Did I put the clutch cover on wrong? XJ550

It's been months since I put the clutch cover on, but now that I have the engine running good, I was going to test ride it, NOT. With the engine off, I put the bike into first and pulled the clutch in, but the bike won't roll. The clutch is not doing it's thing. Did I put the cover on wrong, or is there a problem with the clutch and I got's to fix it?
Thanks! Bill

 

Is the cable adjusted properly? Possibly the arm is not reinstalled right?

Take a look at this..

Clutch adj
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tment.html

 

i bet it's the arm not being installed at the correct position when the cover went back on.

 

That's exactly what that thread Bill posted was about lol...

Andy- wonder if that's the problem with the 'play' in your clutch not really even BEING there?

 

Trying to get the cover back on with the lever still on the shaft and having it end up in the right position is a crapshoot at best.

Take the lever and spring right off the shaft and set aside; fit your cover.

Then rotate the shaft (clockwise viewed from above) until it stops. The "pushrod" is now pulled against the inside of the pressure plate. Install lever (and spring) at appropriate postion. That's all there is to it; the trick is holding the shaft while you get the spring and lever back on.

Bill posted a link to a VERY DETAILED explanation by RickCoMatic of the whole adjustment procedure including positioning the lever.

 

I used that link yesterday when I replaced my clutch cable and when i first got the bike. It makes short work of getting the clutch adjusted.

One point though - you really need the engine running to proper check the adjustment - look for creep, clunking into gear and hard to find neutral as indicators you need to tighten the cable a bit.

There will always be drag when pushing a stopped bike in gear with the clutch pulled in.

 

That's pretty much just what I did. When I tried the lever the tension seemed normal but the bike would not roll. I adjusted more tension at the plate cable end, but there was no change, never a sign of clutch slippage. I'm convinced the clutch is frozen, the cover has to come off at this point anyway. The bike was sitting for years, with some water inside the crankcase, although it looked clean when I had the cover off. I'm hoping I just need to separate the plates, clean them and put it back with good results. :wink:
Thanks! Bill

 

Yuck. The friction plates may crumble away when you clean them; and/or they may have pretty much become one with the plain plates.

Do you have a factory book? The plain plates are asymmetrical and go back in with the tabs spaced at 72* intervals; there is also a wave washer inside one of the friction plates (it's a special plate) note its position in the stack.

You'll probably be replacing the friction plates and scrubbing the plain ones clean with Scotchbrite. Chacal carries aftermarket clutch plates cheap and they work great.

 

i doubt it. i was pretty anal about getting it right when i installed it. you shouldn't have much any "slop" or "play" in the clutch lever. it should begin to pull that arm as soon as you pull the lever. this way you have full movement of the clutch arm, thus fully engaging and disengaging the clutch. I'm pretty sure mine is just where it's supposed to be.

 

When I let go of my clutch, i let it out a little bit less than a quarter of the way before my bike starts pulling. Is this what you guys mean? That when I let go of my clutch, even a little bit, it should start pulling?

 

yes. that, AND the opposite. When you first pull the clutch in, it should be moving the clutch arm very shortly after you start moving the lever (IMO - less than 1/4 of the way in).

 

wow.. i didn't even know my clutch wasn't supposed to be like that. It would clunk when I put it in gear and the lever would be about half way out before it engaged.

I just adjusted it, much much better now!

 

Update on that clutch plate. I took it off and separated the clutch plates, I found no problems so I put it all together. It worked great after that. I may have originally put it on wrong, and it could be it just needed some work.