When I got the long bolt and improvised a way to disassemble the clutch off the bike (in the workshop manual it say “do not attempt to disassemble the clutch off the bike”, so that was nerve racking) I realised it wasn’t the clutch inner that I’d broken, but the clutch pressure plate. *blubbing intensifies*
So, £120 for clutch inner, £80 for new clutch bearing, £70 for a 6 ton press to separate then rejoin the inner and outer, and £140 for a complete clutch assembly (that I bought after panicking about the inner, and before committing to buying a press, then learning I needed a new bearing to do it) that I don’t need.
Bought the £49 clutch pressure plate. Fitted the new clutch plates, pressure plate and spring and refitted it on the bike. While I had the clutch side engine casing off I fitted my new clutch cable at the same time. Then refitted the engine casing. I fitted the clutch cable to the handlebars and tried it. Nothing. The lever was solid. I took the engine casing back off, and took the clutch mechanism apart again. Same. Reread the book. Not doing anything wrong. The clutch mechanism has a triangular piece. That fits to the bottom piece. It is three identical sides, a ball bearing in a groove on each side. Identical. But, what it doesn’t say in the book, if you twist the triangle it pulls the cable through and puts it under pressure, so when you pull the clutch lever there is movement. If you don’t twist it, it is already at it full range of motion in the direction the cable pulls it.
It took me about 4 strips and rebuilds to suss that out. So not intuitive. Then you have to adjust a spring loaded screw mechanism in the engine casing (through an inspection port) to get the correct pressure on the clutch. What I didn’t realise it you have to hold the mechanism in with your fingers while tightening or you get a false feel of pressure. Harley’s, man! Everything has to be basic and idiosyncratic. A perfect example is Top Dead Centre. Any Japanese bike, you remove a cover (and spark plugs, obvs) fit a socket to a nut and turn the engine over until a line on the flywheel aligns with one on the inner casing. Harley? Jack the back end up, rotate the back wheel in 5th gear to turn the engine until the straw you’ve placed in the spark plug hole raises fully.
So, everything was back together. New clutch plates, pressure plate, and clutch cable fitted and working.
I really thought all of the above was going to be a doddle, so I’d confidently booked it in for it’s MOT again. It was a world of unnecessary pain but I got it done in time. I thought I’d best take it for a spin around the block to test everything out. I got about a hundred yards, there was a nasty grinding/ dragging sound going on, then the engine stopped. I got off and tried to push it backwards but it locked up completely.
I was gutted. Again. Because of all the different jobs I’ve done on it there are a world of variables that could be contributing to any given problem. I pushed it home, into the shed, and just left it.
I spent all of today not looking at it. I was too gutted to start from scratch again.
An Amazon delivery of nails arrived (so I can hang my screwdrivers up) so I went into the shed to do the job. While I was there anyway I thought I’d start to have a look. I slid the jack under the frame to lift the back end up then saw this
WHAT?!
The back brake is wedged into my tyre. I’ve had the back wheel off a few times but not touched the brake caliper. On a Japanese bike that would mean the caliper is still bolted firmly in place. Harley exceptionalism again. They secure the caliper by passing the axle through it, apparently. Which I somehow missed.
I was incredibly lucky the bike cut out. If I’d have run that any distance I could have done some serious damage.
It was quite late in the day when I noticed it so I’ve not had the back wheel off and refitted everything properly but I’m hoping that is all of the dragging/ grinding issue. Then it just a matter of the bike cutting out. I think that’s a fueling issue. I might just throw a new carb at that problem. Re-jet it with the bigger jets I’m running on that carb.
Wendy rightly said, this bike is an emotional rollercoaster. I was in despair last night. After seeing that tonight I’m back to being hopeful.
This weekend we’re off to Germany for my half-arsed to the max marathon. No training and I’ve just got over a vile dose of covid. When we get back I’m buying a welder and teaching myself to weld. I have a bunch of jobs lined up off the top of my head. I want to make a work bench, sturdy enough to take a vice. Currently I’ve got a sheet of wood laid over an old WorkMate. I want to make an inverted U shape to fit over my motorbike jack, with two u shaped cups on the top, so I can fit the jack properly under my frame to lift the bike squarely. Further down the road, when I’m competent, I could fit a weld-on hardtail, which is kind of terrifying. You have to take an angle grinder to your frame, saw the back end off, insert the ends of the hardtail into the tubes, then weld up it. EEK!
or buy a hardtail frame and weld on all the fittings.
That’s a fair way in the future. First off I’ve got to get the bike running and decide that I like it and want to keep it enough to bother chopping it.
In an ideal world…
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