Topic: cb550 clutch problem/?

[luap]

so I just got done with a new build, bike wasnt running when I got it- it will shift throught all the gears  pulled off the clutch cover an replaced gasket made sure the arm was under spring plate,an the shaft with the 2 balls on it is in the right spot. POSSIBLE slipped??? had a new shorter cable made for it yesterday was out messing with it tonight figuring I would take it for a first ride, here the problem fire it up pull in the clutch lever drop it into first an dies instantly made adjustments to cable top an bottom still does it, same feeling when you just pop the clutch
when I pull in the clutch lever with bike off it wont spring back out. The arm where the cable hooks up to off the clutch plate does have alot of play in it compared to a couple other bikes I have
bad spring inside the clutch plate??
clutch plates bad??
clutch plate springs?
havnt torn the cover back off yet.
thanks for any help paul

[dave500]

is the primary adjustment correct?where you align the two dots on the arm with the screw and lock nut on the case?

[luap]

with the cable on the 2 dots are lined up, pull the cable off an the dot on the arm is higher so the arm has falled down closer to the dip stick
With the adjusting screw on the outside of the clutch cover which way is the adjustment?
cracking the 10m bolt an twisting the adjustment screw clockwise will pull the plate on the inside of the cover inwards on the bottom an outwards on the top putting more pressure on the spring?
thanks for the reply paul

[dave500]

disconnect the cable or just slacken it right off,then keeping light thumb pressure in an upwards direction adjust the primary screw to get those dots together,then re set the cable,,you might need to fine tune by how the clutch operates the primary again,,i find the dots get you in the ball park,winding the screw clockwise will cause more engagement and less disengagement which is what i think you have now,going counterclockwise you will get more clutch release and a slipping clutch if taken too far all else being ok,sometimes its only a half or one full turn between good and bad,always reset the cable last.

[luap]

cool thanks man, Ill give it a try tomorrow,  thanks for your help paul

[luap]

went out today to mess around with the bike held the lever in place while trying to get the screw to engage twisting it in 1/4 turn I still have to much motion in the arm, pulled the cover off to double check that I put it together correct referencing back to book an also a different cover I have lying around, inside is correct. any other suggestion things to double check, could it be the clutch plates even though it will shift through all the gears?

[dave500]

the cable you had made might not have the free slack travel it needs?

[luap]

ill snap some pictures an post them up tomorrow if you dont mind looking at them for me, thanks paul

[dave500]

with the cable disconnected at both ends i get 3 inches with the inner pulled all the way down measured from the outer to the contact recess.

[luap]

i pulled the clutch plates off an lots of rust an debris gonna order a new set, with the rust an build up could that possible be the problem also the debri is keeping the cluth plates from engaging a disengaging.  going out to measure my cable length now thanks paul

do you have any recommendations on clutch plate is one company better then the other thanks again

[dave500]

get those steel plates clean,take the glaze off them,maybe replace the springs aswell.

[luap]

dave are those the stock platescleaned up? its ok to reuse the stock ones once cleaned up, thanks again gonna cancel my 50.00 order i just placed for new ones
did you wire wheels yours or use chemical to get them cleaned up?

[dave500]

i used a little sand blaster with fine white silica sand,makes for good gription.

[Danno]

Nice instructions Dave I was trying to put it into words and you explained it very well it is just second nature to me now so it is hard for me to explain

[luap]

installed my new clutch plates and springs  hit the steel plates with wire wheel put it back together then adjusted the arm off the cover, also took daves measurements on the clutch cable so I had to shorted mine up a little bit, after it was all done it fired up an road great, few carb adjustments an she willbe a runner,
if anyone else runs into this problem with the adjustment screw for me it was 16th of a turn at a time to get it right, thanks again for the help
paul

[dave500]

so your cable was too long,by how much?just out of interest the 500 cable free length is a fair bit longer than the 550 one and wont work on a 550.