Clutch Adjustment Procedures

[Darryl.Richman]

I've not read of a specific distance to shoot for on the /2. But this would be different for at least each "family" of bikes, like the /3s, and possibly even within the families.

Instead, I try to set the clutch arm so that it's just at the perpendicular relative to the clutch pushrod when the clutch becomes disengaged. I use the bolt in the arm to make this setting. This gives the maximum leverage against the clutch spring and the lightest feel.

Then I adjust the cable at the handlebar to get a 1/4" or so of free play between the lever and the perch. You need some free play or the clutch will always be slightly loaded, wearing it out sooner and making it hot and grabby.

[VBMWMO]

Bike is '69 R69S. I've always done this by adjusting the bolt at the back of the tranny to get a set amount of movement until resistance is felt when pushing on the clutch actuation lever by hand. Clymer's says this distance is 5mm. Then what I do is go up to the hand lever on the bars and adjust that until the lever actuation feels about right...maybe shoot for a specific gap in the hand lever and the control base ("perch"?).

My owner's manual doesn't mention much about the adjustment at the back of the transmission. It just mentions the values 0.24-0.32 inches at the hand lever.

I've read on the Airheads list where the approach is to focus on the free play at the handlebar lever using the adjuster up there to have exactly 201mm of cable sticking past the boss in the lower right side of the transmission. Once that dimension is set, then the cable is attached to the arm at the back of the tranny and the adjuster/locknut at the back of the tranny is adjusted until there is 2-4mm of free play at the handlebar lever...the distance between the lever and the control base.

Is there some distance like that for the /2, ie, 201mm? What approach do others use to set the clutch free play?

Thanks...Kurt in S.A.