LWB R60/5 issues

[r60celo5]

So I have been bringing back to life a 73 R60/5 with 32000 miles on it.

Striped it all down to bare frame to paint frame. Rebuilt forks. Cleaned and greased all bearings. Went through all wires and connection. New tires and tubes, new transmission input seal. Etc. To many to list.

So far I have put about 80 miles on it in the last 3 months. I really enjoy riding it.

Last night I put new plugs and synched the carbs, today I Rode about 45 min local, no highway. It felt like clutch was slipping compared to previous rides. Had to push rpms pass 4k to get enough speed to pop the second gear. By the way going from 1st to 2nd gear it makes a loud clunk.

As I was pulling in my driveway, I hear a snap coming from down low and the clutch lever got really loose. Freeplay off clutch lever is about an 3/4 inch now. The "snap" was loud and it sounded like a pice of metal breaking.

With engine off I put it on first gear and start back an forth. The clutch does engage and disengage.

After about 3 hours later the trans is warmer to the touch compared to the rest of the engine.

What would that snap indicate? Anyone else has had this condition

 

[jad01]

Given the sudden slack at the lever/cable, I wonder if the snap could have been the throwout lever (14 on diagram) or rod (1) breaking? Might be worth poking around there to see what you find.

 

[20774]

This reminded me of the situation where item 13 moves sideways when either 11 or 12 (depending on year) fell out...or wasn't replaced when the transmission was out. What happens then is that 13 migrates to the side and is only supported by one of the two bosses that stick out of the back of the transmission breaks off. I can see where it might still allow some movement of the clutch mechanism and maybe disengage the clutch. But this won't work in the long term. Typically what one does it get a donor transmission and swap out the covers...probably requires reshimming the transmission.

 

[pglaves]

I can't explain the noise exactly but the sudden extra free play will happen when the throwout bearing (# 4 )collapses and grinds itself to little pieces.

 

[r60celo5]

Thanks for the diagram.

I removed the clutch actuating arm from the case and all the way in to the throw out bearing. It all looks good, nothing missing or broken. I could not get #3 out using a magnet. So I stopped before getting to #3 will try sometime tomorrow when I have more time to deal with the felt thing.

By the way. One way I came up with to install the felt from the rear was to use a plastic straw to compress the felt, slide it in all together and then once in place I pulled out the straw leaving the felt behind.

I have a question regarding clutch adjustment procedure. The Haynes repair manual states that on airheads before 1981, the clutch actuating arm should be parallel to the joint of transmission and cover at HALF travel. Haynes states that the 201-203 mm applies to 1981 Onward only.

Following the forum, I used the 201mm method and it looked like that puts the arm parallel to join at rest. I measured the travel of the actuating arm tip and it was about 7mm.

I have yet to like the clutch on my bike. Its engaging point it's almost at the end of the clutch hand lever and it's either engaged or not. No room to let it slip some when taking off from stopped (like in a car or even on me 73 cb550).

Take off from start is jumpy and feels like I am wrestling a beast.

Thanks.

 

[20774]

I used the 201-203 method (I first heard about it from Tom Cutter) on my /7 and it worked great. That is what I'd use on all Airhead models. Here's the procedure from Tom's site:

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/Downloads/Airhead Clutch Cable Replacement and Adjustment.pdf

The key thing to remember about this is that the knurled know at the handlebar is what adjusts the 201-203 distance. The adjustment at the back of the transmission, the bolt with the jam nut, is what's used to adjust the lever movement at the handlebar.

 

[r60celo5]

I used the same method. And checked over and over. Unless my clutch needs to be replaced.

 

[6322]

I've seen a similar incident caused by an improperly adjusted clutch. The problem was that there was no free play between the clutch levers and cable so the whole throw out assembly was turning as long as the engine was running. This caused the pull rod to get hot and snap. You mentioned that you had to let the clutch pretty much all of the way out for it to engage prior to the failure. If you ran out of adjustment at the handle bar then you didn't have the lower adjustment set properly. Were all of the components in order as you disassembled, to the point where that part wouldn't come free? The snap you heard/felt, that you didn't have sufficient free play at the lever and the fact that you can't disengage the clutch now may be signs of a broken pull rod.

 

[r60celo5]

Even after I heard the snap I could still engage and disengage. what I noticed was that the free play suddenly got a whole lot bigger after the "snap".

Pulled everything out, from throw out bearing (including) to the adjusting screw. All looks good.

Installed everything back in place and adjusted the clutch lever, actuating arm, cable, free play and lock nut of the adjusting bolt at the back of transmission per instructions and the same way I had it adjusted previously.

The clutch engages and disengages as I roll the motorcycle back and forth pull/release clutch lever, poped in first gear. The engagement point is about 1/4 pull of lever from all the way out.

The adjusting curled knob at the handlebar lever seems to further out from what it was last.

 

[6322]

I wonder if the the cable wasn't seated at one of the ends and the popped in? That would explain having additional free play.

 

[r60celo5]

That would be an easy fix. But I had checked and rechecked the cable and trans adjustment many times before it happened.
Will find out next time I go for a ride to see if it happens again.

What are the signs of clutch parts going bad?

 

[6322]

If your clutch was slipping in high gear as you rolled the throttle on, that would indicate a problem with the clutch plate either worn out or foreign material on it like oil. If while operating the clutch lever, the action felt rough or notchy, then there may be a problem with the parts of the mechanism or the clutch cable. Most cable issues occur at the ends where they pivot in the levers.