Clutch adjustment

Maestro, SEI-V
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Emmohaswheelsagain
Posts: 358
Joined: 28 Jun 2008 21:13
Location: Lincolnshire

Clutch adjustment

Post by Emmohaswheelsagain »

After fitting a new clutch cable I have been trying to adjust the clutch to the recommended free travel.
With a minimum amount of free travel at the lever I have removed the right side cover to adjust the clutch operating lever pivot.
The blue book recommends that the distance between the lever and the crankcase should be 15mm.
Even after adjusting the screw I still have some free play (some 7 mm) over and above the recommended 15mm.
Does anyone know what length the clutch cable should be? I assumed that the original cable was correct so I used the old cable as a template for the new cable. The blue book doesn’t seem to specify the cable length, as with any bike of this age you can’t assume that the correct item is fitted.
mbmm350s
Posts: 666
Joined: 22 Jun 2018 10:18
Location: Reading UK
Location: Berkshire UK

Re: Clutch adjustment

Post by mbmm350s »

Hi,

I suspect that the type of ferrule used on the outer sheath may be the problem. If the ferrule has a shoulder it's nose perhaps passes through the casing, at the bottom, and at the top control, this part that passes the through the fixed point is not included in the length of the outer and so lengthens the inner versus the outer. A certain well known cable manufacturer uses ferrules of this type, that have a long shoulder and consequently they make cables whose inners are too long. I tried to explain this but they couldn't grasp it. They keep talking about nose to nose, which unless the nose is the fixed reference is incorrect.
If you can make your own, or shorten the inner. As a dodge I have use a split repair ferrule at the bottom lever end to take out the slack whilst keeping the ferrule on the inner for security.
So to compare the cable check the fixed reference points on the cable outer

As to adjustment I would with the lever adjuster screwed all the way in set the operating arm correctly to 15mm then set the clutch lever free play to 5mm(cold)

On very old engines the clutch operating arm can get worn at the operating point,
a few mm of wear here is amplified by the operating lever length I have fixed these with a bit of weld in the past

Mark
3potjohn
Posts: 1243
Joined: 02 Jun 2007 13:58
Location: Devon

Re: Clutch adjustment

Post by 3potjohn »

I think I have some dimensions written on a box in the garage, certainly for other bike cabkes, so will check tomorrow.
John
3potjohn
Posts: 1243
Joined: 02 Jun 2007 13:58
Location: Devon

Re: Clutch adjustment

Post by 3potjohn »

As written on a shoebox of cycle spares above my workbench:
Morini (Sport) clutch cable home made
Outer 104cm 7mm OD
Inner 124cm 2 mm OD
Ferrule 23mm

I made a birds nest cable thing by cutting a slot in a pair of flat steel pieces, clamping in the vice and making a slight countersink. I have a steel rod with a depression in one end with which to tap the cable end, clamped in the slot. It sort of works…….
John
Emmohaswheelsagain
Posts: 358
Joined: 28 Jun 2008 21:13
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Clutch adjustment

Post by Emmohaswheelsagain »

Thanks for your help, Mark/John.
I will spend sometime in the garage tomorrow and see if we can improve the action of the clutch.
I had the replacement cable made up at Carrott Cycles (Lincoln) and at the same time they made me a spare.
There is no doubt that the adjuster arm is showing its age, but I remain confident that I can over come the issue.
Thanks again for your help.


Regards

Paul
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