The Death Clutch

Son Doobie

New Member
Local time
7:00 AM
Joined
May 13, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Clermont County, Ohio
My clutch is so hard to pull, it would make a gorilla cry. I had a dangerous test ride yesterday, my hand went numb and gave out while doing a u-turn and I almost bumped into a fence. My fingers are bruised from it too. I'm no whimp, I've dealt with hard clutches and brakes on dirt bikes and ATVs before. This is different, it's almost impossible to pull... most of my friends couldn't pull it a centimeter. The clutch arm is where it wants to be and the motor runs great, but slow speed operation just feels sketchy right now. I plan on doing a lot of peddling too so I need to make it easy to lock. When the engine is on it turns the wheel even without touching the throttle. Do the Chinese killswitches kill the engine? I killswitch when I get off of the bike. I know I need to take the cable out of the jacket and apply the lube that the slopeheads forgot. Somebody on here said to route the cable without the small spring as well. I was wondering if there are any products out there that help with slow speed operation and peddling. I've seen the autoclutch belt systems but I think those are for women and they look stupid. Safety is very important to me as I am new to motored bikes and I live around a lot of busy roads with drunk rednecks and teenagers going 65 in a 35 all day and all night. I travel around town using grass, sidewalks, neighborhoods, and forest paths when I'm on foot because Clermont County is very anti-pedestrian.
 
and have news for you belt drive has been around long before your daddy was a gleem in your grandpa's eye


1909 Triumph rides08040701.jpg
 
clutch dragging means it needs adjustment, hard pull means something is seriously wrong (usually cable routing) - get rid of small spring on cable as it does no good
 
My clutch is so hard to pull, it would make a gorilla cry. I had a dangerous test ride yesterday, my hand went numb and gave out while doing a u-turn and I almost bumped into a fence. My fingers are bruised from it too. I'm no whimp, I've dealt with hard clutches and brakes on dirt bikes and ATVs before. This is different, it's almost impossible to pull....

May guess would be that, since you have a new engine/ clutch combo, you need to get into the clutch and make sure to loosen up the assembly. Proper set up of the butterfly nut can be made, too.

Timbone
 
I have a couple of suggestions for you.
My clutch is so hard to pull, it would make a gorilla cry.
Most do when new, an easy way to relax it a bit is just leave the clutch locked closed when not in use the few days until the clutch springs relaxes a bit.
When it's just right leave the clutch unlocked when parked.
When the engine is on it turns the wheel even without touching the throttle.
That is just an adjustment you can make in 4 places but not your main issue.

Somebody on here said to route the cable without the small spring as well.
The small cable springs only functional purpose with these engines is to make it hard to pull clutch lever so just throw it away ;-}
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. You guys are suggesting things I haven't even thought about. I'm going to follow all of what I've been told. That cable may be a ***** but I'll get it fixed up right. I've never seen a set up like Fabian's, it looks smooth as hell. I know the belt systems have been around for awhile, I just prefer the chain and sprockets. I'll post some pictures later.
 
Here's a picture, it's blurry because it's from my phone. It's a late 1960's Huffy Good Vibrations and she vibrates a bit more now. $120 Chinese 2 Stroke kit. The rear fender had to be cut and raised. I plan on bending the muffler more so I can clear curbs. Does anybody know what kind of rubber item works best with motor mount impovision? Like something from Home Depot...
 

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just leave the clutch locked closed when not in use the few days until the clutch springs relaxes a bit.

Is that good advise: deliberately weakening the clutch spring that's responsible for applying pressure to the clutch pressure plate. Ideally you don't want to do anything that weakens (or softens) the clutch pressure plate clamping force on a single plate clutch system.
 
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