Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 My clutch, with properly adjusted cable, has been slipping for the past, ohh, 9 months or so. Usually not bad enough to worry about, meaning only in 5th gear & above 5500 RPM. Then it started slipping in 4th, but only when I really got on it, the 3rd and so on until a few weeks ago the tranny slipped in first, when I really needed it not to. I poured over clutch posts, purchased Ted’s Spline Lube DVD (which is an invaluable tool). Serendipity was my friend when I saw a post 12/97 friction plate in the classifieds forum. I contacted the seller, Jan from Colo Springs, and purchased it a month later. No, he didn’t save it for me, but it was just collecting dust bunnies under his sofa, and nobody else had asked for it so we made a sale. Hmmm, now I needed to find a few days when I was otherwise unoccupied. Unfortunately that came when I had a nasty cold. Ted’s DVD helped contrast the Haynes manual in a few places. If I followed Haynes, I would have removed the tail section and wiring, and completely removed the subframe. Ted, OTOH, instructs the preferred method of hinging the subframe. MUCH easier. I thought that I might be a bit intimidated during the re-assembly, as there are wires and connectors hanging everywhere. It turns out that when I put a part back, I knew what was to happen and/or the connections were in the right place. Anyway, it all just made sense. (Which is a good thing ) I always keep my hardware in plastic drink cups labeled with a Sharpie. Not elegant, but it works. A few things I put back into their holes, for some reason it made sense to do so. Changing the friction plate itself is a 15 minute project, once you get to it. I didn’t have a BMW flywheel tool, so I used the Haynes suggested "bolt or pin in the flywheel hole" method. A little bit of all-thread was laying around and worked fine. I did use a clutch centering tool that Pat Patterson brought over (THANKS PAT!!!!! ) The only slight snag came after I put a new clutch cable on. I figured "what the heck" with the cable, since I had one on the shelf and it might not be a bad idea. I couldn’t get the freeplay set. In fact, the tension at the lever was just enough to bring the lever back to it’s starting position. Mark Galstaun and I scratched our respective heads for a while. Later that night I had a bolt-upright-in-the-middle-of-the-night episode (literally) and realized that my maintenance history with my bike came after the warranty expired and the first time I adjusted the clutch was after it was half worn out. I just needed to run the adjusting pin at the engine further than I thought. The bike pulls like it oughta! The good guys win again! Link to comment
RFW Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 In one photo, your license frame says "One less...." what? I'm curious! One less what? One less car? One less bicycle (that's be my favorite!). One less Harley?? Bob. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Well done! I've had a few that looked just like your pictures! Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted October 26, 2005 Author Share Posted October 26, 2005 In one photo, your license frame says "One less...." what? One Less Car...from Aerostitch. Link to comment
Barglowski Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Glad to hear it all worked out! I think I contributed to some thread on the clutch play after installing a new clutch. Gist was that the amount the clutch rod is displaced by the thickness of the new clutch is HUGE! First time I reinstalled the tranny I thought somethings was wrong and took it back apart, then decided (after staring at the clutch assembly for a long time...ask John ;-) that everything *was* OK, and put it back together, and prayed the clutch adjustment would take that extra amount -- it did So how many miles until your first readjust? I made about 5 miles before the clutch needed readjustment. But it hasn't been adjusted since! Later, jan Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted October 26, 2005 Author Share Posted October 26, 2005 So how many miles until your first readjust? I made about 5 miles before the clutch needed readjustment. So far I have nearly 100 miles and it feels good. I'll probably adjust at the lever sometime this weekend just to be sure. Link to comment
RFW Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 So how many miles until your first readjust? I made about 5 miles before the clutch needed readjustment. So far I have nearly 100 miles and it feels good. I'll probably adjust at the lever sometime this weekend just to be sure. It's normal to expect some friction disk bedding in, and some significant adjustment in the first few miles as the "lumpy bits" on the friction disk wear smooth. Nothing to worry about. Bob. Link to comment
Stan Walker Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Congrats, I did Jan's bike this year, lots of fun..... How many miles? How were your splines? What did you use to lube them? Stan Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted October 27, 2005 Author Share Posted October 27, 2005 How many miles? How were your splines? What did you use to lube them? 84,xxx miles. Rusty and a little worn, but not sharp. Honda Moly 60 Paste. Link to comment
313_Matt Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Steve, Great to hear about the clutch. Nice to see some pictures about "how to." I must admit that the dry clutch was one of the big drawbacks I had (in my mind) to buying a beemer. I have changed clutches on Japanese bikes and it's an easy job. The dry clutch on the other hand... 313-Matt Link to comment
RFW Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Steve, Great to hear about the clutch. Nice to see some pictures about "how to." I must admit that the dry clutch was one of the big drawbacks I had (in my mind) to buying a beemer. I have changed clutches on Japanese bikes and it's an easy job. The dry clutch on the other hand... 313-Matt ....is even easier, once you can get at it. Bob. Link to comment
smiller Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Honda Moly 60 Paste Can you let me know your source for that Steve, or at least a p/n? My Honda dealer just looked at me funny when I asked for some... Link to comment
AviP Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 I always keep my hardware in plastic drink cups labeled with a Sharpie. Not elegant, but it works. A few things I put back into their holes, for some reason it made sense to do so. Good job. Next time try Ziplock bags. What if those cups were to fall? Link to comment
Smoky Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Me too on the zip lock bags. How long a job was it, possible to do in one day? Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 How long a job was it, possible to do in one day? I don't know how long it took Steve, but if you put your mind to it, it can be done in one day. We did a spline lube on Jerry Mather's bike at a Tech Day once, and with the bike in the "ready for a spline lube" condition, you're only looking at another 15-20 minutes to replace the clutch before you put it back together. Link to comment
mikewarax Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 Honda Moly 60 Paste Can you let me know your source for that Steve, or at least a p/n? My Honda dealer just looked at me funny when I asked for some... If you can talk to some of the technicians in the shop they will probably have some small packages of it they can give you. It comes in the brake pad kits with the OEM pads. I always had, and still have some of the packages left over. Mike Link to comment
DaveyMac Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 I bought mine here: http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merc...;Category_Code= DaveyMac Link to comment
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