Clutch release position
- Thread starter Zrx Steve
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Air in your hydraulic line, you need a bleed, do a reverse-bleed, much-quicker than anything else, for the price. It's possible it could be a worn master cyl or slave cyl, needing a rebuild, but try the reverse-bleed first.
Make sure the teeny-tiny hole in the master cyl closest-to the banjo bolt is clear of any obstruction.
If you don't have clear brake fluid, it's time to change it completely.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/clutch-slave-cylinder-replacement.45011/
Make sure the teeny-tiny hole in the master cyl closest-to the banjo bolt is clear of any obstruction.
If you don't have clear brake fluid, it's time to change it completely.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/clutch-slave-cylinder-replacement.45011/
Ok I bleed all the old fluid out and checked the hole and it was open. My clutch pull is still the same. Is there something to adjust to give me more free play at the clutch lever?
desert_max
Well-Known Member
There’s nothing really to adjust on a hydraulic clutch. But if it’s not slipping, I would just ride it and not worry about it.
Thanks, that’s what I thought. I just wanted to make sure
The hydraulic clutch, when things are within-spec, should not release almost-back to the handlebar! You may be able to ride it like that, I wouldn't. Mark my words, the next problem you'll discover is that the clutch won't disengage easily upon attempting to shift. Something, somewhere is worn. My $ is on a master cylinder leaking internally, or a clutch slave cyl leaking. That's assuming your clutch bleed/fluid change removed all the air. Do you park where you would find oil on the pavement, easily? The sign of a leaking clutch slave cyl is oil spotting (it's brake fluid) under the left rear of the engine, along with symptoms of difficulty in clutch operation/disengagement, as mentioned previously.
Worn clutch pack friction discs will cause a slipping clutch, which is very-apparent as the rpm's increase, you don't accelerate in higher gears as you should. If the clutch overheats, the 'steelies' can turn blue and warp, also affecting clutch disengagement, causing a 'dragging' clutch. Fortunately, that usually only happens due to severe abuse, typical of drag strip abuse, rolling burnouts and insufficient time to cool-down.
You should consider a plan of action, should you find yourself with a clutch suddenly unable to be disengaged. Imagine that you're coming to a six-lane divided highway, during rush hour, and maybe you carried a bit too-much speed as you approached the busy intersection. The #!**^% clutch won't disengage! What do you do? You have-to stop, the light turned red, there are cars in-front of you and behind you.
I would try to get to the curb lane, hopefully, there is no actual curb, and you can pull-off the roadway, and onto the shoulder. Brake evenly, because if you try to turn and brake using the front brake, the front end in dirt will probably wash-out on you. Down you go! Hopefully, at that point, it's at a low speed. Using the rear brake and a bit of front brake is what I would try to accomplish, while keeping the bike upright. Remember that there is a huge difference between a foot-'dab' with a 220 lb. motocrosser and trying the same thing with a 600 lb. cruiser. Get your leg in the wrong position and you are in plaster for the next 3 months. Have you ever-seen a compound fracture of a femur (thighbone)? If it's your's, besides hurting like nothing you've probably experienced before the sight of it will probably make you puke. We in the medical field refer to that as psychogenic shock with an episode of emesis.
If you cannot make it to the curb lane and the swale, safely, I think the last-resort is to use both brakes to come-to a stop before hitting the car/vehicle in-front of you, and to kill the engine, because you cannot get the clutch to disengage. Then do whatever is necessary to pop it into neutral, which should be easier with the engine off, and get to the swale. Hopefully, people aren't so engrossed in their facebook updates while illegally driving with their apple earbuds in, that they recognize the biker in-front of them is in distress.
Good luck.
Worn clutch pack friction discs will cause a slipping clutch, which is very-apparent as the rpm's increase, you don't accelerate in higher gears as you should. If the clutch overheats, the 'steelies' can turn blue and warp, also affecting clutch disengagement, causing a 'dragging' clutch. Fortunately, that usually only happens due to severe abuse, typical of drag strip abuse, rolling burnouts and insufficient time to cool-down.
You should consider a plan of action, should you find yourself with a clutch suddenly unable to be disengaged. Imagine that you're coming to a six-lane divided highway, during rush hour, and maybe you carried a bit too-much speed as you approached the busy intersection. The #!**^% clutch won't disengage! What do you do? You have-to stop, the light turned red, there are cars in-front of you and behind you.
I would try to get to the curb lane, hopefully, there is no actual curb, and you can pull-off the roadway, and onto the shoulder. Brake evenly, because if you try to turn and brake using the front brake, the front end in dirt will probably wash-out on you. Down you go! Hopefully, at that point, it's at a low speed. Using the rear brake and a bit of front brake is what I would try to accomplish, while keeping the bike upright. Remember that there is a huge difference between a foot-'dab' with a 220 lb. motocrosser and trying the same thing with a 600 lb. cruiser. Get your leg in the wrong position and you are in plaster for the next 3 months. Have you ever-seen a compound fracture of a femur (thighbone)? If it's your's, besides hurting like nothing you've probably experienced before the sight of it will probably make you puke. We in the medical field refer to that as psychogenic shock with an episode of emesis.
