have now?

Here's the catch. I got the clutch handle to spring back ONCE, but that was before I screwed in the clutch cover. After I fitted on the cover, screwed in the bolts and pulled on the clutch, the "snap" occurred and I had a dead clutch again!!! Damn.

Did you see a single ball bearing at the end of you clutch push rod as in my model? If not, that could affect the reach of the rod and the clutch plates might never really seperate despite other adjustments.

Best of success.

Yes, the singe ball bearing is located bewteen the pushrod "no. 17" and the tophat plunger "16".

Did you follow the service manual for adjusting the clutch? I ask because you did not mention (or I mis-read) anything about the clutch cable adjuster that's about in the middle of the cable near the frame downtube (at least that's where you begin the adjustment procedure on the KZ650). Are you sure you have the correct clutch cable (you said you replaced it)? Looking at you last pic it is apparent that there is WAY too much slack. Ed

Neil,I know nothing about the 400's,but on the bigger bikes,the clutch uses a wormgear,where the end of the cable attaches to,at the engine end.

If that gear is not situated properly when installed(it has to be under a certain load...kinda like a pull-rope on a snowmobile,if you know what I mean).
If you don't have YOUR mechanism under a load,then you WILL get slack in the cable.

I can't tell by the picture,but it DOES look like it might work in the same manner.
Do you have a manual for your bike?

This pic is what I'm reffering to...

Sandy:



After Item Numbers 6 and 9, item 19 of the 1st diagram goes in. After the case, item 22 gets slotted through followed by the other items.



Here's the pic of the swingarm/release assembly on the cover with the wire attached. The makeshift cotter pin is installed:



When I do it by hand, the swingarm and wire work perfectly. But when I attach the front end of the clutch wire to the handle and mount the cover, the swingarm fails to contract back to the original position unless pushed.

I'm guessing that the pushing back of the handlebar occurs when the pushrod is exerting force in the swingarm "hole" as: pushrod to ball bearing to tophat plunger to clutch plate cover to the clutch springs.

OK,so with the cover off(like you have in that last pic),and you pull the clutch lever...does the mechanism that is attached to the end of the cable,(engine end) move outwards?

As onset of the snap and inoperative clutch
initially occured with all the old parts in place,
let's presume the problem is unrelated to the
new parts, and analyze from that standpoint.

Squeezing the handlebar clutch lever resulted
in onset of the snap, inoperative clutch, and
slack cable without tension.

Am vaguely recalling two different types of pushrod
adjusters. One is a slide type with a worm gear as
on my Z1 and KZ900, and the other is a "ball and ramp"
style, which I know little about but suspect is
fitted to your bike.

This may be difficult to answer, but when the
first snap incident occured, how hard was the
clutch lever being squeezed? About the same as
usual, or with noticeably more pressure?

Am thinking maybe a failure of one or more components
in the adjuster assembly, which allows a slip (and snap)
before pressing hard enough against the rod to disengage
the clutch.

Sorry I don't know more about this particular assembly.

Keep the Faith!

Are component parts of the adjuster assembly
sufficiently greased?

I had this same problem with a kz550. Actually, havent fixed it yet, i have the bike all apart, but the clicking was the cable coming OUT of the adjuster around at the headers, and at the lever where the handle meets the locknut. Theres metal knuckles around the cable at those joints and they do click if your cable tensions loose. Is that where your clickings from? Also, the clutch bearing assembly, grease the crap out of it, and that lever looking arm should be further back. Loosen your connections at the bar and at the headers then with your hand torque it clockwise so that arm is positioned almost likes it looks like a z. You will actually be pulling the cable a little, you should see the lever pull back to the right position. THEN adjust the cable as per manual. Looked for pics, i know i have em somewhere, but i just couldnt find em.. Take em tomorrow for ya. Good luck.