Clutch Lever Travel

[maddog5150]

It seems to me that my clutch lever is not coming back all the way out. I'm not talking a lot, but it seems if I let out the clutch easy, the lever stays "in" just a touch. If I drop the clutch quickly, it seems to come out all the way. The first time I noticed it I thought that someone had adjusted the clutch lever because it was closer to the grip than normal. I sprayed some graphite lube on the contact point from the lever and the pivot, but it still seems to be sticking a little. Could it be that the clutch needs to be bleed? I've bleed brakes before, it is the same process more or less?

Anyone experience this?

 

[whisperquiet]

It seems to me that my clutch lever is not coming back all the way out. I'm not talking a lot, but it seems if I let out the clutch easy, the lever stays "in" just a touch. If I drop the clutch quickly, it seems to come out all the way. The first time I noticed it I thought that someone had adjusted the clutch lever because it was closer to the grip than normal. I sprayed some graphite lube on the contact point from the lever and the pivot, but it still seems to be sticking a little. Could it be that the clutch needs to be bleed? I've bleed brakes before, it is the same process more or less?

Anyone experience this?

Mine did the same thing.......took everything apart, cleaned all of the parts, lubed them with light weight grease, re-assembled, and it felt a lot smoother/better + returned to the full out position when released. While I was at it, I did the same thing for the front/rear brake levers and the shift linkage pivot points.

 

[sail2xxs]

I had the same experience - the clutch lever did not return to the fully "out" position after a very wet and muddy day off-pavement. A good wash, and a solid squirt of Jigaloo http://www.jigaloo.com/us/e_home.php did the trick for me.

Chris

 

[SisuTen]

Never heard of Jigaloo. I'll have to grab a can and check it out. The dry graphite lube could be useful on chains.

Thanks for the head's up!

 

[sail2xxs]

SisuTen -

DuPont Teflon multi use in a blue can at Lowes works very well on chains. I used it on my KLR, 800GS, and V-Strom.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_213197-39963-D00110101_?PL=1&productId=1059839

Glad not to have to mess with chains anymore, but that stuff made it a great deal simpler.

Chris

 

[hANNAbONE]

+1 on the Teflon spray from Lowe's

if i remember it's only $5.00

 

[Buckeye56]

I have been suing the DuPont Teflon spray on my FZ1's chain for quite awhile. There's very little fling off and the chain dowsn't get as grungy as with stickier chain lubes.

 

[Ron_Luning]

I had the same exact problem. In my case lubing the pivot point did nothing. I noticed that "pumping" the lever a few times made it so it would return to the fully out position. Until that was done, the clutch was extremely difficult to modulate. I bled the clutch a few times, but the problem persisted. After tying the lever to the handlebar overight then bleeding once again, the problem was solved.

 

[maddog5150]

I followed suit with what a lot of people here mentioned. Took the lever all apart, cleaned all the pieces and lubed them with dupont lube from Lowe's. They were all kind dirty.

Problem solved. Seemed to just be the culmination of a lot of dirty parts that had a thicker type of grease on them.

::021:: ...and clean your levers.... ::025::

 

[sail2xxs]

I just had the 26k service done on my bike, which included flushing the clutch and brake fluid. Although the clutch lever was returning to its proper position after the Jigaloo treatment, bleeding has definitely improved modulation. There was a fair bit of air in both the clutch and brake lines.

Chris