If you cannot make it to the curb lane and the swale, safely, I think the last-resort is to use both brakes to come-to a stop before hitting the car/vehicle in-front of you, and to kill the engine, because you cannot get the clutch to disengage. Then do whatever is necessary to pop it into neutral, which should be easier with the engine off, and get to the swale. Hopefully, people aren't so engrossed in their facebook updates while illegally driving with their apple earbuds in, that they recognize the biker in-front of them is in distress.
Good luck.
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I think you have misunderstood the issue or I did not explain properly. The clutch does not release back close to the handlebar but almost as soon as you pull it. Thanks for trying to help as I did need to change the fluid anyway.sorry for the confusion and thanks for your good advise
Oops! When my clutch is properly-bled, that's how it releases, once you take-up the slack, not-much travel and it releases, probably just-after 1/2-way to the handlebar.
desert_max
Well-Known Member
Yep that was my take. Given that the bike only has 8000 miles, I would be astonished if wear on anything is at fault. While it never hurts to bleed a hydraulic system, even without that, I’m betting that there isn’t anything wrong with this motorcycle.
MaxMidnight
Well-Known Member
As stated above what you have is normal but can be an issue if you have small hands or short fingers; a span adjustable leaver would help.
sdt354
Well-Known Member
My clutch lever works on a short distance from fully released. Running the DD seems to make the disengagement even shorter. I like it that way too for quick positive shifts.
BINGO That is what I’m talking about. It’s not comfortable for me to pull clutch at that distance.
85vmax
Well-Known Member
My clutch was engaged at about halfway....stock. When I did the double d mod, its exactly like what your experienceing fir my huge hands and short fingers.
Parminio
Well-Known Member
My 2007 is similar. It doesn't start to engage until it's about 3/4 the way out. At half out or less there's no grip of any kind. Been that way since it came out of the crate.
Thanks for that. I never had a Vmax and didn’t know if that was normal. Not going to think about it anymore and just ride it.
MaxMidnight
Well-Known Member
Get some span adjustable levers, it make the riding far more pleasurable...been there and did it.
Ok this is my CHERRY as far as doing any more than just reading everybodys thoughts. I am a big boy now and should act like it.I bought a one owner 2004 vmax with only 1024 miles on it back in the spring and if it had fluid in it at any part it was supposed to be drained because it set for 12 years in storrage and i was told that all the proper precautions was taken to store the bike.Well not the case but working on the clutch it is the same way. Almost all the way out before it catches,but it makes getting on down the road much faster. Well i wrote my first anything on my first board.Was it really bad?
This is exactly the issue I am having with my 2002, the clutch releases at the last possible moment. My sons 92 max does not suffer from this problem, his clutch releases where it should as far as I am concerned.
I bought a 2006 a about a month ago to flip. I rode that bike for about a week before I sold it. I got so used to riding with a normal clutch its making it hard to accept how my daily rider releases so late, it's driving me crazy. I replaced the clutch with a complete Barnett system with heavy duty springs hoping it would help, it didn't effect the release point at all. I was hoping to come here and find the answer, but it seems that people are saying its not a fixable problem, that sucks.
I bought a 2006 a about a month ago to flip. I rode that bike for about a week before I sold it. I got so used to riding with a normal clutch its making it hard to accept how my daily rider releases so late, it's driving me crazy. I replaced the clutch with a complete Barnett system with heavy duty springs hoping it would help, it didn't effect the release point at all. I was hoping to come here and find the answer, but it seems that people are saying its not a fixable problem, that sucks.
the clutch releases at the last possible moment
Is that
A] releasing when you're pulling in the lever, it releases (the clutch disengages) almost to the handlebar, for the lever position, or is it that
B] when releasing pressure on the lever, after having pulled it to the handlebar, and now you are letting-go of the lever, and it's nearly-where it would be if you weren't pulling the lever, before the clutch takes-hold, again?
A hydraulic clutch is a very-simple mechanism. Read my thread, try what I'm describing. While I don't rebuild the slave cyl (I replace it) you can do that if you wish.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/clutch-slave-cylinder-replacement.45011/
Usually there are four things which affect lever travel/clutch action:
1] the small hole on the floor of the master cyl closest-to the banjo bolt for the brake hose, is plugged with crud. A small pin or a needle should allow you to remove any obstruction, but be-aware that the pressure can build-up because of the obstruction, and poking it free could send a geyser of brake fluid easily six feet-away. Or, into your eyes, so wear eye protection and be ready to remove immediately any brake fluid wherever it lands as it will ruin whatever paint it lands-upon.
2] a worn-out piston seal in the master cylinder. It bleeds internally and doesn't build any pressure. If it bleeds externally, you have brake fluid dripping-down your lever, and off the ball at the end of it.
3] air in the line. Bleeding will fix this, but only if the components are intact. Usually air in the line is because something is worn-out, and needs replacement.
4] the slave cylinder is frozen, or leaking. See my thread for pics of a leaking slave cylinder.
An internally-blocked hose is a possibility, but usually the things listed are what happens first.
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