Clutch Help?

[michaelmotorcycle]

Hi everybody, I just joined this forum today, so I hope I am posting in the correct thread.

Is the right place to get some help on what I am doing wrong with the clutch?

I have a 1997 CR80RB. I've put the crankcase cover back on several times and when I hook up the clutch cable nothing happens. I did it precisely according to the Clymer manual, I can't think of why it isn't engaging.

What provides the 'spring' back for the clutch? Is it those 4 springs that go under the plate and are held on by those 4 bolts? Those should be hand-tightened all the way down, correct? The Clymer manual says 9 ft. lbs. of torque, but I can't find a torque wrench with that low of a reading.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[FORMA MOTO]

Hi everybody, I just joined this forum today, so I hope I am posting in the correct thread.

Is the right place to get some help on what I am doing wrong with the clutch?

I have a 1997 CR80RB. I've put the crankcase cover YOU MEAN CLUTCH COVER back on several times and when I hook up the clutch cable nothing happens. I did it precisely according to the Clymer manual, I can't think of why it isn't engaging.

What provides the 'spring' back for the clutch? Is it those 4 springs that go under the plate and are held on by those 4 bolts? Those should be hand-tightened all the way down, correct? The Clymer manual says 9 ft. lbs. of torque, but I can't find a torque wrench with that low of a reading.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Why did you take it apart in the first place.

What did you change/ replace.

[Falcon991]

I am not familiar with the CR85, but the way all clutches that I've ever seen work is by engaging the clutch pull rod. It sounds like yours is not engaged.

Your cable is connected to an external arm, which is part of or connected to a rod that goes down into the clutch. That piece has teeth on it on the inside that must engage with their mates on the clutch pull rod (it comes out from the center of your clutch basket.) Make sure those teeth are all lined up when you re-install the clutch cover.

Did that help?

[michaelmotorcycle]

I took it apart in the first place because I had to replace the shift shaft. When I bought the bike the shift shaft had been severed off on the outside. Also, in the process of getting 'in there' I applied too much torque and broke some teeth off of the gear that turns the water pump gear (seated directly on top of the main gear).

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the issue I'm having is simply those 4 screws. The manual says to torque them to 9 ft./lbs., but my torque wrench starts at 10.

As I was thinking about it...I realized that if those 4 bolts (that hold the 4 springs that are mounted through the clutch plate) are fully compressed, than the springs have no give and the clutch will be inoperable. However, if they are not compressed enough, than it will also be inoperable. I've tried for the last 3 hours in many different positions and I still can't get it right.

Any thoughts?

[michaelmotorcycle]

it is on the right side of the bike, and I meant to say crankshaft cover...that is what Honda has titled it. I understand the arm that goes into the cover...the arm that hooks to the cable that routs to the lever on the left side of the handlebar. I'm saying that once everything is put back together and buttoned up, when I pull that lever the arm is moving forward, and the lifter rod is pushing against the clutch plate, so it must be the spring tension is either too much or too little.

On one hand, it makes sense that the spring tension is too much, and pulling the cable isn't powerful enough to push the clutch in. On the other hand, loosening them might keep the clutch in a 'never engage' situation. And I can't measure it since my torque wrench is too big. Do you guys all just eyeball it?

[hardhitwarrior]

the clutch springs should be torqued at 10 nm.

what makes the clutch perch bar "bounce" back is that the actuating arm that is connected to the slutch cable is driven by a separate spring outside the clutch cover. this you have to align to how it was before. yoiu also need to make the pushrod (little T thing inside the side cover) to somehow align with this actuating arm internally.

[jump6pack]

Found a pic on the bay that you can see the spring talked about above. It is where the shaft comes up out of the clutch housing.

You can see the spring that pulls the arm towards the rear of the bike.

Good luck

Jim

[michaelmotorcycle]

thank you for all the help...but maybe I mis-stated what I'm struggling with. I understand how that arm, cable, and spring work. I am talking about the 4 springs on the clutch plate. THAT is the adjustment I am having trouble with.

