Clutch

[hooperman]

Hello,

I have replaced the clutch plate on my R1100s. However after difficulty bleeding the clutch, when riding the bike after pulling the clutch lever and selecting 1st gear it engages after after releasing the lever a very small amount. The clutch lever feels as normal. Fluid leveI in the resevoir is normal. I am able to ride the bike but the clutch set-up is not correct. I will be very grateful for ideas as to what I have done wrong.

[Jeff Highland]

This is fairly normal.
With the dry clutch there is no drag between plates so the driven plate stops spinning quickly and the engagement dogs in the gearbox don't line up.
A slight release of the clutch lever allows rotation and alignment.
Also If you make sure you immediately engage gear after pulling in the clutch it does not give the issue.

[hooperman]

Thanks. However it is completely different to how it was before. The clutch is fully engaged with the lever released by only about 20 degrees. Why has it changed? I had someone else replace the clutch plate several years ago when the centre failed but eh feel of it was the same.

[hooperman]

Just had a terrifying thought. Is there a ball bearing behind the clutch push rod?

[boxerscott]

Just had a terrifying thought. Is there a ball bearing behind the clutch push rod?

Why ask? have you found a rogue bb kicking about your shed? My initial thought was keep bleeding and get rid of microbubbles!

Chris

[nab 301]

There's no ball linked to the push rod in the parts diagram. If you haven't already done it I'd loosen the banjo bolt a fraction while pulling the lever, in case there's a bubble of air trapped there ( while protecting paintwork etc) . I've never changed the clutch yet but the last time I changed the fluid I ended up with a situation like you've described but it was just air . Also, tapping the flexi pipe up to the master cylinder can encourage any stray bubbles "uphill' to vent into the master cylinder.

[victorlaszlo]

Trapped air would indeed cause a longer lever travel and less clutch action ie it would engage earlier as the lever in reality perhaps just performs 80% of its action...