XS650 Clutch Pushrod experiment & tidbits

My calculations show only a 0.001" expansion advantage with an all-aluminum rod, but that's if the exposed outer portion is at the same temperature. That outer 2" is likely to be cooler, so the expansion advantage may be moot. However, an all-aluminum rod IS much easier to make...
 
Way to go, DPS! That lathe looks to be a purty good deal, excellent reviews.

Took a close look at your aluminum pushrod pic, derived some measurements to compare with what I'm getting. So far, it looks like that wear groove may have been caused either by the outside/leading edge of a sharp corner of the split in the steel bushing, or grit of screened oil getting caught in that bushing outside edge. Have to do more measurements to confirm.

Are you using 5/16" rod stock, or 8mm?

Used 5/16" stock. Sorry, can't measure that anymore because I machined that off and made the new rod from the worn one. I really have a 2 piece rod where just one end of it (the part that mates with the bushing) is steel.

Now, if I could only get the old rod out &*#^%$#@ :confused:
 
DogBunny! Haha, great, an excuse to implement your 12mm bushing mod!

Do you recall the material and plating composition of that new bushing? Probably insignicant with that steel portion going thru there, but can you tell if the split and the inner entry edge is chamfered, or sharp?
The 12mm bushing is not my idea, it comes from this thread:
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30549

http://www.mcmaster.com/#6679k13/=r9x1aw
Above is the link to the bushing specs. It is Steel-Backed PTFE-Coated Bronze.
Inner entry edge is chamferred, the split is sharp. Same as MikesXS bushing.
 
Now, if I could only get the old rod out &*#^%$#@ :confused:
If you read what I wrote a few posts back, I had to remove a perfectly good seal and bushing to get my rod out. My magnet could not do it by itself.
You can just take the seal out, and then if you can completely lay the bike over while somehow still giving yourself room to work, gravity and a little teasing will get the inner rod past the bushing. I've done it that way with out-of frame engines, but never a whole bike.
 
I got it out after a few tries like I did once before taking nothing apart. Used a drop of superglue gel on the short outer section of the rod to get the ball out, and after a few tries succeeded getting the inner rod out the same way. Had to glue them together and let it set overnight before I could get the inner rod past the seal.
 
Superglue to extract pushrods? Nifty!

Warmed up to 83°F today, opportunity to try out the bimetal rod. So, did some hill-country riding. Fast, slow, many starts and stops and lingering.

Well, that's odd. Never experienced this before.

The clutch action remained the same all day. Never had to adjust it at all.

Will run this configuration for awhile, kinda like it...
 

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To keep from destroying a good seal, I've gone in from the clutch side to remove inner rods and balls.
 
That's I was thinking I have to replace springs anyways so ill do it clutch side. Ill order new seal and bushing and get those installed later
 
Been making parts for a modified version 2.0 of the bimetal rod. Made a dialgauge adapter for the lathe tailstock to simplify hole depth control...
 

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two many i thought id let you know the rod is working great moves alot less but i still need to replave bushing. also i noticed no need to adjst clutch

Great to hear, Dreamer! The Super-Summer will be the real shakedown.

Awesome thread. Can't wait to see how these hold up.

Thanx, OakBehringer. This batch was very (*grunt*) tough to assemble. No way they'll ever come apart. Doing final machining on them...
 
Pic #1 - Finally finished these version 2 pushrods. Biggest problem was getting them straight, all those raw-milled 6061 rods were bent. I need a shaft straightener (like those used for arrow shafts).
BiMetalRodsV2.jpg

Pic #2 - Using 7" of aluminum and 2 1/2" of 304 stainless moves the joint line to just behind the pushrod bushing.
BushingSealScoreLines.jpg

Top rod in pic is my old factory pushrod.
Second down is DogBunny's old outer of his 2-piece pushrod.
Third is the experimental 1-piece 304 stainless rod.
Bottom is a version 2 bimetal rod.

You can just see the seal score line at 1.9", and the bushing wear zone at 2.1"-2.4". The bimetal rod joint is at 2.5", hopefully clearing the bushing zone.
 
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One of these version 2 rods is going out to OakBehringer for his Bakersfield Burner/Bake test. Evidently, it's already hot out there.

Along with a flat-reground adjuster and resurfaced locknut. Resurfacing the locknut base improves its locking ability, and not as much force is needed to lock it down.
 

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Woohoo! It's hitting the 90s almost every day. I sold my car and just got a new Kriega backpack for running errands, let's see what this pushrod can do!

With replacing the bushing, is that as simple as pulling the bushing and using an easyout to grip the inside and pull it?

Thanks,
Adam
 
The bushing replacement procedure is on MikesXS site:
http://www.mikesxs.net/faq.html
toward the bottom.
Since you want the drill bit to get stuck in the bushing, I have found that crappy drill motors with no torque work best.
I think an easy out would expand the bushing and make it hard to extract.
 
There is another method that has come to light that involves collapsing the bushing by pounding a sharp object into it just to the side of its split. I haven't tried this yet but will investigate next time I do one. Honestly, I can't recommend it yet.
 
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