How much stroke should the clutch pushrod have??

[burnt03]

Clutch isn't disengaging, trying to figure out the problem...

When the clutch is actuated, the rod moves out about 3mm. Enough?

Also, can't seem to get the pushrod out, apparently it's supposed to just fall out.... Would that be contributing to the problem?

Thanks!

 

[Pitscar]

imported post

imported post

What kind of bike is this?

I know on my old bike the clutch would not fully disengage due to a worn out thrust washer. This was a 1997 DR350.

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Whoops, I thought it was in the title.

It's an old beast, 78 DT175

 

[Island Hopper]

imported post

imported post

Sometimes if the bike has been sitting for a spell the clutch plates stick together... A run around the block while working the lever may free it up....

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Actually ended up taking it all apart

I've never had a clutch apart before so thought this might be a good time to look. They didn't seem to be stuck together but I wasn't really looking for it either.

I can't get the pushrod out though, apparently it's just supposed to fall out with a ball bearing right after....

 

[Island Hopper]

imported post

imported post

It's been a long time since I had a 175 Yamaha clutch apart, but I'm sure the rod should slide out unless it has burr from wear on the lever end and is hung up.... I don't remember a bearing in there, I think the lever cam pushes directly on the rod itself....

What you could do is remove the lever shaft retaining bolt {under the countershaft sprocket cover} and slide the lever up and out... You can then shine a flashlight down the hole and see the end of the pushrod.... I actually don't think the lateral movement of the pushrod is much more than 3 or 4 mm so yours may be OK....

When you put the clutch back together you should oil the plates before stacking them.... You can either drop them in a bucket of oil or take each plate and smear a coating of oil on with your fingers.....

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I'll try putting it back together after cleaning and oiling the discs and see what happens.

According to the schematics on bikebandit, it's a 2 piece pushrod with a ball bearing in the middle seperating them. I tried pulling the actuator out but I can't get it to lift out without removing the head

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Here's a schematic of the clutch in my bike..

I removed the head to try to get the clutch actuator out, but it's stuck in too (can lift it out about an inch before it binds up).

Soooooooo, have the clutch out with the pushrods and actuator stuck in the case.

Any ideas on getting them out?

 

[Island Hopper]

imported post

imported post

If you got the actuator to lift an inch it should come out.... It's probably just hung up on the lip of the seal.... Try rotating the lever in a circle while lifting.... Otherwise a block of wood and a screwdriver will allow you to pry up under the lever.....

 

[Loz]

imported post

imported post

You don't mention if the bike is new to you or anything about it's history. Did the clutch work OK at some point past?

Here's my theory for what it's worth. :ted:

I'm wondering if maybe the ball is missing between the rods. It's an easy item to loose if dissasembled by inexperienced hands. If it is missing then the friction of rod on rod may have raised a burr which is stopping the rod from pulling out. It's possible that the missing ball could be compensated for by adjusting the cluth cable to get more movement out of the actuator shaft. It's a bodge.

This in turn could raise a burr on the shaft preventing you from getting it out. Burrs raised by usage can often prevent parts form sliding apart easily. It may be necessary to pry it out with a lever; just be as gentle as possible so as not to cause more problems.

It may also explain why the clutch is not disengaging as the rod (assembly) will be too short by the diameter of the ball. You'd still get the same travel on the rod but it wont be enough to separate the cluth plates. I agree with Islandhopper; 3 - 4mm travel is ok but is the rod long enough?

Before disassembling, did you check for movement of the pressure plate when the clutch is operated? If you're not sure about that it may be woth putting it back together to check this with the clutch cover off.

Loz out.

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Loz wrote:

You don't mention if the bike is new to you or anything about it's history. Did the clutch work OK at some point past?

Here's my theory for what it's worth. :ted:

I'm wondering if maybe the ball is missing between the rods. It's an easy item to loose if dissasembled by inexperienced hands. If it is missing then the friction of rod on rod may have raised a burr which is stopping the rod from pulling out. It's possible that the missing ball could be compensated for by adjusting the cluth cable to get more movement out of the actuator shaft. It's a bodge.

This in turn could raise a burr on the shaft preventing you from getting it out. Burrs raised by usage can often prevent parts form sliding apart easily. It may be necessary to pry it out with a lever; just be as gentle as possible so as not to cause more problems.

It may also explain why the clutch is not disengaging as the rod (assembly) will be too short by the diameter of the ball. You'd still get the same travel on the rod but it wont be enough to separate the cluth plates. I agree with Islandhopper; 3 - 4mm travel is ok but is the rod long enough?

Before disassembling, did you check for movement of the pressure plate when the clutch is operated? If you're not sure about that it may be woth putting it back together to check this with the clutch cover off.

Loz out.

The bike is new to me, the clutch has not worked since it's been in my possession.

I had the clutch back on yesterday to test that and it moves, but barely. How much should the pressure plate be pushed out?

On a side note, when I thread on the large nut (#15) and follow it with the push plate (#11), I'm not sure where it should be at. I assume the push plate should be butted up against the the back of the pressure plate which leaves a fair bit of threaded rod between the push plate and the large nut.

I'll try knocking those things out tonight, looks like they're going to need replacing one way or another anyways

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Well, made some small progress but it's better than before....

Took a dent puller/slide hammer and it just happened to be the matching female threads to the end of the pushrod

So managed to get that out. Ball bearing is welded between the two pushrods and there is an ugly mushroom at the end that contacts the actuator. So that's good.


BUT, the actuator still won't come out. Tried prying, tried wrapping some baling wire around it and using the slide hammer again but no dice.

Any ideas? Again, if the actuator gets ruined, no biggy. Probably going to replace it anyways

 

[Island Hopper]

imported post

imported post

I went out to my shed and pulled the actuator out of one of those engines just to have a look.... After I removed the retaining screw it easily slid up and out of it's tube no problem at all...

Yours must be really buggered to not come out with a slide hammer... I can't think of any other way other than force to get it out of there and that may bugger the case..... Try a threaded puller....

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Well, it was super buggered, took a fair bit of force to get it out (ended up prying with a pickle fork to get it up a bit and then with a breaker bar). Didn't wreck anything though, except maybe the seal.

Time to start looking for some new parts!

 

[Leon V.]

imported post

imported post

Hi Burnt, how much stroke for pushrod? Well, stroke it for awhile & when bike starts reving faster you`re getting close. Really if you want the smoothest clutch in history use Kawi synthetic in your almost new bullet-proof Kawi clutch. Oh forgot to mention it`ll come attached to an almost new Kawi.)):

 

[burnt03]

imported post

imported post

Got some new parts (pushrods, ball bearing, actuator) and threw it back together. Turns out the old, worn pushrod was about 3/16-1/4" shorter than what it should've been. Seems to work now!

Managed to get the fuel leak fixed and she's up and running now!

Here's what I started with, doesn't look much better now but at least it's running and I know how I like looking at threads with pics in them