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Bringing my R60/5 back to life.

I am not in a huge rush, I will order the new ones. I am out of town as of tomorrow anyways, so the order should line up nicely.

Does anyone have the part number for the short bolts?

The PN I haveis 26111230414, but I am pretty certain that is the long version, since it shows the washers as well.

Thanks again.
 
It looks like northwoods airhead has them (his part number is Part # 1320), as well as the oil pump cover bolts. I need to order a few more things from him anyways. That way I can grab the drive shaft bolt torque wrench adaptor at the same time.
 
Finally received my (hopefully) last order of parts for my clutch replacement (including short driveshaft bolts, new boot for the drive shaft, and oil pump cover bolts).

I started to re-assemble the clutch. While reading up on the snowbum's site he mentioned something about 120 degree assembly. Is this a rotation standard for reassembling a clutch without replacement?

I have also read the the spacers are not necessary on the newer clutch assemblies, is this true? I did not install new ones, but I have not reattached the transmission yet so I can always go back in and install them.

I reattached the flywheel with around 44 foot pounds.

I assembled the new clutch and torqued the clutch bolts to around 15 foot pounds. By feel it does not seem super tight, but I assume with the spring behind it everything will be fine.

Have I made any errors of of yet?

Thanks.
 
I started to re-assemble the clutch. While reading up on the snowbum's site he mentioned something about 120 degree assembly. Is this a rotation standard for reassembling a clutch without replacement?

If you were reusing old parts, you should have marked them when they came apart so they go back together with the marks aligned...this is for balance purposes. If new parts are used and have a mark on them to show where it is the heaviest, then the three primary pieces should be installed so that the marks are spaced 120 degrees apart. When I did my /7 clutch last year, there were no marks so I just installed them however...it's been fine. Likely parts these days are generally uniformly weighted.

I have also read the the spacers are not necessary on the newer clutch assemblies, is this true? I did not install new ones, but I have not reattached the transmission yet so I can always go back in and install them.

If you reused old parts, you will need the spacers. If you got updated parts (spring, pressure plate, and compression ring), then no spacers.

I reattached the flywheel with around 44 foot pounds.

Matches with Haynes.

I assembled the new clutch and torqued the clutch bolts to around 15 foot pounds. By feel it does not seem super tight, but I assume with the spring behind it everything will be fine.

Haynes says 17 but 15 should be fine. I used blue loctite (I think) on my bolts just to be sure.

Have I made any errors of of yet?

Hard to see from here! ;) Did you get the clutch disk in the proper direction? There is a front and back side...the back side should have the flange around the center that flairs out to help keep any grease from getting on the disk. Also, did you eyeball the clutch disk to be essentially center in assembly before tightening. The tranny input spline has to slide in and there's not much room for error. If the tranny won't slide in, try rotating the tranny input shaft a skoosh to get the splines lined up. You might have to temporarily hook up the clutch cable assembly with the tranny partially in place so as to release the disk so it will center.

Did you put a tacky grease on the forward side of the spring as well as on the tips of the fingers? These parts slide a bit during clutch actuation. Having grease there helps prevent some of the squeaking.

I did something a bit anal on my /7 clutch change last year. I noticed that the spring fits inside the well of the flywheel, but it can move up/down/sideways a bit. Thinking about balance, if I just put the spring it it would rest at the bottom of the well. I made a rough measurement of the difference, and folded a piece of duct tape with a tail to prop up the spring a bit as I was assembling and tightening everything down. Eventually I pulled the duct tape. My thinking was that under tension, the spring is going to stay where I installed it. But I could be wrong and it self centers over time. I couldn't be sure, so I played my little game.
 
If you were reusing old parts, you should have marked them when they came apart so they go back together with the marks aligned...this is for balance purposes. If new parts are used and have a mark on them to show where it is the heaviest, then the three primary pieces should be installed so that the marks are spaced 120 degrees apart. When I did my /7 clutch last year, there were no marks so I just installed them however...it's been fine. Likely parts these days are generally uniformly weighted.

