Topic: what am I doing wrong? CB550 Installing clutch...

[rlarkin70]

I am putting the clutch back on my bike, but I don't understand how it's supposed to fit. When I tighten down the bolts, the clutch lifter plate (A) bottoms out against the clutch compression plate (B).

how far "in" should the lifter plate be positioned? If I screw it in all the way the clutch would never engage. If I position it about flush with the rest of the basket, there seems to be enough travel to release the discs when engaged...but how do I know where to stop?

What am I missing here?

[Stevien1]

Tighten those four bolts all the way down, you want the plate to bottom out otherwise the clutch would slip big time!

[rlarkin70]

that's what I don't understand. if I tighten it all the way down, when the clutch lifter rod is pressed in (as I pull in the clutch lever) there is nowhere for it to go, it doesn't disengage anything. there is no travel.

[bryanj]

Yes there is, it pushes the steel plate which pushes the four posts against the spring pressure and lifts the rear plate that the posts are part off away from the plate pack thereby releasing the clutch

[rlarkin70]

thanks Bryan. I must have things installed wrong, even though I followed the shop manual and diagrams...

the way I have it the compression plate is tight against the back of the clutch "outer", so there is no where for it to go when the lifter rod is pressed in.

[Bodi]

It's all good, tighten the bolts (and torque to spec, you don't want them coming loose). The clutch is assembled correctly from what I can see.
This clutch design is "upside down" compared to many engine models where the clutch actvates via a rod right through the motor. This one is disengaged by a cam and lever in the clutch cover pushing inward. The clutch outer basket rotates "all the time", driven from the crankshaft and it rotates freely on the transmission shaft. The inner assembly including the bolts, springs, inner hub, etc. are stationary when the clutch is disengaged. The inner hub that engages the teeth on the inside clutch plates (flat metal discs) is splined to the transmission shaft that the whole clutch assembly mounts on.
So when you tighten the bolts and pull the springs tight, that's engaging the clutch. You push the bolt plate in to disengage it, this is basically impossible by hand unless you're superman so it's hard to see what happens when you pull the clutch lever... and of course then you can't see it because the clutch cover is on.

[bryanj]

If the pressure plate, which isthe one at the back of the pack with the post on, is actually touching the inside face of the clutch outer you have assembled something wrong, like a spacer or the "teeth" on the inside of the pressure are not engaged in the teeth of the hub (but then its a swine to start the spring bolts as well) I seem to remember that the plate only lines up with everything in one position.
Having said all that remember that the plate only has to move 1mm or less for the clutch to dissengage

[seaweb11]

just a thought. Put in 2 bolts loose across from one another. Pull both bolts towards you, wiggle while turning and jiggling a bit and see if it  slips into the correct location.

[Way Way norcal]

what happens if the bolts are too tight and the springs are compressed too much?

[strynboen]

try to rotate the plate 45 deg..there is some dots vho must be in a line..but it cab be mounted 2 places..to fit

[Bodi]

"what happens if the bolts are too tight and the springs are compressed too much?"
That can't happen. The posts should pull up to the plate then the bolts are torqued: this is not an adjustment. Maybe someone could get it wrong enough to have the springs bound tight... I'm not quite that good at putting stuff together wrong, so I can't guess how.
Try an assembly without the springs and you should be able to see how it works. The square plate gets pushed in by the mechanism in the cover to declutch, and is forced out by the springs to engage the clutch..

[BomberMann650]

And for Pete's sake; clean that gasket surface before ya develop an oil leak!

[BomberMann650]

And for Pete's sake; clean that gasket surface or else you'll develop an oil leak later!