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Ok, so my Katana has broken 2 clutch cables due to its hard lever pull in the past 6 months. I replaced the cable once a few months ago, and had it adjusted almost as tight as it can go and it still barely had enough pull to disengage the clutch. so the bike creeps a little. ive adjusted it everyway and as far as possible and it doesnt do much. the previous owner said the clutch was new, what could be wrong here? wrong springs? bad clutch? any info would be great.
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OK First off adjust the clutch this way:
http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=64698
It doesn't help adjusting just the cable..
Second; I have a hard time believing that the cable is breaking due to "hard pull".
Unless your left hand is a Skynet product. There has to be something amiss elsewhere causing the breakage. Where is the cable breaking? Lever end (see below) or clutch end?
Third; The PO could have installed an aftermarket clutch (Barnett springs to mind) that has stiffer springs. Word is that the stock Suzi springs work fine with these clutches and can be had pretty cheap ($8 for the set??)
Finally prior to adjusting the clutch per Jimmy's write up;
*Remove the cable and drip/spray some oil (preferable something that will "hang around" like a Teflon based one, into the sleeve. They make fancy oilers but I just dripped it in one end while pulling the cable in and out until it dripped out the other end.
*Check the lever for free motion, without the cable it should pivot easily but shouldn't have a lot of up/down wiggle. If it doesn't move freely take out the pivot bolt and clean the bushing/bolt etc really well and lubricate it. I use chain lube here because it "sticks".
*Remove the clutch cover and clean the pusher mechanism, sand and dirt gets in there and clings from all the old chain lube. Pack some grease in the pusher.
*While that is out remove the rod that the pusher works against. It will pull right out. Make sure it is clean and straight. (roll it on a flat surface like glass or something) Clean it really well (I generally throw parts like these into my drill and use scotch brite on it)
*Lubricate all the pivots and cable connections. One you might miss is the slot where the cable slides on the hand lever this can abrade the cable and cause it to break. When in doubt lube it..Last edited by Black_peter; 06-23-2009, 09:05 AM. -
thanks for the info, the cable keeps breaking at the lever inside the case. the ball on the end of the cable breaks off. im going to check the lever and make sure it isnt bent or anything on the inside. i'll get my new cable within 3-5 days and we'll see what happens.Comment
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I had exactly the same problem. Two cables broke on the same way as yours. The lever was so hard to pull my friends didn't even wanted to test drive the bike! Also I couldn´t find neutral with the engine running and it was impossible to set the play end. The problem, I found out recently, was the cables themselves. The bike came with an aftermarket cable wich I replaced with two of the same brand. They didn´t had the steel "neck" after the lever assy. Also when I took the handle off the bracket to set the cable straight it worked fine (just remove the two allen bolts and pull off). So I bought a Suzuki original parts cable and.. Voila!!! The bike runs perfect. Its almost uncanny. Maybe you should try it before taking anything apart.Comment
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The cable breaks at the very end? The cable should be routed between carbs 1 and 2. That is a major PIA I know. HS2020 and I have discussed it. I generally wire tie it so it stays tight against carb 1. If the cable is tilted it can increase the stress at the threaded adjuster on the case. I strongly suggest that you remove the cover and make the checks I suggested. I hear where fededr is coming from but there is no good reason not to check out under the cover, even if you have a substandard cable.
FYI Dennis Kirk has the correct cable. They have the 90 degree tube at the lever end. I always order cables two at a time. Shipping isn't usually any more.. I got into that habit when I had a run of Speedo cables snapping..Comment
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its routed correctly for sure. I use stock cables that I order from my local dealer, there about $13.00 total. I'll have to check dennis kirk and see how there cables are. the stock ones i buy dont have the 90 degree tube which my old katana originally had. im gonna rip into the clutch tonight if i get time.Comment
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Another posibility is wear notches on the clutch basket itself. If the clutch has been abused, notches from where the fingers of the clutch plates, steel and friction, can have developed causing the plates not to slide freely within the basket.Comment
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go figure, I tore the thing apart and it wasn't the clutch cable that broke. it was the clip on the lever assembly that shattered and is no longer connected to the clutch. this happened on my 96 600 when I had it. My cable came in yesterday and I also ordered the new assembly and have to wait 3-5 days for that now. If this doesnt solve the problem I will than tear into the clutch itself.Comment
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Bend Clutch Push Rod
So im pretty wet behind the ears here still. but a buddie of mine and i were out riding with a big group of guys. i was riding his 1995 kat. earlier that day i had told him that the clutch was acting really weird. (engaging when i had released the clutch only 1/16 of an inch, and slowly moving forward at a stop light with the clutch lever pulled in and in first gear.) then later that night as we went for our ride i had one of the guys say that he could smell my clutch burning. shortly after that the clutch lever went limp! wouldnt engage the clutch at all. so i had to ride home with no clutch lol....we took it apart and the cable wasnt broke which was our original assumption. so as we dug deeper we noticed that the clutch push rod was bent pretty good. so my question is how much is to much bend and would that cause the clutch to no longer engage or do i have bigger issues?Comment
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You bump a two year old thread for this?
Bent clutch pushrod? You've got bigger issues.Comment
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Like I said dude that was my first post. My badComment
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I had a similar prob with one of my bikes, at the end of the cable where it hooks to the. arm on the motor, there is a bearing under the arm that wears out so it doesn't push on the push rod hard enough to disengauge the clutch. replace the bearing under the arm and check the push rod to make sure it still is the correct shape. and your breaking cables cause your tightening them up all the way thinking that's y the clutch isn't workingComment
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I was just letting you know and now you do.Originally posted by @st@rkid View Post
Regardless, clutch pushrods don't just bend. I'd be taking the clutch cover off and inspecting things inside. How bent is it?Comment
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Whats up redkat, it is my bike... I made a huge mistake, I've learned that whoevers bike is acting weird the regular rider needs to ride it to see what it's doing(they know what normal is) but in the hustle and bustle tryin to go on a ride I didn't take it for spin to see what he was talkin about.
All the signs pointed to it being a cable but then when I went to pull the cable out it appears to be fine. I've never busted a cable so I thought it might be the bent push rod. The push rod was bent when I got the bike and I've put over 20k on it. Thinking about now I'm thinking it is the cable after all and its hanging on by strands. I will change the cable first(always do the cheap stuff first!) and go ahead and get a new push rod while I'm at it. I think someone threw the chain at some point to bend the push rod, the case has a quarter sized hole in it as well.
I don't think mine has a bearing...Originally posted by xXstreetbikedethXx View Post95 GSX600F -- GO DUCKS -- 06 R6Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing -Helen Keller---I often post mobile; Keep that in mind when I write like a 5th graderComment
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You're on the right path, and this should fix your issue. Sounds like you know what you're doing!Originally posted by niqbales View PostComment
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