Yes, I am using all new parts and did not see any marks, so I am assuming they are balanced.

If you reused old parts, you will need the spacers. If you got updated parts (spring, pressure plate, and compression ring), then no spacers.

good to know, i am replacing everything in there for good measure.

Matches with Haynes.Haynes says 17 but 15 should be fine. I used blue loctite (I think) on my bolts just to be sure.

I am actually going to take the bolts back out and apply some loctite. Snowbum's site says 15 for /5, but I have also seen up to 18 suggested.

The oil pump cover screws are far less torqued, 88 inch pounds, should I put some loctite on these? I was also planning on putting loctite on the drive shaft bolts when they go back in.

Hard to see from here! ;) Did you get the clutch disk in the proper direction? There is a front and back side...the back side should have the flange around the center that flairs out to help keep any grease from getting on the disk.

I am pretty certain everything is in the correct direction, and flanging around the disk.


Also, did you eyeball the clutch disk to be essentially center in assembly before tightening.

I used a clutch alignment tool from north star airheads


The tranny input spline has to slide in and there's not much room for error. If the tranny won't slide in, try rotating the tranny input shaft a skoosh to get the splines lined up. You might have to temporarily hook up the clutch cable assembly with the tranny partially in place so as to release the disk so it will center.

It came off so easily, I was hoping that it would be equally easy to go back on, but I can see how it could be a little tricky. Might try to tackle this today, after a thorough cleaning of the tranny and throw out etc. Also going to replace the felt.

[
Did you put a tacky grease on the forward side of the spring as well as on the tips of the fingers? These parts slide a bit during clutch actuation. Having grease there helps prevent some of the squeaking.

yup

I did something a bit anal on my /7 clutch change last year. I noticed that the spring fits inside the well of the flywheel, but it can move up/down/sideways a bit. Thinking about balance, if I just put the spring it it would rest at the bottom of the well. I made a rough measurement of the difference, and folded a piece of duct tape with a tail to prop up the spring a bit as I was assembling and tightening everything down. Eventually I pulled the duct tape. My thinking was that under tension, the spring is going to stay where I installed it. But I could be wrong and it self centers over time. I couldn't be sure, so I played my little game.

Interesting idea. I assume centrifugal force and pressure will keep it centered, was also thinking it might spread out a hair when under full pressure....I do not like introducing foreign objects into there, but I guess tape would be pretty benign. I think I will leave mine as is, it was such a gunky mess when I pulled it all out, I like the idea of it being clean and free of almost anything foreign for at least a little while.

Thanks again for all the help and answers.
 
Re: the oil pump cover screws...I would loctite things that are buried this deep...the last thing I would want is them coming loose.

Re: the tape...I didn't leave it in there, I just used it to hold the spring in place while I assembled...once torqued, I pulled the tape out.

On the one hand, there's noting to keep the spring centered...seems like it could drift sideways while being spun...but it can only go as far as the shoulder of the flywheel. The spring has that wide opening where the actual spring fingers are, so there's nothing there to hold it in like a center rod etc. EXCEPT...the face of the pressure plate will push on those fingers when the clutch lever is pulled, thus forcing the clutch pushrod to extend and push the center of the pressure plate. Now maybe the fact that the pressure plate pushes out in sort of a cone-shape, that conical shape will tend to get even pressure around those spring fingers, thus keeping it centered. That's likely what happens...and my initial trick to center the spring was just a waste of time. :banghead
 
I pulled the clutch back out, flywheel back out, and remove the oil pump cover screws and applied some loctite to them. I only have the blue stick, but assume blue is blue with loctite. flywheel and clutch are back in. New step is cleaning up the transmission and inspecting the throw out system.

here is a before an after of the gross clutch housing:
IMAGE_7E95B942-9BB9-4C87-B11E-1274FB959CA6.JPG


and here is the new clutch installed
IMAGE_8DB4349F-663B-4BB1-AFFC-FC9A0DA9DAD4.JPG


hopefully I will find some time to work on it this afternoon.
 
