R1200RTP Clutch Question

[TurkInOdessa]

Hello everyone, my 2006 R1200RTP clutch is stuck. To my experience, when clutch wears out, it slips. Mine though I tested the master and slave cylinders in which they both work, clutch lever does not do anything. I am able to put in gear while on center stand meaning the tire is off the ground. I can even change gears, but without clutch. Can someone shed a light to this? 

[dirtrider]

10 hours ago, TurkInOdessa said:

Hello everyone, my 2006 R1200RTP clutch is stuck. To my experience, when clutch wears out, it slips. Mine though I tested the master and slave cylinders in which they both work, clutch lever does not do anything. I am able to put in gear while on center stand meaning the tire is off the ground. I can even change gears, but without clutch. Can someone shed a light to this? 

 

Morning TurkInOdessa

 

Your above posting is lacking some key details to fully help you. (what do you mean by STUCK?)

 

I presume that you meant it won't release but that isn't totally clear.

 

When you say clutch lever won't so anything, it is soft feeling? Is there ANY resistance to movement? 

 

Depending on HOW it is stuck, what the clutch lever feels like, (IF) slave piston is actually moving against the clutch pressure plate resistance,  etc  can tell us something  (could be a few things ).

 

The USUAL problem with clutch lever movement, with little/no clutch resistance feeling in the lever, & no clutch release  is air in the hydraulic line (can be somewhat common under the right riding circumstances & line routing)-- So, maybe try a good clutch bleeding first (it uses mineral oil not brake fluid)

 

If you don't want to bleed it then get the bike's front wheel very high (tilted up as far as you safely can) then rapidly keep working the clutch lever in & out. (front of bike needs to be as high as possible for this to work). This can purge the air out of the clutch line & allow it to flow up into the master cylinder reservoir.   

 

The other thing I have seen on high mile bikes (not very often though) is the clutch pushrod wearing though it's seat (inside the clutch assembly) .  If this happen all is limp & no clutch disengagement.

 

 

[TurkInOdessa]

Thanks for your prompt response, I removed the slave cylinder and tested that it is in fact pushing the pushrod in and have free movement. I even replaced the slave cylinder. Pushrod seems to be in good condition. There's definitely a resistance on the lever. I also bled the whole system after installing the new cylinder. As in installed position, I can hear a movement in the transmission when I press the clutch lever. What I meant by stuck is when the lever is pressed it is never in neutral. In other words, clutch lever is not doing its job to allow gear change or to disengage clutch. 

 

My experience is when clutch wears out, it starts engaging high on lever and one day it starts slipping except one time on a Toyota that I owned had similar symptoms as on the RT and the mechanic's diagnoses was the clutch. I am not familiar with the RTs on their symptoms on how to determine if the clutch is worn. Does it not slip but stop working one day? 

[dirtrider]

4 minutes ago, TurkInOdessa said:

Thanks for your prompt response, I removed the slave cylinder and tested that it is in fact pushing the pushrod in and have free movement. I even replaced the slave cylinder. Pushrod seems to be in good condition. There's definitely a resistance on the lever. I also bled the whole system after installing the new cylinder. As in installed position, I can hear a movement in the transmission when I press the clutch lever. What I meant by stuck is when the lever is pressed it is never in neutral. In other words, clutch lever is not doing its job to allow gear change or to disengage clutch. 

 

My experience is when clutch wears out, it starts engaging high on lever and one day it starts slipping except one time on a Toyota that I owned had similar symptoms as on the RT and the mechanic's diagnoses was the clutch. I am not familiar with the RTs on their symptoms on how to determine if the clutch is worn. Does it not slip but stop working one day? 

 

Morning TurkInOdessa

 

OK, that helps a bunch.

 

If you are SURE that the slave is working & the pushrod is working then about all I can think of is the possibility of the clutch disk being rusted to the pressure plate or housing. Did that bike sit a long time before you got it.

