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Help with Clutch Cable

11K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  fsr402 
#1 ·
So I'm having problems with my clutch cable and I'm turning to you guys for help. My clutch lever has too much play in it. I can push and pull it quite a bit without it engaging my clutch. It's almost as if the cable is too long. I'm sure there is some simple way of fixing it, but I'm not a gearhead (I say that in a good way, not an insult).

I can adjust the cable near the lever to remove most of this slack but that leaves the small adjustment knob on it's last thread and I'm afraid that it's going to snap off.

Is there a way to adjust my lever so the top adjustment knob has more room for.. adjusting?

Here is a photo of what I mean.

 
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#4 ·
If I were to adjust it in to where there are only a few threads showing I would have to pull the clutch all the way to the grips before it started to engage.

And I just now have a little over 2000 miles on this bike that I bought new with zero miles on it 2.5 months ago.
 
#6 ·
If I were to adjust it in to where there are only a few threads showing I would have to pull the clutch all the way to the grips before it started to engage....
I think you mean "disengage"...? From the factory BOTH my Vs came with the clutch adjusted so that the disengage-point was just IN from where the lever is at rest (furthest from the grip). Set like that, when you pull the lever right to the grip, you are STRETCHING the cable (once the clutch is disengaged), and there are several threads from guys who've had early cable failures where the 'ferule' that goes into the lever pulls right off, and I BELIEVE that's a DIRECT result of the cables being miss-adjusted.

I've adjusted mine (and those for quite a few others) so that the disengage point is quite a LOT closer to the grip. That way, should you need to 'slip' your clutch in some situation (trying to get unstuck...) it's much easier to do while maintaining a good hold on the grip. IF you overdid what I'm saying (closer to the bars), your clutch would NOT disengage - PERIOD, while if you overdid the factory setting (further from the bars) your clutch would NOT engage!

Just went out to my shop and took a couple of pics for you, AND measured the distance between the clutch lever and its pivot = .292" (that's the gap to the right of where you adjust the cable near the lever, in my picture). I KNOW that is different from what the manual says, however my '09 has 21,000 kms on it, my '08 has 37,000 MILES, both on the original cables (tho' I carry a spare on each bike). AND neither clutch has ever 'slipped' on me!

:goodluck:
 

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#8 · (Edited)
You just need to take up the slack at middle of clutch cable. The adjuster on the back of valve cover, beside throttle cam.

•Pull the clutch lever just enough to take up the free play
•Measure the gap between the lever and the lever holder. If the gap is too wide, the clutch may not release fully. If the gap is too narrow, the clutch may not engage fully. In either case, adjust it.

Clutch Lever Free Play
Standard: 2 ∼ 3 mm (0.08 ∼ 0.12 in.)

WARNING
To avoid a serious burn, never touch the engine or exhaust pipe during clutch adjustment.

•Turn the adjuster (at hand lever) so that 5 ∼ 6 mm (0.20 ∼ 0.24 in.) of threads are visible.
•Open the clamp (securing middle of clutch cable to engine).
•Slide the dust cover at the middle of the clutch cable out of place.
•Loosen the locknut at the middle of clutch cable.
•Turn the adjusting nut until the free play is correct.

WARNING
Be sure that the outer cable end at the clutch lever is fully seated in the adjuster at the clutch lever, or it could slip into place later, creating enough cable play to prevent clutch disengagement (possible explanation to your scenario).

•After the adjustment, tighten the locknut and start the engine and check that the clutch does not slip and that it releases properly.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Listen to hawbox and invader.

If the cable gets sticky inside the housing, you'll end up with what feels like too much free play, but it will be difficult to adjust. This is what happened to me, because I:
a) didn't lube the cable often enough, even though I park it outside at work, during the fifth-wettest Jan-Sept period on record in South Florida;
and b) lubed it with chain wax. Uh, don't lube a clutch cable with wax.

New clutch cable from PowerSportsPlus.com costs $18.10 plus shipping, part no. 54011-0082.
 
#13 ·
clutch cable routing



I would recommend you look at rerouting your cable. Seems most have a cable binding from the factory. I have my V apart for a valve check and I'm putting a new cable on it. My cable was binding, not moving very easily inside the cable sheathing. I am going to reroute and make my old cable into a spare, assuming I can get it lubed and freed up? And it has been a PITA learning how to get the old cable off, but maybe its just my lack of mechanical skills.:D
 
#15 · (Edited)
Hey there Bud... your cable is coming to the end of it's life... change it soon as I had started to get frayed cables and could've broken at any given time but I'll tell you this - when I fitted a new cable BOY! I was riding a new bike again! I felt a huge change as the lever was now working like it should instead of dragging all that extra (stretched) length.... hope this helps.. thanks Catchya Andreas

ps... changed cable @ 22.5ks
 
#16 ·
Sorry I never came back to update this thread.

I ordered a new clutch cable but never installed it as I fixed the problem while waiting for the new one to arrive.

It seemed odd to me that this cable would be worn out since the bike was new so I figured there had to be something else going on. The bike was new (zero miles) when I bought it, but it was a 2011 that had been sitting on a showroom floor.

I played around with the adjustments at the top and bottom of the cable to get it where I wanted it, but still felt like I had too much play or slack as evidenced by the clutch lever having too much travel when fully released.

I took some Dupont Chainsaver (in the liquid bottle) that I had laying around and put a bunch of it down through the cable. Worked the clutch a bunch of times and.... viola!

Problem fixed.

Apparently the cable was in serious need of lubrication from sitting around for 2 years.

Problem solved and I now have an extra clutch cable.
 
#17 ·
Sorry I never came back to update this thread.

I ordered a new clutch cable but never installed it as I fixed the problem while waiting for the new one to arrive....

Problem fixed.

Apparently the cable was in serious need of lubrication from sitting around for 2 years.

Problem solved and I now have an extra clutch cable.
I carry my extra clutch cable under my seat like this:
 

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#18 ·
Clutch Cable Blues

I am on my third clutch cable with on 21,000 miles. I don't buy the aggressive riding style crap the dealer is telling me. They are just a POS as I have lube and cared the two prior to this one. I have been waiting for two years for an after market unit......
 
#19 · (Edited)
I keep an extra clutch cable on hand for all my bikes. Not a lot of money to spend, I think I have less that $35.00 for both, for one of the easily repairable thing that can stop you from riding. I just hang them on the garage wall until needed. OR on the KLR when I go on a trip I zip tie the extra cable to the one on the bike after duct taping the ends to keep junk out. Makes it a quick change out on the road.

And 3 in 1 oil does a great job of lubing them up. I dribble a few drops down the cable when I change oil and filter on the bikes.
 
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