TOPIC:

Gordon, it sounds like you are having the same problem I had. I used a factory manual and the way it had me turn the adjuster nut is wrong. I use a Clymer manual that is specific to the Police models 1981 to 2002. That one was correct as far as which direction to turn the adjusting nut. Check my post on this...
What I do is turn everything in for maximum slack, turn in the adjuster on the cover until resistance is felt, back off a 1/4 turn, adjust the midway cable adjuster for most of the rest of slack and then do the final adjustment at the lever. Like nessim says, make sure the lever at the clutch cover is 90 degrees from the cable. I did this and my clutch pull is pretty good. for a cable operated clutch.

ThatGPzGuy wrote: <snip> turn in the adjuster on the cover until resistance is felt,

This is the part of the instructions where I'd like to get some clarification. So far all the reading and watching videos this is all over the place. from "just barely" to "until it stops". Then on this thread there is a method that ignores it altogether.

I'm having trouble feeling warm and fuzzy about this and probably need to walk away from it for awhile.

Did you make the Dogwood? I had to cancel, my mother in law is in bad shape and I had to stay at home and take care of the animals. She won't make it this time. We're at the age where we're losing our parents....we'll be orphans soon.

Gordon in NC

Until it makes contact basically. You are just taking up the slack.

The Dogwood was great as always. The weather threatened but never really delivered. The 650 purred all day long and I ended up putting about 270 miles in the saddle.
Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. First we lose our Grandparents, then our parents, brothers, sisters, friends. Part of the cycle I suppose...

Yes, just until it makes contact, which initially removes the gap, then turn out 1/4 turn which adds the slight gap to assure full engagement whenever the clutch lever isn't being squeezed.





Good Fortune!

One thing to realize is that as long as there is a small amount of free play at the hand lever, and when you pull the lever you get smooth resistance as the clutch releases, then you got the clutch adjusted correctly.

If the clutch is adjusted like this and you get a loud clunk followed by lurching when putting the bike in gear that means the clutch plates are sticking together. That is a common malady on a bike that sat for many decades without running. Taking the clutch apart and separating the plates will solve that issue.

GPz......you have to tell me which one you are in Marty's post so I can put a face to a screen name.....please.

Patton....I've seen your diagram several times during searches. I'm new to the KZP but not to this concept and feel pretty good about understanding how it's supposed to work.

Nessism.....the "loud clunk....lurching" is what I'm getting. As far as I know this bike hasn't sat around all that long not being used. I just got through taking the clutch pack out and inspecting it.....nothing was stuck together. I've had clutches in my brit bikes that had to be un-stuck every time I rode them. Changing the brand of friction plates would cure that. I want to believe the dragging clutch is a friction plate problem and hope I get good results when I change them out. When I had it apart.....I checked for warrped plates, thickness and clearance at the basket....all if that was well within specs. Adjusted the clutch to where I thought it should be and the action was good.....BUT...the plates were still not releasing and I had to readjust it. I took the rod adjustment screw all the way until it stopped then backed it off 1/4 turn. Tried it again and it was better but I have to believe that wasn't enough slack in the rod so it's sitting waiting on new (oem) plates to get here and we'll try that. IF....that doesn't fix it....I don't know what to do. I don't own a boat so there's no use in owning an anchor.

Thanks for taking the time to try to help a fellow out......I do appreciate it.

Gordon in NC

Inspect the clutch basket. Be sure there are no ridges to make them stick.
Steve

Steve, this bike has less than 20 thousand miles on it and I didn't feel/see and grooving/knotching in either of the baskets. There were only witness marks but no wear so far.

I'm trying to go over in my head what I could have done wrong in the release lever side and will pull that back apart IF the plate swap doesn't help.

I'll not give up on it but it is a little frustrating. I have plenty of other bikes to ride and wrench on so letting this one sit for a bit isn't a deal breaker.

Would like to take it to the Meltdown in Hendersonville (GPz?) this weekend.......we'll see.

Gordon in NC

PS.....I rode the bike around a bit after the last adjustment and it did "okay"......sort of like it was when I first got it but I don't like where i had the rod adjusted to get to that point. (adjustment screw full stop at counterclockwise, then backed off 1/4 turn) This time around during the adjustment I wil pay CLOSE attention to where the rod's adjuster screw is and make note of where it ends up. I'll record the full travel so I know where the rod is and or isn't in relationship to the pressure plates rod holder. I also want another look at the pressure plates bearing and rod holder just in case I got something amiss with those.

Gap should be the minimum required to assure full engagement of the clutch plates when the hand lever isn't being squeezed. Which minimum gap maximizes disengagement of the clutch plates when the hand lever is being fully squeezed.

A gap that's larger than necessary wastes available hand-squeezing movement of the clutch cable by using up more of the hand-squeezing movement to first close the gap before the adjusting screw exerts pressure against the push-rod.

A gap that's larger than necessary results in less clutch plate disengagement when the clutch hand lever is fully squeezed.

A gap that's larger than necessary may produce more lurch when putting into gear.
A minimal gap may produce less lurch when putting into gear.

If the plates are "sticking" for whatever reason, the lurch will probably happen when putting into gear, regardless of the gap size, but more likely to fully disengage (un-stick) with a smaller gap, and less likely to fully disengage (un-stick) with a larger gap.

Good Fortune!

Patton, when you say "gap" I'm assuming you mean the space between the rod and the rod adjuster screw????

I'm curious to to watch the pressure plate this time around. I'm going to do the adjustment (after the new plates are in) with the clutch cover off so I can measure the pressure plate travel. Not that it will tell me much but I am curious.

Just day dreaming here but.....I can't remember if you'd be able to actually see the end of the rod with the pressure plate in place if the disc pack was out of it??

This hobby is a sickness......if you have to explain that to someone they would NEVER understand.....to folks like yourself....there's no need for an explanation

Just so the folks watching this thread know I'm not one of those kind of posters that "hit and run" you can't get rid of me THAT easy.

Tracking says the new plates will be here by the end of the day. They will go into a oil bath and I'll swap them out Friday night and report back.

This time around I'm doing the adjusting with the clutch cover off so I can watch the pressure plate movement. I'm also going to record the movement of the adjuster screw so I know what it's range is. Stuff that is probably useless but I'm just curious.

Fingers crossed in NC...there's an event I would like to take the bike to on Saturday and I'm hoping I get it right this time. MELTDOWN, in Hendersonville, NC put on by Ton Up Highlands Chapter.......fun time with LOTS of vintage bikes to look at, several hundred last year and it's getting bigger every year.

Gordon in the beautiful North Carolina foot hills

New oem plates came in at lunch and are already in the oil bath.

I had to move the bike and when I dropped it into first (with front brake held) it just made the "clunk" it did when I first got it. To get it there I had to turn in the adjustment screw until it stopped. Knowing if that is the "turn until it gets hard to turn" intent in the instructions is what I'm trying to find out.

Going to look at it a lot closer this time around and with the new plates at least I've taken one of the unknowns out of the equation.

Later.......after a 24 hour oil soak........Gordon in NC