Clutch woes

[BeerBeddy]

Bob, You should have gone all the way with the clutch removal, even if it was for piece of mind.

You say the clutch looks new. Wondering if it has ever been driven with the new clutch coz I also wondered if the clutch plate had been fitted backwards. A common amateur mistake. What happens then is that even though the pressure plate releases the clutch plate, it is still firmly connected to the flywheel because the clutch dampening mechanism is meshing with the flywheel bolts. That's just one thought.

If the gearbox is all back in and operational, select a gear, foot on the clutch, start the motor. Does the vehicle move? Is it trying to move but there are horrible noises coming from it? If there is noise, let the clutch out so the vehicle moves normally, foot fully off the cluth, noise gone? This is a fair way to determine if clutch plate is installed backward.

Next option: Engine off, neutral, get the wife to hold the clutch pedal all the way down. Slip under the beddy with a screw driver and see if you can rotate the pressure plate and then try the clutch plate. If the pressure plate rotates (and the engine) thats normal. Now if the clutch plate rotateswhen you lever/push it,  all is good and I'll have to think some more about it. What is important is that if the clutch plate does not turn there are two likely reasons: Back to the clutch plate being backward and the other is the gearbox spigot is seized in the bush.

Let me know how you go with this and then I might have to come up with other ideas.

Bottom line, strip it all out and check everything and then you have to be OK.

Dallas

[VanWolf]

Great advice Dallas.

Mike

[Postie Bob]

Thanks for all the good input fella,s .
I removed cover and adjusted the fork so that the throwout bearing just cleared the pressure plate . Took up the slack in the linkage , and when the pedal is floored the clutch plate spins freely . You Beauty  .
However , the pedal has to be just about on the floor before it disengages . I can,t work out where all the slack is . It,s like the cable is made of rubber .
With the pedal on the floor it only has to come up approx 40mm and I,m away .
Gotta just love those hydraulic ones .
Cheers , Bob.

[BeerBeddy]

Glad to hear you have it working Bob.

The 'long' pedal you describe is usually due to adjustment. The throw out bearing should have about 1 to 3mm free travel from the pressure plate, no more. Assuming that you have everything adjusted correctly as you described, other reasons can be flexing in the clutch fork, wrong thrust bearing fitted (too short), excessive machining of the flywheel from years of use and weak diaphram springs in the pressure plate or simply the manufacturer of the clutch ket. They all have different spring rates.There are probably others but these are the most common problems.

Regardless, go and enjoy the beddy while its working. I wish I could but mine is not ready for the road yet. Soon I hope.

Dallas

[Rothu]

I had this situation with mine and broke 4 clutch cables before I found what it was. Where the clutch cable goes through the firewall, it continually weakened the thin metal until it was pulling in when you push the pedal down.
The fix was to get a nice thick steel plate, drill a hole for the cable, and firmly mount it to the firewall. Use BIG washers to extend the cable back from the firewall so that there is the tiniest bit of slack on the pedal, enabling it to be fully depressed. And Bingo, I've never had a problem with it since.

[BeerBeddy]

Yep that is another possiblity, firewall flex. I recall the X series Falcons had the same problem and we fixed that by drilling a hole for the cable in a plate and welding it to the firewall.

Seems manufacturers don't learn from others mistakes, perhaps we can!

Dallas