uberf1end
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| posted on 19/4/03 at 11:26 AM |
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Fireblade Clutch - winding me up now!
I have just replaced the clutch plates and springs on my blade engine but don't seem to be able to get the clutch working again.
I've tried the cable adjuster at both extremes (and most lengths in between!) and neither seems to make it function. Including the exact
position it was in before I took the cable off.
As I see it, the clutch cover will not go back on properly unless the pull-rod is correctly positioned in the rod which comes down from the clutch
lever. So I am pretty sure this is correct but I seem to only get about 5mm of movement on the cable and the bracket which carries the cable bends
slightly.
If I back the adjuster off too much, the majority of the pedal movement just takes up slack in the cable.
I thought maybe you need to pre-tension the return spring before connection to the pull-rod?
Could it be that the new clutch springs are too strong for my clutch cable? (they are fairly tight but they are only compressed upto the length
suggested by the 'shoulder' of the spring seat)
Or have I simply not connected the pull-rod correctly?
I have just seen a photo of the clutch on http://www.hoc.org.uk/gallery/press/1998/1998_CBR900RR_Fireblade.pdf and, unlike the Haynes (and mine), the
last friction plate to go in is not rotated slightly so that the 'tangs' fit into the outer basket. Which is correct?
Any help much appreciated - I am on the verge of seeking professional help (both a bike mechanic and a psychiatrist  )
[Edited on 19/4/03 by uberf1end]
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Rorty
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| posted on 20/4/03 at 01:05 AM |
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uberf1end, I don't have experience of your particular engine, but my first thought is there must be something wrong with the way the plates are
assembled. No springs I've ever seen would be that strong.
Bear in mind, the entire thing is designed to be activated by a hand operated lever. If you'r using a foot pedal, or using anything more than
normal hand pressure, you could cause damage to some of the components. It should all work smoothly and relatively easily.
I would dismantle it and start again. There'll be something very simple out of place.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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ChrisGamlin
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| posted on 20/4/03 at 08:33 PM |
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Sounds like something is amiss there, I would say the primary candidate is the actuator rod isnt in the correct position. dont forget that the first
90 degrees of movement on the actuator is simply against the return spring and takes up slack, rather than any clutch movement. The cluth only starts
to disengage once the actuator arm is at 90 degrees to the cable.
When I first put mine back together, I tried pulling the clutch whilst the bolts on the clutch cover werent fully tight, and it wouldnt budge. It
wasnt until I had done up the bolts which moved the actuator rod slightly closer, that it would work properly. My guess is that either you havent done
up the bolts yet, but are testing it to see if it will work before bolting up tight, or the rod on the end of the clutch isnt quite catching in the
actuator rod for some other reason.
Chris
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uberf1end
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| posted on 20/4/03 at 10:04 PM |
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I have inspected and I am pretty sure that the plates are all in correctly (friction first, alternating with plain and the last located into the outer
basket as described in the Haynes).
I have put the cover on properly, so I reckon it is just not quite catching.
This would make sense as, when the cable is connected, I am barely getting any movement at all on the lever and it does not return to it's
original position on it's own which would suggest that the pressure plate is not being moved at all.
When I first put the cover back on, the lever wouldn't turn at all - as if the pull rod was positioned incorrectly and was fouling the actuator
rod, stopping it turning. The only way I could get it to work (or seem to do so) was to pull the clutch pull-rod out as far as it would go and put the
cover on without pushing it back in - which wasn't particularly easy!
I am, however, not sure whether this is necessary or if the pull-rod will engage with the actuator when it is at it's shortest (IE pushed back
into the pressure plate)?
As you can probably tell from my ramblings, I am at the edge of my mechanical abilities here! If you can make any sense of the above, further comments
would be very welcome.
[Edited on 20/4/03 by uberf1end]
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ChrisGamlin
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| posted on 21/4/03 at 10:59 PM |
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Does the actuator move freely when off the clutch, I assume it hasnt got bent in the rebuild process?
Pulling out the pull rod to catch rings a bell, I think I had to do that too, but thinking about it, it shouldnt need to do it as the pull rod should
never be in a position where it cant be pulled by the actuator.
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uberf1end
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| posted on 22/4/03 at 06:29 PM |
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Think I've sorted it now.
The Barnet plates I was sold by Fisher Sportscars were approximately 0.3 mm wider than the Honda ones that were in there, which themselves, are just
under 3mm wide. As a result, the 10 Barnet Friction plates were the equivalent of 11 of the Honda ones. So, the pressure plate was too far out (IE at
the very end of it's normal movement) meaning that the springs were coilbound and couldn't compress any more.
Therefore, the actuator couldn't pull the pressure plate at all!
Tried 9 of the Barnet plates and all 10 of the original Honda ones and it seems to work fine.
Once I get my new clutch release bearing, I'm going to try it with the old plates (which looked in pretty good shape anyway) and new Barnet
springs.
If it still slips, I'm might try 9 of the Barnet ones or bite the bullet and get more Honda ones. I've got some TTS springs too so I have
options!!
The Barnet plates came in individual packets (unlike the EBC ones which came in a kit) so I reckon they just sold me 10 of the plates meant for the 8
plate (later) Fireblade clutch.
They also sent me the wrong Green Stuff pads - they are Sierra calipers but they have sent me pads for a big calipered Sierra (XR4x4 etc) - they have
the right shaped ends but are too deep for the bar which holds the pads in the calipers.
I even sent them the outline of my existing pad!
Really nice people but not too impressed with their advice. Still, they are going to credit me for them so I can't really complain.
Cheers for the advice, having more brains making suggestions lets you narrow down the options!
[Edited on 22/4/03 by uberf1end]
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