I have a question about my clutch operation. I have read all the clutch posts and haven't seen a direct answer for this question. I also read that there is no adjustment to the clutch on the Vmax. I don't have any type of slippage, but when letting out the clutch the bike does not engage the gear untill the very end of the clutch lever. Again, if I pull the clutch lever in all the way, shift into first and then start to let the clutch lever out, the bike doesn't start to engage and move until almost the very end to the lever. Shouldn't the bike begin to pull into gear at the begging of the lever? Is this a bleeding issue or bad plates or ? Any help would be great.
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I would attempt to bleed the master cylinder and line. If that doesn't work, it could be your slave cylinder.
Mark
#1098
Mark
#1098
The bleed valve is on the left side near your shifter. See the rubber cover? Remove that and you'll see the bleed nipple. Bleed the clutch like the brakes. I use a Mityvac.
The bleeder is attached to the slave cylinder. If the seals in there go bad then you'll have to rebuild it or replace the entire unit.
Mark
#1098
The bleeder is attached to the slave cylinder. If the seals in there go bad then you'll have to rebuild it or replace the entire unit.
Mark
#1098
Rusty McNeil
Well-Known Member
I know this isn't much to go on but a friend of mine mentioned drilling out his clutch master and changing the plunger to make the clutch engage/disengage differently.
Unusual for me but I didn't ask him a million questions about it.
I'm gonna see him this weekend in Bandera and ask him if this relates to what it is y'all are trying to do.
BTW, my clutch has always had it's "action" out at the end of the travel rather than nearer the bar. I think it's normal???
I like it that way because it works better at the strip for the 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 shifts; requiring less lever travel.
Unusual for me but I didn't ask him a million questions about it.
I'm gonna see him this weekend in Bandera and ask him if this relates to what it is y'all are trying to do.
BTW, my clutch has always had it's "action" out at the end of the travel rather than nearer the bar. I think it's normal???
I like it that way because it works better at the strip for the 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 shifts; requiring less lever travel.
richwrench
Well-Known Member
I had the exact same problem with my 96 that apparently sat for a while. I read an old post somewhere in this forum that suggested the slave cylinder piston was probaby sticking in the bore. I pulled the slave cylinder & dis-assembled & polished the piston & bore & re-used the rubber seals. My clutch was then PERFECT for about a week until it stuck again. Engaged as soon as I would let out the lever - much easier to ride. Now that I know for sure what the problem is ,I'll replace the slave cyl. assbly. ( about 75 bucks ) when time & money permit. If you bled the clutch ( same as doing brakes ) , Ill bet you just need a new slave.
lankeeyankee
Well-Known Member
I like it that way because it works better at the strip for the 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 shifts; requiring less lever travel.[/quote]
You use your clutch after your launch in drag racing? Why? You are losing E.T. / MPH.
Its a Synchro type transmission.
I just apply pressure to the shift lever and barely move the throttle and it will shift into the next gear. I shift like this on the street also 75% of the time.
I guess it doesnt tear anything up, The trans is about the onlything I havent had tear up on my VMAX
Just asking for your information and not aggreavation.:ummm:
You use your clutch after your launch in drag racing? Why? You are losing E.T. / MPH.
Its a Synchro type transmission.
I just apply pressure to the shift lever and barely move the throttle and it will shift into the next gear. I shift like this on the street also 75% of the time.
I guess it doesnt tear anything up, The trans is about the onlything I havent had tear up on my VMAX
Just asking for your information and not aggreavation.:ummm:
hubeerjw
Well-Known Member
I'm going to try and put my thoughts down on this post so hopefully it makes sense... I would like to know how many miles are on the bike/clutch, but that isn't needed.
The slave cylinder has a given stoke length, but it will only retract as far as the clutch spring will push it (the spring has a given amount of travel as well) This travel will be a constant no matter how worn the fibers are.
If your clutch is properly bled, pulling in on the lever should always engage/disengage the clutch at approximately the same point each time no matter the thickness of the fibers. But if your fibers are worn, and have not bled the clutch in a while, won't the point of engagement/disengagement move out to the end of the stroke like you are describing?
Worn fibers will actually give you more travel for expanding the friction plates, but it is basically wasted travel since the plates only need a certain amoung of movement for disengagement.