Found some time to dive back in today.

The transmission cleaned up pretty well. Once again there was a lot of oil gunk mixed with clutch dust (so gross and hard to get out).

IMAGE_3621D1D6-2D43-4108-9596-5C135ED133CE.JPG


IMAGE_CB4C82E6-3F0C-469A-9636-47D304056600.JPG


IMAGE_798A3E06-7513-4379-B751-37609901AACC.JPG


The tranny cover has a bit of corrosion that was more apparent once all the grease and grime was cleaned off.

IMAGE_819F1695-2C6A-4419-A28D-C58BF1CD8FC5.JPG


IMAGE_966D4D04-BB2F-46B0-B656-3FFCF5F52ED9.JPG


It looks almost like a rust, which is strange on an aluminum part (or is the tranny cover steel?)

I pulled the throwout bearing and assembly.

IMAGE_DC50C70B-46A0-40C8-AE23-69AC52DB15DF.JPG


The seal rubber seal at the top was shot to hell but the rest looks pretty good. I have a replacement seal and new piece of felt.

The end of the rod looks like it is in pretty good shape

IMAGE_AE17AF12-6A96-4435-A4E8-AD3FFDEC900C.JPG


IMAGE_7ED4F6EC-7D4F-4855-8FC7-3E8384BBDD13.JPG


here is the assembly
IMAGE_E762B222-3F1C-4506-803B-E2C82B8CEABC.JPG


here are the individual components:
IMAGE_3F7D6D1A-EF28-4B89-99B9-42E6105360F9.JPG


everything looks pretty good to me. Is there anything else I should check?

Also cleaned up the lever:

IMAGE_7072B525-421F-451B-9C9F-BE2B5C39CB70.JPG


I have a replacement spring.

question: What is the nipple on the end for?

The lever cleaned up pretty well, not like new or anything, but not terrible for something that is 40 years old.

IMAGE_B0C4E19F-91DE-46C7-94ED-FF25F69C5CC8.JPG


One more question am I missing part #6 (gasket ring) or is that around the already?

MicroImage.aspx


Ok, heading out to dinner, but hoping to get the tranny back in tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the great advice.
 
Part number 6 is installed already on your part number 5. It fits in the groove in between and acts as a seal. Hard to describe, but I hope you see what I mean when you look at your part number 5.

The new felt might be hard to install. A bit fiddly.

Barron
 
Part number 6 is installed already on your part number 5. It fits in the groove in between and acts as a seal. Hard to describe, but I hope you see what I mean when you look at your part number 5.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean, and that is what I was hoping.

The new felt might be hard to install. A bit fiddly.

I got a slight idea of this when trying to reinsert the rod with the old felt on it. Is there a trick or suggested technique? I would not be surprised if there was some $50 specsil tool for it :)
 
The nipple you refer to is a grease nipple so the clutch arm slides on the pin. It looks like your grease nipple is a bit of a bodge...like the original required a refurb and this was the solution. As long as grease gets to the pin, you're fine.

How is that rod held in place on the clutch arm? I see the grooves cut into the pin...usually that means there's a circlip that snaps in to secure it. This is one of the difficult clips to put in and take out. It needs to be securely fastened in such a way so that the pin cannot fall out. If the pin does migrate out, one pull of the clutch will put uneven loads on the tranny bosses and snap one off.

As for the felt, get it positioned on the rod already soaked in oil. Start the rod with felt from the front and help the felt into the bore of the input shaft. Once in you just need to keep applying firm pressure on the rod to slide it home. I'd leave about 1/4" of the rod showing on the front end.
 
