Topic: How To? Routing Clutch and Throttle Cables...

[Dave-and-his-550]

Hello guys,

I'm sorry I know this has been discussed numerous times, some threads informative, some not. I only found one with a few pictures. I'm trying to get the bike together by tomorrow so I am kind of rushed.

I have the throttle cables routed, and I think they'll be fine. But I am worried about the clutch cable, because the way I have it routed, the handle is very loose and there is a lot of free play. I've looked at the diagrams from the manual and it basically only shows the cable running from around the gauges, down the right side above the coil, doing it this way there is way to much to play with.

 Here are a few pictures of how I have it right now, if anybody can please inform me if this is correct, or will be workable, or totally ass-backwards that would be excellent 

[kghost]

I usually run it on top of the coils rather than below.

If theres alot of freeplay you adjust at the clutch side...then the lever.

[Dave-and-his-550]

Thanks, I'll go ahead and route it that way, put the tank on and test it out.

[SohRon]

The cable should go over the coils.
Here's how the Honda manual says to do it:



Hope this helps!

[BobbyR]

I actually redid mine on my 78K. They have never been changed to my knowledge. The pull cable went under the coils.

[mystic_1]

Run it outside of the frame too.  See in that pic, you can make out the rub marks where the cable used to rub on the outside of the frame tube.

The way you have it now, there's a kink in the cable.  That'll make it harder to pull and will shorten the life of the cable.

mystic_1

[Dave-and-his-550]

I have the clutch cable hooked up. I greased it with some fresh oil as well, and it is very slack, when I pull the clutch lever, it does not go back how it should. The clutch cable seems to be fine though after I greased it up, it moved freely inside the black housing. But when I hooked it up, it still just does not return how it should. There are no tight turns in the cable at all because I do not have it entirely in place, I'm worried it'll be worse once I tuck in the cable.

I think I might have hooked up the spring mechanism wrong inside the clutch cover, but it does seem to spring back ok, so that might not be the problem, I guess it isn't a very powerful spring.

Must I just get a new clutch cable?

[Laminar]

On my 550, you can move the small lever that the clutch cable attaches to at the engine by hand and inch or two, then after that it's far too stiff to move by hand. Do you have the cable tightened to the point that it starts at the "too stiff to move by hand" level? That's the point at which it actually starts to disengage the clutch.

[Dave-and-his-550]

Are we talking about that small aluminum lever that is attached to the clutch cover? I can move that freely from where it rests against the clutch cover, all the way up to where it stops, about 1-2 inches like you mentioned, but it stops there.

[Laminar]

Are we talking about that small aluminum lever that is attached to the clutch cover?

Yes.

I can move that freely from where it rests against the clutch cover, all the way up to where it stops, about 1-2 inches like you mentioned, but it stops there.

And where it "stops" is where the clutch actually starts disengaging. Tighten the clutch cable so that it starts at that point, then pull the hand clutch lever.

[Dave-and-his-550]

And where it "stops" is where the clutch actually starts disengaging. Tighten the clutch cable so that it starts at that point, then pull the hand clutch lever.

I dont know, I moved that adjusting nut as much as I could. It is still kind of loose. I might take off the clutch cover and take some pictures, I might have messed something up in there.

But I'll take a few photos of how I have it hooked up now, give me a minute...

[Dave-and-his-550]

This is how it is sitting now,


This is the most travel I get with it,

[Laminar]

Right. The second picture is where the hand lever should start pulling the clutch cover lever.

One interesting note - the clutch cable I got has a large nut with a lower section that has a smaller diameter to slide in the clutch cable holder bracket. This gives you additional adjustment area since you no longer need a nut below the clutch cable holder bracket.

[Dave-and-his-550]

I made this short video a few minutes ago also.

So Laminar, if the lever sat in the spot I have it in the second photo, then the cable would be to loose, I do have drag bars on my bike now, I guess I can't use the stock clutch cable maybe it is to long now?

[Laminar]

Like this:

[Laminar]

So Laminar, if the lever sat in the spot I have it in the second photo, then the cable would be to loose, I do have drag bars on my bike now, I guess I can't use the stock clutch cable maybe it is to long now?

If you were to put the bike in gear and try to spin the rear tire with your hand clutch lever pulled, you'd find that the clutch is still engaged.

The length of the clutch cable housing isn't overly important, it can be routed around to make up for the slack. When changing bars, you're not changing critical lengths that mess up lever throw. I see that the adjuster nut on your hand lever is all of the way in. Try moving that out to take up 1/2" of slack or so, and if that doesn't tighten things up, look for a nut like I drew earlier - it will give you an extra inch or so of adjustment at the clutch cover.

[Laminar]

Here's what the nut on the end of the clutch cable should look like:

[Dave-and-his-550]

Ah ha, I think I see what you mean now. I put the adjuster nut on the way you have pictured, and it does seem to work a little bit now, where when I pull at the clutch handle, there is a lot of resistance, and that is the clutch disengaging.

But the lever at the clutch cover still seems to be in an odd position, meaning it is to high up when I pull the clutch handle, can anybody post a picture of the clutch lever fully disengaged?

[Dave-and-his-550]

This is where I am at now:
I adjusted it so it is at that point of no more free movement:


At this point in the photo, I am getting resistance:


After I did all this, I tried as you said to put it in first gear with the clutch disengaged, and the tire did not more freely, so I guess I am not quite there yet, because it should roll when I have the handle pressed, right?

[Laminar]

Like I mentioned before, you have 1/2" - 1" of adjustment at the hand lever as well, use that to tighten it all of the way.

You may not be able to spin your tire in gear with the clutch lever pulled in, as clutches occasionally get a little sticky when sitting for a while.

[Laminar]

Just for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYqPgS80utk

[Dave-and-his-550]

Hahah, cool man thanks for posting that video. I think its about ready to go, just will fine tune a few things. And I did make some adjustments at the hand lever as well.

[fastbroshi]

I can't tell from your pics, but it looks like you might have lower bars than stock.  Is that the case?  If so that might be why you have extra slack giving you routing probs.  Both of my 550s have a little clamp that goes under the outboard screw on the breather cover.   
Ron what manual are you looking at for reference?

[Laminar]

I can't tell from your pics, but it looks like you might have lower bars than stock.  Is that the case?  If so that might be why you have extra slack giving you routing probs.  Both of my 550s have a little clamp that goes under the outboard screw on the breather cover.   
Ron what manual are you looking at for reference?

I do have drag bars on my bike now

Changing handlebars has zero effect on clutch lever throw, so it doesn't matter in this instance.

[fastbroshi]

I was thinking more along the lines of maybe it was getting kinked because he was running it by the coils, and this was affecting the adjuster.  Now that I think about it odds are slim, heck it probably won't affect it.  I was having the same problem with mine.  Had it adjusted out all the way, still too loose.

Dave I don't think you mentioned it, but are the dots on the arm and clutch cover lined up?  You might want to start there and then adjust the clutch if you haven't already.