[BillWright]

Im using the Haynes and Clymer manuals while working on my bike. Problem I'm having is I changed my clutch lever on my handlebars but didn't know to do the complete clutch cable adjustment, just loosened the cable and tightened it back up. Problem I was having, wouldn't change out of 1st gear and wouldn't disengage. Tried adjusting it until I heard a pop, pulled the cover and found the bearings were now out of the ramp, greased the ramp and put the bearings back in, set it up and now I can get it to change gears but damned if I cant get it to disengage, I can hold the clutch in and it stays in gear, went slightly more one way and it jumps forward and cuts out, right now I have it slightly back the other way and pops back into neutral every time I try to go into first. I've ordered a new clutch release ramp but this has me stumped. Any ideas? As of now I'm just playing with the damned adjustment and no success.

 

[tzienlee]

first off get a factory manual, haynes & clymer are not that usefull

 

[joe49]

The year? Was it good before you worked on it?

 

[BillWright]

The year? Was it good before you worked on it?

75 and it did before I replaced the lever.

 

[joe49]

Your explanation seems to say clutch dragging. '75 has the spacers on the clutch pack studs. If they are to short or the cheap shit aluminum tubing that can be crushed by ham fisted folks they will need to be replaced. The factory manual has the lengths there are 3 or 4 sizes. They shorten .010 with each size. Those spacers are anti-rattle and you can get away with out them if you use the earlier adjustment proceedure. You also could make your own with brake tubing 1/4'' ID. Use new nylon lock nuts is also a good idea. Can't help with the lengths now as I'm out gallivanting about.

 

[BillWright]

Here is what's going on with it. Decided to make another video because I have a hard time explaining it. 1975 XLH 1000 Problems

 

[richbob]

Well not much help
But basically you don’t have a clutch
I think you need to disassemble and inspect if you can’t adjust it.

 

[joe49]

Answer each question.
1)You say it WORKED before you replaced the clutch lever?
2) And that is all you did?
3)You didn't tighten the six 1/4-20 locknuts on the studs on part 13 that go through part 3 ?
4)Does your clutch lever feel normal when pulled?
5)Did you find any extra parts after you changed the lever like maybe part 1?
6) Have you aquired a factory manual?
Like it or not you have a expensive bike to work on that you're not familiar with you need to buy a correct year factory manual. Then you need to take it apart, WARNING those six nuts require a compressing tool to remove safely. What will cause it to not disengage, piece 1 missing, the six nuts are to tight, clutch frictions are broken and wadded up, clutch basket is filled up with friction debris.

 

[BillWright]

Answer each question.
1)You say it WORKED before you replaced the clutch lever?
2) And that is all you did?
3)You didn't tighten the six 1/4-20 locknuts on the studs on part 13 that go through part 3 ?
4)Does your clutch lever feel normal when pulled?
5)Did you find any extra parts after you changed the lever like maybe part 1?
6) Have you aquired a factory manual?
Like it or not you have a expensive bike to work on that you're not familiar with you need to buy a correct year factory manual. Then you need to take it apart, WARNING those six nuts require a compressing tool to remove safely. What will cause it to not disengage, piece 1 missing, the six nuts are to tight, clutch frictions are broken and wadded up, clutch basket is filled up with friction debris.

Yup, I have the Clymer, Haynes and HD manuals. And it worked fine before I changed the lever, just removed the jacked lever on the handlebar, replaced it, attached the cable to it, adjusted the clutch cable to get the end piece into the lever. Had it set to 1/8 play, ran, but when pulling the lever, it would slow but not disengage, tried adjusting it again, wouldn't change gears, messed with the adjustment, bearings fell out of the ramp, bought a new ramp,changed that out and now I get this, the clutch cable is moving, but not disengaging. I opened it up last night and found that the ramp was pulled forward even with the cable adjusted in, giving slack. I'm thinking it has something to do with the cable/release ramp.

 

[BillWright]

I haven't touched the clutch, don't have a compressing tool to mess with that. I rode the bike home when I bought it, shifted fine, rode it around back and shifted fine. Problems started with me changing the lever on the handlebar.

 

[joe49]

Loosen cable adjustment, remove clutch adjustment cover turn adjuster lock nut counter clockwise, feel for the adjuster to get into the ball detents, or if you have the cover off loosen cable adjustment and rotate the cam adjuster to get the balls in the detents. once you have that, install the cover, or if installed loosen adjustment lock nut turn adjuster in till you feel cantact with throwout bearing, turn in a additional 1/2 turn. Then adjust clutch cable to JUST removing the slack, tighten cable lock nut. Adjust clutch adjustment to 1/8'' play at lever and lock nut (sparkplug socket with a screw driver through the center) Check for 1/8'' at lever do till you get it right. Put cover back on over adjuster. Go ride.

 

[Tulipultti]

Is the new lever somehow different compared to the old one?

 

[Sluggo503]

Is the new lever somehow different compared to the old one?

That's a excellent point. There's a number of levers with different fulcrum points thus changing the amount of pull & amount of force. Early 90s we built a custom ironhead for a Petit lady and used special levers to lighten the amount of force, * not your problem here but on Buells ( tubers) there's a popular clutch ramp kit to help with clutch issues, compared to a Sportster inexplicably Buell used a light duty clutch cable so the ramp helps.
But often by changing the fulcrum you get a mechanical advantage but less pull length, compare the 2 levers.
** As well ironhead clutches are like Triumph and BSA, in that they need frequent service and dialed in just right. I have done a number of ironhead clutch services and I like to take apart, clean, scuff the glaze off, inspection and careful reassembly with new springs. ( You need the tool) then adjust to run true. For adjustment start at the clutch and the lever is the last thing to adjust. Follow the manual.

*** A separate issue but if it still has the transfer port, address that and run ATF type Ford in there instead. I don't weld up the port but clean really well with brake cleaner and seal it with JB weld & allowed to fully cure