I really think bleading the clutch will help to "recenter" the clutch. ('recenter' isn't the right word, but hopefully you get the point). I also question the fact that your clutch isn't slipping. I recently did the double d mod, and noticed a HUGE difference in the clutch... it really tightened things up a bunch! I never realizied how much the clutch was slipping before, or how loose things seemed to be. Don't get me wrong, my clutch operated correctly before, it would wheelie and pull hard, but I really like the double d.
I hope this makes sense and helps to answer your question. I am by no means an expert, so I hope I didn't say anything wrong.
Jeff
The slave cylinder has a given stoke length, but it will only retract as far as the clutch spring will push it (the spring has a given amount of travel as well) This travel will be a constant no matter how worn the fibers are.
If your clutch is properly bled, pulling in on the lever should always engage/disengage the clutch at approximately the same point each time no matter the thickness of the fibers. But if your fibers are worn, and have not bled the clutch in a while, won't the point of engagement/disengagement move out to the end of the stroke like you are describing?
Worn fibers will actually give you more travel for expanding the friction plates, but it is basically wasted travel since the plates only need a certain amoung of movement for disengagement.
I really think bleading the clutch will help to "recenter" the clutch. ('recenter' isn't the right word, but hopefully you get the point). I also question the fact that your clutch isn't slipping. I recently did the double d mod, and noticed a HUGE difference in the clutch... it really tightened things up a bunch! I never realizied how much the clutch was slipping before, or how loose things seemed to be. Don't get me wrong, my clutch operated correctly before, it would wheelie and pull hard, but I really like the double d.
I hope this makes sense and helps to answer your question. I am by no means an expert, so I hope I didn't say anything wrong.
Jeff
Rusty McNeil
Well-Known Member
You use your clutch after your launch in drag racing? Why? You are losing E.T. / MPH.
Its a Synchro type transmission.
I just apply pressure to the shift lever and barely move the throttle and it will shift into the next gear. I shift like this on the street also 75% of the time.
I guess it doesnt tear anything up, The trans is about the onlything I havent had tear up on my VMAX
Just asking for your information and not aggreavation.:ummm:[/QUOTE]
In don't fully disengage it, I just "feather" it lightly. I'm still turning high 11.40's with a stock engine max and a 230lb rider so I guess it works for me.
I tend to believe for a minute that clutchless upshifts are harmful to the tranny, and that any kind of racing upshift, weather an ignition blip or a throttle blip you do wears the tranny more than conventional riding.
I'm not saying it's immediately harmful, Or that I haven't done them or would do them, but the wear factor on the dogs is most certainly higher and once they wear enough they will start falling out of gear.
I've rebuilt the second gear problem in two different Honda V65 Magna's and don't wanna go there on this bike because it's my daily driver about 70% of the time.
If it wasn't my daily driver I'd be the first to buy some type of ignition "blipping" device and tie it into the rpm driver output on my Dynojet Wideband Commander and have at it.
Thanks,
Rusty
I blead the clutch the other night and it seemed to work. The gear is much more responsive than it was before. It doesn't engage at the beginning but more in the middle, which is way better than at the end of the clutch lever. I should have figured out the NEED TO BLEED from the beginning. My front brake was mushy as well. I think whom ever put the drag bars on my vmax must have hung the brake and clutch upside down while swapping out the bars.
Hello tdogmason, did you use a mityvac to bleed your clutch , or just do it manually? Does your bike clunk when going into first gear at a stop? Also lurch ahead a bit? Quite sure the clutch reservoir is only for the clutch has nothing to do with the brakes. Front brake is on the right and rear is under the right side cover, when sitting on the bike.
maxer1, I used a handheld pump vacum bleeder, I picked it up at autozone a few years ago, makes bleeding jobs much easier. As far as the clunking and rolling forward when placing in gear, I think everyone has a bit of noise when shifting into gear, specially first gear, but it should not be to the point were the gear bangs when dropping in. And the bike moving forward problem needs to fixed as well. Most bikes when the rear tire is off the ground and the bike is in gear and the clutch is pulled all the way in, the tire will rotate, but if the bike is actually pulling on you when you put it into gear, you need to do some work on your clutch. Now saying all that, it could be few different things. I had posted before and said that bleeding the clutch fixed my problem, but it was short lived. The bike went back to my original problem with-in the first day. I have ordered a new slave unit along with other items. (LankeeYankee) from this site has a few used ones for sales about $25 plus shipping if you are interested. Although, you might just need to bleed your clutch and your problems will be solved.
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