Has my pushrod lost its balls?

[Angry Rabbit]

Folks-like many people before me, my 83 clutch lever is very hard to pull and the clutch won't engage. I've gone through the various posts and tried the std. fixes. (Lub'd the cable, greased up the clutch screw assembly, made sure the push rod wasn't binding.) After all this work, I remembered I had replaced 2 shorter pushrods with the longer one from Mikes. My question for the experts; how many ball bearings should be in the system now? I've only got 1 in the system now; it's between the flared pushrod piece and the long push rod. Is there supposed to be one in the clutch screw assembly?

I'm grateful for any help I can get on this one. thx.

 

[650Skull]

This has been discussed a million times. I will not answer, but recommend using the google custom search top left. I typed in "Clutch pushrod bearings" and this is what come up.

should be all the answers to any question on push-rods.

Post back if you find what you were looking for and if it helped.

 

[Angry Rabbit]

I installed the bearing in the worm push assembly and it seems to have helped. I also pulled the pressure plate so I could make sure the spring screw seems to move out when I pull the clutch lever. By eyeball, I think I'm getting about 2 mm of movement on the push rod when I pull the clutch handle in. I'm hoping to put the right side back together again and see if the clutch will engage.

As I've been working on this problem, I noticed the clutch springs are substantially longer than the socket head bolts mounted in their sleeves. (I got the kit from MikesXS to replace the original screws with Phillips heads on them) The springs are 41mm long, but t sleeve with the bolt in it is only 36mm long. Hence, I need to compress the springs 5 mm just to get the bottom of the bolt to touch the pressure plate. By the time I get a couple of the bolt threads into the pressure plate, I've compressed the springs 6-7mm. With 6 springs on the pressure plate, this is a lot of down force on the push rod.

Are the bolts supposed to be longer so you don't have to compress the springs so much?

Any help would be appreciated. thx, CB

 

[5twins]

No, the bolts are short, the springs are long. Your springs appear to be aftermarket as the stock ones are only about 34mm long. This info is all in your factory shop manual.

 

[Angry Rabbit]

I go the bolts and springs from MikesXS as a set. I know the springs are longer than the originals, which would suggest the bolts should be longer also. Any ideas on how long the bolts should be in the kit Mikes sells? I want to make sure the right bolts were shipped with the springs. thx again, CB

 

[5twins]

The Allens should be 40mm.

 

[XSLeo]

Your springs are longer because they are aftermarket. They still installed to the same height. They are longer to make them stronger.
If you had the proper tools you could measure the strength of the spring when compressed to the installed height of about 1 inch.
The stock springs were about 50 lbs. when new, After 30+ years they may be more like 40-45 lbs. The ones you have may be 50 or 60 lb. springs. Maybe even more.
Heavier spring can increase the lever pull a bit but not enough to worry about.
If you have a properly lubed cable and worm mechanism your lever pull won't be hard. I have done several mods to my clutch. The big thing is the 70 lb. springs. Even with these springs I can pull my lever with two fingers.
If you compare the lever pull of an XS650 to a new bike then it might feel heavy. I have pulled the lever on many new bikes and they don't feel like they are hooked to anything.
It's not the best clutch ever designed but it works well when properly lubed and adjusted.
Leo

 

[Angry Rabbit]

I've lubed the cable and it seems good; I've got a new worm assembly coming later this week. Hopefully it will fix the problem. I'll post back once I test it. thx, CB

 

[5twins]

Cable routing is very important too. You want gentle bends and no tight kinks. That will bind it right up.

 

[XSLeo]

If you got the worm from Mike's It has a long arm with two holes in it. The hole nearer to the worm will actuate the clutch more but have a slightly harder lever pull. Using the farther out hole will pull slightly easier but not actuate the clutch as well. I would recommend you try it both ways.
Leo

 

[Angry Rabbit]

It took some doing, but it looks like I managed to get the clutch working. I took a couple of mm off each of the clutch springs. I put a new clutch cable on the system and installed the new worm assembly. One "gotcha" was the worm assembly and where it mates up with the clutch rod. The end of the worm assembly was not big enough to allow the clutch rod to go inside the mechanism and touch the ball bearing. I had to toss it on my mill and open it up and now the rod moves smoothly in the system. The clutch lever is still stiff, but it seems to function now.

thanks for all the help. CB

 

[5twins]

One end of the pushrod should come turned down so it fits into the worm. All the ones I've ever seen or used were like this .....

 

[Angry Rabbit]

My clutch rod is the same way. However, the screw assembly I got from MikesXS did not accept either end of the rod. I ended up putting the smaller end of the clutch rod towards the clutch plates.

thx, CB

 

[XSLeo]

Do as you will but that's wrong. The small end goes to the worm. If the rod won't fit in the worm I would have made the rod smaller not open the hole in the worm.
You cut the clutch springs shorter? That's wrong too. They need the full length to exert enough pressure to keep the clutch from slipping.
With a new worm, well greased, a new cable, well oiled then properly adjusted it will pull easy. Maybe not with the no resistance of some new bike clutches but two finger easy.
I even have 40% stronger springs in my 75 and it's still a two finger clutch.
Leo