Clutch cable short?

did some searching on the forums, some people have had similar issues but I think mine is just something simple I'm not getting. So, check the videos below in the link, it shows my clutch play in the cover and my lever play.

Clutch mechanism travel
https://vid.me/wUgR

Clutch lever travel
https://vid.me/N6Dn

The problem I am having is, I just don't get enough clutch, and if I adjust it more and more, it becomes partially engaged, and I get that weird problem where the kick starter goes limp (no resistance)

Anyway, when I Pull the clutch and pop it in first gear I basically get moving in a hurry! Lol. do I really need some massive banana looking lever that I have to hog tie in to get. enough clutch travel?

I just rebuilt the clutch mechanism on the cover it didn't have much wear to the worm gear.

Thanks!

 

Thanks, read it all, including the first few pages of comments. So, my mechanism isn't difficult to operate, as you can see in the video I test with just a thumb, and I was able to tighten down the mechanism holding screws tight with a screwdriver. It does not seem to stiffen the effect of the worm. My issue is really just that it does not travel far enough to fully engage the clutch. I'd love to see how far someones clutch mechanism travels with a full level like I did in my video, that would really show me that I'm just simply not getting enough travel.

 

So, I've since tried both styles of worm gear, the old short arm one seems to travel a bit more. I put a stock lever on with 4.5" of travel.

I've had my cable travel as high as 3/4" but once it's all assembled and I watch down in the case with a flashlight it seems so piddly, like maybe 1/8" or less of rod movement. I can barely roll the bike in gear it's definitely still not enough. I am 99% sure the actual clutch is fine, previous owner is a genius with bikes he completely rebuild the motor top to bottom less than 3 years ago, I just took the covers off to polish them up and that's it, I did no clutch work. He did not however provide the bike with any cables, bars, levers, etc. so that's all of course different now.

I also watched that video, thanks, I must have missed that. I guess it really doesn't turn much, I don't know what to do.

 

my clutch cable is also a two piece type with an adjuster in the middle? anyway, today when I was lubing it, I was moving the cable back and forth getting the oil down and 1 of the wires grabbed somewhere inside. It left the bundle and spun around the rest of them all weird like. Anyway, this is on hold till a new clutch cable comes. Should be a few days.

 

Ya, I didn't think twice about it because it came with the 80 special I bought years ago. I just grabbed it out of the parts box and used it on this bike thinking it must have been a rare stock model cable. Funny both ends were perfect for the xs650. Yup, motion pro xs650 cable on order.

I'll follow up once I get it. I really hope it's the solution but I don't understand how a cable could effect operation, I Understand how it could effect stiffness, but if you can make a full pull with your lever, then you'll pull the same amount of cable regardless of its brand or style no? Assuming it's jacket fits snugly in the lever and the cover which it did.

 

Ok, still on hold till I get the cable but I'll post my bike info. It is a 1980 engine, with the inbetween style worm arm. the middle size. (I also have the longest style as a backup). I fully inspected the entire worm gear mechanism, no play of the two pieces when together, ball bearing in, everything moves nicely. I've also got the one piece push rod. As far as the lever, in my last photo I took I switched to an xs650 late style lever. I looked on mikesxs, ebay and google photos, and it is definitely this lever and perch as you can see it does have a massive almost 5" of travel capability, I slid it up to just where the bar starts to bend as well for a bit more leverage. So the only thing of out place that I can tell was the cable. Will report back once I am all stock (minus handlebars) and hooked up.

 

Ok! lots of new stuff to show and talk about now. So I got the clutch cable, motion pro, looks like the elbow isn't as steep as the stock one which is great they made that improvement. Tried it out in every single configuration, with my two levers, adjusted to clymer, then super tight no play, then even moved the lever to the end of the bars and pulled that sucker into next tuesday and still, I cant easily roll the bike in 1st gear, I STILL only get a very partial clutch. So I caught the oil and opened right case up... Now, as soon as I got it off, I pulled the clutch to see the plate action and the very first plate closest to the engine stayed close to the engine, the other 5 moved away from the engine. I just kinda unstuck it very easily with my finger and it freed up and follows the other 5 now. Not even sure if this is the correct function btw that's why I am letting you guys know. Some videos below to see




So do the plates look like they are operating properly?
I did measure the friction plates, they were in spec as per the service manual.
clutch disks on a granite counter top produced no warps at all that I could get a 0.002 feeler under.
clutch springs must be an upgraded type as their free length is ~41.5mm and manual says a number in the 30's.

some other photos below may be useful, but I am really at a loss here, not sure what to do.

Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback so far guys. Bike is basically ready, minus a working clutch!

 

Fixed, cleaned and filed the stamped edges of the plates, also scuffed with some scotch pads, immediately upon reassembly I could pull the clutch and move the back wheel in 1st.