clutch adjustment

[pahako]

So; Is it better to make clutch adjustments when the engine is cold, or warmed up?

 

[5twins]

I set mine cold, the reason being that when the engine heats up and the cases expand, more freeplay develops. I set it snug cold, with very little play at the clutch lever and at the worm gear screw. If you set it snug hot, when things cool down and parts contract, it will be too tight and may slip.

 

[pahako]

I did adjust it cold and it shifted really easy while the engine was still reasonably cool, and I could even get it into neutral while the engine was running. As usual though, as the engine heats up it seem to be more difficult to get into gear, and impossible to get it into neutral until you shut it off. Is that just par for these bikes?

 

[xjwmx]

Is that just par for these bikes?

No, but some people seem to have that problem. The way I set mine is tight at the lower adjuster then back out just a bit so there's enough play that I know there's no pushing on the rod when it's all relaxed, then set the upper adjuster to put the friction zone where I like it. That gives me a little bit of detectable slack in the cable. Never had a problem hot or cold finding neutral or doing anything else with it. Plus it always seems the same regardless of temp. Before you set the lower one you need to loosen the top one all the way (screw it in to loosen).

 

[GreasyC]

I always do it hot. What you're adjusting for at the bottom is the different rate of expansion between the aluminum case and steel clutch when they get hot. Seems logical to me to do adjustments meant to compensate for heat when the engine is hot.

 

[pahako]

Just as a follow up. My clutch cable broke the other day, and I replaced it with a Motion Pro cable. I now can get it in to neutral with the engine on, hot or cold.