Clutch Adjustment

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Hey all- I guess I get to break in the section!

I adjusted my clutch as per the factory service manual a couple days ago because I was getting a grind when trying to put the trans into 1st gear. The bike only seems to do this when the trans is cold. Once warmed up, it'll "clunk" right into 1st like normal.

Even after the adjustment, I'm still getting the grind. I followed the book to a "T". fluids look good. When I turned the adjuster screw in until snug, I backed it out a 1/2 turn and then tightened the lock nut. The clutch lever has the "no more than 1/8th to 1/16th" gap. Closer to 1/16th. Any ideas? Thanks!

[krcampbell Sr. Member Find all posts View Profile Close krcampbell]

mine would do that sometimes if not warmed up and engine idle was still high. Try and roll it forward just a tad and then shift it

[indianafatboy Rookie Find all posts View Profile Close indianafatboy]

I read somewhere that after starting, pull the clutch lever in a few times to break the plates loose from the cold fluid. I've done it and it seems to make a diiference.

[TheBoss Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close TheBoss]

Thanks for pointing that out....

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Cool! Thanks all! It looks like the weather is going to be decent today so I'm going to try to get a ride in. I'll try your suggestions out!

[gruss Ancient Member Find all posts View Profile Close gruss]

typical cold weather will cause a significant amount of clutch "drag"...the cold oil will try to rotate the trans, and based on the design, portions of the transmission will rotate with the primary and affect the non-rotating parts through hydrostatic pressure...once the oil warms, this effect generally stops...good synthetic oils will stay thinner when cold, reducing the effects when shifting cold.....

i use a synthetic auto trans fluid inside the sportster primary, and this has eliminated nearly all of my transmission shift problems....of course the sportster incorporates the trans and clutch as an integral unit, an closely mimics an automatic transmission.....i use this by choice, and do not advise this unless you have done your oil homework first.....i would feel really bad if you took this advice, and lunched your primary, or transmission assembly....

i'm not a professional, simply a long time rider and auto mechanic, thats willing to risk it, based on past trans fluid performance and testing.......g

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Thanks Gruss- Yeah, I'm going to change the fluids all over to Amsoil (or Mobile 1) here soon. I'll probably go 75W-90 Amsoil Severe Gear in the primary and trans and Amsoil 20W-50 in the engine. I've always been a fan of the "real" synthetics. The fluids in the bike are from the last service my bro-in-law had done at the dealer. He said they put in "synthetic", which means Syn 3. Not a REAL synthetic. So, the lack of flow when cold probably is the problem. I figure I'll probably run the fluids in the bike til next payday and then change it over to the good stuff...

[gruss Ancient Member Find all posts View Profile Close gruss]

hope this helped a little...that synthetic oil will make a real difference for you i think...

Thanks Gruss- Yeah, I'm going to change the fluids all over to Amsoil (or Mobile 1) here soon. I'll probably go 75W-90 Amsoil Severe Gear in the primary and trans and Amsoil 20W-50 in the engine. I've always been a fan of the "real" synthetics. The fluids in the bike are from the last service my bro-in-law had done at the dealer. He said they put in "synthetic", which means Syn 3. Not a REAL synthetic. So, the lack of flow when cold probably is the problem. I figure I'll probably run the fluids in the bike til next payday and then change it over to the good stuff...

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Definately Gruss! Thanks! Yeah, I think you may be onto something with the lack of flow, because my garage isn't heated, so when I fire the bike up, it's pretty cold... I might go buy a couple quarts of synthetic gear oil tomorrow. No way to know for sure until I drain the primary and trans and change out the oil. I'm sure there will be a difference.

[gruss Ancient Member Find all posts View Profile Close gruss]

yep, the syn3 is okay, but true synthetics, or better stated, 100% synthetics will do much better and provide ultimate protection...now i sound like an oil rep...LOL !!!

Definately Gruss! Thanks! Yeah, I think you may be onto something with the lack of flow, because my garage isn't heated, so when I fire the bike up, it's pretty cold... I might go buy a couple quarts of synthetic gear oil tomorrow. No way to know for sure until I drain the primary and trans and change out the oil. I'm sure there will be a difference.

[toorglide AKA Tidda Find all posts View Profile Close toorglide]

. When I turned the adjuster screw in until snug, I backed it out a 1/2 turn and then tightened the lock nut. The clutch lever has the "no more than 1/8th to 1/16th" gap. Closer to 1/16th. Any ideas? Thanks!

steve, when you backed the adjuster screw out.....did you hold the screw in place as you tightened the lock nut?....... if the screw turned at the same time you turned the locknut, you may have lost yer adjustment enough to cause the drag.......just a thought

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Thanks Toor- Yeah, I held the hex key while I tightened the lock nut but thanks for checking! That was my first clutch adjustment on an HD, so I followed the manual step by step so I wouldn't fuk it up! :)

[Paladin Have gun, will travel Find all posts View Profile Close Paladin]

Well, I got the bike prepped for the trip to Laughlin. I got all of the fluids changed today. Mobile 1 syn ("V-Twin") 20W-50 in the engine, Mobile 1 syn 75W-90 in the primary and trans. It shifts good now! Much better going into 1st gear!

[gruss Ancient Member Find all posts View Profile Close gruss]

that synthetic is good stuff ! glad to hear your tuned and ready.....g

Well, I got the bike prepped for the trip to Laughlin. I got all of the fluids changed today. Mobile 1 syn ("V-Twin") 20W-50 in the engine, Mobile 1 syn 75W-90 in the primary and trans. It shifts good now! Much better going into 1st gear!