XR400r clutch "lever"

[craigo880]

So I went about 10 pages through the forum and didn't find this issue so I figured it was worth starting a new thread. I was out the other day on my '01 and thought I broke my clutch cable. Just went slack at the control lever and clutch wouldn't disengage. No slip or anything before it went. I was able to nurse it home w/o shifting but when I checked it out the cable is fine. on the part diagram the part that the cable connects to on the right side of the case is called the clutch lever. anyone had this issue? I haven't pulled the cover yet to see what is going on inside. No noise or other problem on the ride in. Any info would be most appreciated.

[Trailryder42]

If you have the shop manual, look on page 9-11. If the cable itself is ok, then the spindle end of the clutch arm in the clutch cover or the lifter piece that it engages with may have broken. Rare, I don't think I've ever heard of it happening. Like you said, you need to get in there and have a look.

[thosforce]

I have read of the knob end of the part labeled #10 in this diagram, snapping off.

10: PIN, CLUTCH LIFTER

Pardon the double information.

I started the response and then had to figure out how to get the schematic inserted!

Edited April 22, 2013 by thosforce

[craigo880]

you got it Thosforce. Just pulled the cover. little cap on the "clutch lifter piece" snapped off. Now I have to figure out which one to replace it with. There's 3 OEM parts listed as replacement and no specifics as to which is correct.

[thosforce]

Where do you find 3 choices?

This is what shows on SERVICE HONDA web site for the 2001 XR400R

It may sort 2 of the 3 choices?

010 PIN, CLUTCH LIFTER

22847-KCY-672 (replaces 22847-KCY-671)

Edited April 24, 2013 by thosforce

[craigo880]

partzilla.com has -670, -671, and -672 and all are listed for the 01 xr400r A and AC. I will look at service honda. Thanks

[ITLKSEZ]

Weird. Any indications of why it broke? Were you able to retrieve the broken piece, and did the broken piece do any damage to any rotating parts?

Maybe it is a spare part I should be carrying.... I ride a lot of places that I would NOT be getting out of without a clutch. A small $15 part that would be priceless if you needed it out on the trail.

You know how it goes... if you have a spare it will never break!

Edited April 24, 2013 by ITLKSEZ

[craigo880]

Honestly, it looks like it was made poorly. I was very concerned about little metal parts destroying clutch parts and gawd knows what else but the little cap that snapped off was captured safely in the clutch cover and I had to look very closely to see the signs that the two pieces were actually one at some point. It looked like it belonged in the cover. I will try to get some good pics of the pieces when I get the part and pull the old one out.

[Oil Baron]

I wonder if something in there is not a Honda part, as in homemade or aftermarket. Or at some point it was damaged by lack of lubrication.

[craigo880]

So the good news is that this fix only took about 30 minutes for me to complete. Although I have been wrenching on vehicles my whole life this was breaking new ground. Two sockets, 8 and 10 mm and a little help from a crescent wrench to get the clutch lever past the exhaust as it went back together. I only had my phone to take pictures because the part arrived before the ship notification but you can sort of see what is going on. My only guess is that my broken piece was discontinued because there was a flaw in it's production and that's why I had multiple part numbers when ordering. I haven't taken it for a test ride yet but the clutch feels like it should.

Here's the little cap that broke off nicely contained in the clutch cover, sorry this one is a little blurry

the rest of it visible with the pressure plate removed

The two pieces after being removed

...and the new and old side by side

thanks for all the input!

[ITLKSEZ]

Thanks for posting the pics! That is crazy!

[craigo880]

Only thing I should add is that the one difficulty I ran into on this was the FMF Power Bomb chamber is in the way of rotating the clutch arm into place during re-assembly. It can be rotated manually with a crescent wrench after the cover is in place and pin engaged to connect the cable.

[GizmoImages]

I just had the same problem with my 2001 Honda XR400. I was riding down a hill and pulled the clutch in. All the sudden there was no tension on the clutch lever. I immediately thought it was the cable. But to my surprise the cable was fine. Rode the bike without a clutch for about five miles back to the car. When I got home I took the clutch cover off. The pin clutch lifter tip snapped off and I found the tip in my cover. Nice to know it's not in your engine somewhere, LOL! Looks like the part number changed so maybe they made some modification to this part to make it stronger. I very likely will get two of these pins as this would be fixable on the trail. And if I get two of them, I can be assured the part will never break again as long as I live, LOL.

[ITLKSEZ]

Looks like the part number changed so maybe they made some modification to this part to make it stronger.

Do you have the #? I think I am going to pick one of these up and throw in the tool pouch. Can't hurt, right?

[craigo880]

I got the KCY-672, and it fit, matched the one that came out- except that it wasn't broken, not sure and no explanation given why there is another option.

[DustyDissenter]

I had the same thing happen last weekend with my '97 XR400. Riding along, and all the sudden the clutch cable felt as if it had broken. We were about 10 miles from the truck. Made an executive decision to pull the clutch cover off just to make sure there were no broken chunks floating around in there. So we laid the bike on its side and pulled the cover off and sure enough that little disc that fits on top of the "lifter pin" had sheered off and was sitting right there on top of the basket. SO glad I decided to pull that cover off and have a look. Could have run into some real money had that little bugger got somewhere where it shouldn't have. And I went through the same BS when I ordered a new one. They listed a 670, 671 AND a 672 as fitting my bike. But it seems as if this was just a superseded issue and now the 672 is the final replacement. I haven't put it on yet, and I'm hoping I don't need a different clutch "lever" now to match the updated "lifter pin." I'll let you all know how it works out.

[DustyDissenter]

Took about 20 minutes to pull the cover off, remove the clutch bolts and springs, pull off the outer clutch hub, replace the new lifter pin, and put it all back together. Works great! I will DEFINITELY be ordering an extra to carry in the tool pouch! Happy trails, all =)

Edited May 8, 2015 by dustythumperdude

[ihatecorollas]

This happened to me last week. I had to ride back 20 miles though before I could investigate. I can't find the broken off piece anywhere. I have now taken the secondary clutch cover off and still no luck. Stuck on where to go from here.

[Joppe Overwater]

Go the same issue over here in Spain. Good moment for a clutch plate change .

 

A big thank you to the OP and previous posters who took the trouble posting pictures and shared info!

[craigo880]

Wow. Been away from this post for a long time. Glad it helped someone. Hope the lost piece turned up and didn’t cause any damage.