I need to know if I need to tighten those 4 springs down, or loosen them?

I have a torque wrench, but it does not have a low enough setting to measure 9 ft. lbs.

I have a feeling that those who have worked on these before would be able to 'eyeball' it as far as how much to adjust the clutch plate.

[hardhitwarrior]

you are suppose to tighten the springs down till bottoms. and torque it with the the 10nm wwrench.

be ssure to tighten/torque them at crisscross pattern.

[michaelmotorcycle]

Well I'm just SOL then...because I have tightened them down until they bottom out and re-assembled everything and I can't get it to work. I assumed that I had overtightened them. It seems to me that if I tighten them all the way down the 'springiness' goes away and they effectively become washers at that point.

What am I missing here?

[hardhitwarrior]

i cant understand why it wouldnt be working.

are you sure you didnt miss washers behind the clutch basket, inner hub?

a picture will tella million.

[michaelmotorcycle]

I'll post a pic later when I get home...I did it exactly according to the Clymer manual.

[STILL_KICKIN]

Follow this drawing, and I'll try to explain.

The bolts hold everything together. Your outer plate #13187 is what moves. The springs are always trying to push this plate into the clutch friction plates which in turn gives you your engagement. To disengage the clutch your cable hooks to the arm #13102, and the arm pushes a rod #46102 that pushes that outer plate away from the clutch disks.

How do we troubleshoot.........

First, leave the cable out of the picture for now.

Grab the arm and see if you can move it by hand. Do you feel resistance as it moves? Put the bike in gear, and while holding arm forward, can you move the bike?

If so, then it is in the cable or adjustment.

If not, then there is something going on.

Without engaging the clutch arm can you put it in gear and does it roll freely?

Somethings wrong if it does.

Let's check the clutch setup. According to your manual, how many friction disks, and how many smooth plates should you have, and do you have the right number of them?

Next, when you tighten the bolts, are the springs fully compressing? They shouldn't. The bolt should bottom out before the spring does.

[hardhitwarrior]

nice explanation but its not cr80 sketch.

shifting while the motor is off does not mean anything. the bike will shift with or without using the clutch perch.

like i said. we need pictures.

[KTM-548cc]

throw that clymer in the trash. get a honda book

[michaelmotorcycle]

DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!

I was using the torque wrench (the lowest setting is 10 ft./lbs/) and I overtorqued one of the clutch spring bolts and broke off one of the posts on the clutch hub. So I ordered a new one, and I should have it by Thursday.

SO...when I get the new one, and I go to put the clutch plate back on...and I hand-tighten the bolts...is it okay if those springs are pretty much compressed all the way down?

[strange]

.is it okay if those springs are pretty much compressed all the way down?

Those are supposed to be tightened all the way down to the posts (that you broke off). If the manual calls for 9 ft-lbs, i cant imagine that 10 ft-lbs would be enough to break parts. and yes, the springs will have some tension on them, but they will not be bottomed out if they are the correct springs....

[Whammy]

Don't worry about torque specs man. Just snug them up. Also, make sure the clutch pack is completely together. I had the same prob on my cr80.

[michaelmotorcycle]

Don't worry about torque specs man. Just snug them up. Also, make sure the clutch pack is completely together. I had the same prob on my cr80.

What did you do to finally resolve it?

You are right...I was getting hung up on torque and I should have just hand tightened them down. I guess I thought that a fully compressed spring was ineffective. I was wrong.

[Whammy]

What did you do to finally resolve it?

You are right...I was getting hung up on torque and I should have just hand tightened them down. I guess I thought that a fully compressed spring was ineffective. I was wrong.

Just keep trying. The clutch pack often comes apart partially when putting it in. You'll know its your problem if the top pressure plate isn't on the fiber plate. Just keep trying till it is.