The circlip was missing, but there is a pin that goes through the mounting arms on the transmission and blocks the rods movement by aligning with one of those notches. I do not know how much good the circlip would do anyways since the rod moves freely out either side. Obviously someone has been in there monkeying around before and perhaps replaced a few Parts. I may order a replacement nipple / rod / circlip / pin. It sounds like a failure here would be pretty substantial.
 
The circlip is likely the later design...that's what I have. I think the earlier arrangement was the cotter pin which is probably easier to install and more secure. The main thing is to keep this pin installed between the two bosses, and greased up, so that the clutch arm can freely rotate on it.
 
That all makes sense, I went ahead and ordered a new pin and grease nipple, seems like i should be in as good of shape as possible. I gave getting the nipple off a half hearted attempt and it did not seem to want to budge, so I may need to hit it with some penetrating oil and heating it up a tad.

thanks again.
 
So I am feeling pretty solid about the clutch / tranny / etc. I am hoping to get it back together in the next few evenings, which will bring me to my next part of the project, working on the front forks. I have dug through the information on both duane and snowbum's sites and have what I feel is a pretty grasp on alignment of the forks with the cold flow and all. Before I get there I wanted to do a good cleans and rebuild of them. I have new fork seals, but know there are probably some other parts that should be replaced in there (she was sitting for 4 years), and the forks were never perfect even before sitting.

So i guess my main two questions are:

1) what all should I replace in the forks for good measure

2) what is the best way to really clean them out?

At a later date I am thinking of replacing the fork springs and rear shocks with progressives, but for now I am going to try to keep em stock.

Thanks.
 
R60/5 back

I went and looked at a '72 R60/5 today for sale. Could not get it started. Seller is headed out on vacation with his family so we decided to hold off till they return. Plus it gives me some time to do some research. Been reading this thread and it has been helpful. The one I'm looking at has not been startd in over a year. Needs battery, fresh gas, carbs cleaned up etc.
Getting good info - thanks!
 
Mine sat for two years, I charged up the battery, and she fired right up. Then I let her sit another two years, and thats when I started this thread. As long as the bike is close to tuned (valves, point gap, etc) I almost guarantee that with fresh gas / charged battery / clean carbs the bike would fire right up.

You may be able to talk him down a lot on a bike that is not starting, save a little money in exchange for him saving some effort. But if you do want to start it before purchasing I would suggest swapping out the gas, taking the carbs and dropping them in a chem dip for 20 or 30 minutes (with the plastic bits etc removed) then blowing them out thoroughly with some carb cleaner, and either charging or replacing the battery. Also check the oil levels etc, maybe even put a little wd40 in through he spark plug hole just to lubricate the rings a little since they will potentially be dry. I am willing to be the bike would start.

If purchased I would definitely go through the whole thing bit by bit to get it in good tune. The airheads are truly wonderful bikes to work on. Best of luck.

Out of curiosity what is the asking price for the bike?
 
I have the bike back together, but have not fired her up yet. She is still on the lift with the fluids drained. I did notice that once I re-attached the rear wheel and set the clutch cable all up I can hear the clutch rubbing when the clutch is pulled. It is definitely engaged when I release lever, but when it is pulled and I rotate the back wheel or move the kick start I hear what I am pretty certain is the clutch plat lightly rubbing the pressure plate.

Is this normal? Is there an adjustment I missed (adjusted the cable to have a slight amount of play, then adjusted the bolt on the back of the transmission to just be just shy of making contact with the throw out assembly).

I am hoping this is just from not having the clutch broken in yet, but any advice would be appreciated. I am not afraid to tear it all down again if needed.

Thanks.
 
Not sure I understand your description of how you adjusted the clutch. Might be right, maybe not.

Do a quick search of this forum on clutch adjustment and you will get a nice description. It starts by using the adjuster at the handlebar lever to get the arm on the back of the transmission positioned properly, then using the bolt on the back of the throwout bearing to get the free play right for the hand lever.

Barron
 
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