clutch won't disengage- cant adjust enough?

Hey all- I was really hoping to get a shakedown run in last night with my project KZ400 that has been going on for far too long... anyhow, I'm working on a 76 KZ400, I assembled the clutch actuator and when it came time to adjust it, the manual says for the early KZ's to loosen the lock nut, turn the screw in until there is resistance, then back it out a half turn or so and tighten the nut. Well, I adjusted it in as far as it would go and never felt resistance. Just to be sure I wasn't crazy, I adjusted it in as far as it would go before falling out, Took all the slack out of the cable, and there was no action at the clutch lever at all- still not making contact with the pushrod. I took it all apart, verified the ball was in the end of the pushrod in the clutch housing, verified the actuator was "clocked" the correct way, and even though I didn't take this bike apart, the previous owner said that it was working when they tore it down.

I assume it is something simple, but what could it be? I was so mad last night I had to walk away from it.

Thanks,
Brendan

It may be that the clutch release adjusting screw should be turned counterclockwise first until hard to turn, then clockwise 1/4 turn. That's the way it is on my 81 650-CSR & the owner's manual specifies the directions to turn it. Some manuals are ambiguous about the procedure.

Is the pushrod in there?

Yes, the pushrod is in there.

I've seen that before with the adjustment procedure reversed, however it seems to only apply to the later models, for mine, if I loosen the screw all the way it will eventually just come out.

I've had the side cover on and off a couple times now trying to figure it out.

Brendan

Had that problem on my GPz750. Turns out I didn't have the lever correctly seated in the cover before I reassembled it the first dozen times I took it apart and put it back together before I got it right.

GPzMOD750 wrote: Had that problem on my GPz750. Turns out I didn't have the lever correctly seated in the cover before I reassembled it the first dozen times I took it apart and put it back together before I got it right.

+1

If you're off 1 tooth of the gear/threads it won't adjust properly. Twist out the center part and move it one tooth one way or the other.

Didn't get a chance to work on it last night, hopefully I can fool with it tonight and report any progress.

Thanks all-
Brendan

Make sure to turn the cable adjusters in all the way before trying to adjust the helix on the cover. I can concur with what GPzMOD750 says too since I had the same issues. It took me a while before getting the adjustment device in the cover installed properly.

Has the clutch ever functioned properly while in your possession after you acquired the bike from the PO who had disassembled the clutch actuator mechanism?

Perhaps a ball bearing is missing that's supposed to go into the push rod tunnel before the push rod itself is inserted into the tunnel.

Or maybe it's the wrong -- a too short -- push rod or adjuster screw?

Might even be the wrong clutch activator, such as a ball-ramp instead of a screw type, or vice versa.
Am thinking, but not positive, that the bike at hand uses a screw-type clutch actuator mechanism. And which in any event must be the correct part for a 1976 KZ400.

Is the sprocket cover tightened in its normal position when attempting to perform the clutch push rod adjustment?





Good Fortune!

That's a good point. If the ball bearing is missing it won't work. It has to be in there to keep the shaft from spinning. The actuator arm just barley fits when you try to install it in the furthest clock wise position. Had me going a few times. :whistle:
Steve

For reference -- 1976 KZ400 clutch parts diagram

Item 24 is the ball bearing.





Good Fortune!

Well, I figured it out, after probably doing more work than I needed to do. I took apart the clutch end and the actuator end and started fooling around. I verified the clutch basket was assembled properly, bearing was in there, everything was where it was supposed to be. I started trying to do some measurements of when the pushrod was all the way in (seated against the lifter at the clutch end) and it was barely clearing the primary sprocket and chain and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why there was so much distance between the actuator and the pushrod. I ended up cutting the head off an M8x1.25 bolt that was about twice as long as the adjuster screw, and even then it needed screwed in all the way before it would engage the pushrod. After doing this however, I had proper clutch action. At this point, it was getting late so I threw the bike back together and went inside without trying to fire it up.

I was in the shower this morning and was thinking; "how in the hell could there be that much space, it just doesn't make sense!!!" So after getting out I grabbed my phone and looked on ebay for clutch pushrods for KZ400's. Sure enough, mine didn't look like the ones in the pictures. Apparently mine was missing one of the hardened steel "ends" that happened to be about the same distance that I needed to make up, and I was completely unaware as I did not remember it falling off or coming apart when I was going through all the parts. So before I left for work, I went to the garage and searched in my "bucket 'o spare parts" which was basically empty now that the bike was mostly together and I found the missing end of the pushrod.

So I know what I am doing tonight, haha.

Sometimes it's the small things that get you. Although if I were the one that originally tore the bike down (or mostly torn down as I received it) then I would have noticed that right away. Buying someone else's unfinished project might seem like a good deal but I've missed out on a year and a half of riding just trying to get this "project" in a usable state. :S

Thanks for the assistance all.

Brendan