 

Or that the clutch assembly has a failure & the disk is jammed up between the housing & pressure plate.

 

If the clutch disk is rusted to something inside the clutch assembly then possibly riding it a short ways while holding the clutch lever pulled in might allow it to break free.

 

Probably my next move would be to remove the starter, then get a BRIGHT light in the clutch area, then operate the clutch lever to see if you can tell what is or isn't happening in there.

 

[TurkInOdessa]

Yes, unfortunately, it say about 3 years due to some legal issues. Though I cannot ride it because it stalls, I can put it in gear and let it spin on the center stand. I will try your idea and keep you posted. Thanks again.

[dirtrider]

17 minutes ago, TurkInOdessa said:

Yes, unfortunately, it say about 3 years due to some legal issues. Though I cannot ride it because it stalls, I can put it in gear and let it spin on the center stand. I will try your idea and keep you posted. Thanks again.

 

Afternoon  TurkInOdessa

 

Maybe try putting it on center stand (facing a safe direction with some roll-out room), then putting in 2nd gear with the engine revving to about 1500 RPM's  with  clutch lever held in. Then brake hard with the rear brake while feeding it a little more throttle.

 

If that doesn't work,  then with clutch lever still held in & engine running about 1500, & trans in 2nd gear, & sitting on the seat  try rocking it off of the center stand (careful with this as those 1150RT-P's get heavy in a hurry when the engine stalls in gear).  

 

 If you can't rock it off the center stand then maybe have someone help you by pushing from the rear as you rock it off the stand.

 

[Pappy35]

1 hour ago, dirtrider said:

 

Afternoon  TurkInOdessa

 

Maybe try putting it on center stand (facing a safe direction with some roll-out room), then putting in 2nd gear with the engine revving to about 1500 RPM's  with  clutch lever held in. Then brake hard with the rear brake while feeding it a little more throttle.

 

If that doesn't work,  then with clutch lever still held in & engine running about 1500, & trans in 2nd gear, & sitting on the seat  try rocking it off of the center stand (careful with this as those 1150RT-P's get heavy in a hurry when the engine stalls in gear).  

 

 If you can't rock it off the center stand then maybe have someone help you by pushing from the rear as you rock it off the stand.

 

 

OK. None of this sounds too safe, especially the second one. Kinda like one of those "Hold my beer and watch this..." YouTube videos in the making.

 

I get that you're suggesting he try to break it break it loose but it could get away from him and he could get hurt. At the very least tie the bike down or have a few few, preferably large, friends to help keep it up or keep it off you when it falls over. Oh, and one more to capture the YouTube clip.

[dirtrider]

22 minutes ago, Pappy35 said:

 

OK. None of this sounds too safe, especially the second one. Kinda like one of those "Hold my beer and watch this..." YouTube videos in the making.

 

I get that you're suggesting he try to break it break it loose but it could get away from him and he could get hurt. At the very least tie the bike down or have a few few, preferably large, friends to help keep it up or keep it off you when it falls over. Oh, and one more to capture the YouTube clip.

 

Afternoon Pappy35

 

It's only unsafe you make it unsafe.

 

In 2nd gear at 1500 RPM's it is only going to "get away"  from an unskilled rider as there just isn't much torque in that launch range. 

 

As long as there is a good unobstructed roll out zone then there are basically 3 things that will happen, it will either chugg away & he's off & riding, or it will stall, or the clutch will break loose.

 

If it chugs away then just ride it as short ways then hit the kill switch, if it stalls then just be ready to hold it up, if the clutch breaks loose then great.

 

I'm not suggesting that he drop it off the stand at 6000 RPM's in first gear as that would be a hand full.

[Pappy35]

4 hours ago, dirtrider said:

I'm not suggesting that he drop it off the stand at 6000 RPM's in first gear as that would be a hand full.

 

Oh come on. That's what I would do! Haha...

 

You are right of course but I just imagined the bike running off with the guy hanging on for dear life like something out of a Warner Brothers cartoon.