'81 XJ550 Clutch Cable Routing

Does anyone have a picture or diagram showing how the clutch cable routes around or thru the instrument cluster and steering stem area? I can't seem to find a good pic in any of the manuals I have.

A few months back I was messing with the speedo and had it on and off several times. Aterwards I had problems with the clutch slipping, certainly due to me misrouting the cable and the clutch not fully engaging. I experimented and found a routing that seems to be working ok, but I'm not at all confident that it's back to the way it was before I messed with it. Now that I've acquired another cluster from fleabay, I'd like to know for certain the correct routing before I begin anew.

Incidentally, I never really did satisfy my curiosity re: the original speedo problem. Miles click by accurately on the odo, and the speedo has a miles faceplace, but it seems to read in metric. By that I mean if you read the inner scale, which is kph, that number accurately reflects the current speed in mph. If you read the outer mph scale, you are travelling faster than that number. I know this sounds improbable, but I verified the inner scale by matching the pace of a car at 20,30,40 & 50 mph and it was spot on. I'm speculating that a PO has mixed and matched parts in the speedo, and I'm hoping to get it reading accurately on the outer scale with parts from this 'new' speedo.

 

PM me with your email address and I'll send you a full set of the factory cable-routing diagrams.

 

I am curious if this is the proper way to rout the clutch cable. seems like a bad place for it.


clutch cable by bmonkey36, on Flickr

CN

 

It absolutely is not.

It's supposed to run down the frame tube then "swoop" out from behind the #4 pipe. On the 550s, there is a little wire loop on the frame near the pipe, and a rectangular wire guide up toward the steering head.

PM me with your email address and I'll send you a full set of the factory cable-routing diagrams. Plus some other important reference materials.

And add the Seca to your sig.

In the meantime I'll see if I have a pic.

 

on further inspection, it appears that the cable is routed properly. it's just too long. probably for a maxim that had higher handlebars.


clutch cable by bmonkey36, on Flickr

CN

 

The bike has lower than stock bars on it.

Believe it or not, the 550 Maxim and 550 Seca came with the same handlebar. Most Secas had their bars changed. From looking at the pics of the bike in your other thread, yours have been too. Those look like a "Daytona" or "Superbike" bar.

You can swap to a shorter cable as long as you keep the same inner cable/outer sheath ratio. I have "Euro" bars on my 550 Secas, and a 750 Seca clutch cable is appropriately shorter plus has the right inner/outer cable ratio.

 

interesting. looks like I will have to get the cable off and measure it. the wife wants to possibly put clamp on bars on it, so we may need an even shorter cable.

CN

 

Where can I get the cable routing diagram? I need it for my bike... my clutch cable is currently wedged between the headers!

 

Look up above. That's where it's supposed to be.

 

page 139 of the XJ550R factory service manual with the maxim supplement

 

Unless your cable is the exact length, you will have trouble with factory routing.

I had the similar issue as the OP on my XJ550 because the ebay sourced replacement clutch cable was a bit longer than stock. I ended up routing it different from factory, but still keeping the "swoop" between the pipes . It actually ended up somewhat similar to the op's. I used some zip ties here and there to secure it to the frame, especially on the little loop between the pipes to keep it away from them.

You don't want it to touch the exhaust pipe or the transmission housing just before connecting to the clutch end. Trust me on this.

I'm ordering my next clutch cable from XJ4ever to avoid this problem again.