R75/5 Clutch Spacers

[fredheiler@aol.com]

I installed my R75/5 clutch just like the Clymer book said: no mention of the six spacers shown in the fiche drawing. Now that the trans is in, the clutch is very tough to pull in, and doesn't fully disengage. Without the spacers, I'm guessing the diaphragm spring is depressed too far.

Anyone else ever make this screwup? Am I missing something, or should I just pull the trans and reinstall the clutch with the spacers?

 

[20774]

Seems to me that it depends on the style of your compression ring #5 in this diagram:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=0260-EUR-01-1971-2476-BMW-R75_5&diagId=21_0070

At some point, the compression ring had the spacers built in...they did on my /7 clutch. On the /2 plates, the spacers were needed. What does your compression ring look like?

Something else that I can think of...is the clutch disk (the fiber one) installed backwards?

 

[fredheiler@aol.com]

Thanks, Kurt for the helpful diagram (the same page from Max BMW's fiche doesn't have the comment about the compression ring). Mine is smooth on the front, like a /2. My fiber clutch disk has the snout facing the trans. I'm increasingly sure I need to pull the trans.

 

[beemerguru]

The '60s and '70s airheads had a history of stiff clutch pulls because of the heavy springs.

If yours doesn't improve after taking it out again, you may try this. I install 1to 2 a month..especially great for riders with arthritic and injured left hands who want to keep riding, but the pain is getting too much.

Airhead clutch cable pulley setup

A few weeks back a airhead sent a me a link originally posted to this forum by a inmate named Brun. He asked if I could make him a similar setup to...

www.advrider.com

 

[fredheiler@aol.com]

Good news! I pulled the R75/5 trans and clutch, then reinstalled them with the six spacers between the clutch pressure ring and pressure plate. Clutch seems to work perfectly now -- much less pressure, and more important, it actually disengages (confirmed with the kickstart pedal)! Because most of my experience is with /2 bikes (no spacers), I had initially left out the /5 spacers. Lesson learned, and all's well that ends well.

However, I did order one of those clutch pulley kits for my VW-powered /2. With a beefed-up clutch, its only remaining shortcoming has been a heavy clutch lever, and Ernie Bell's kit should fix that. Thanks for the good advice along the way!

 

[20774]

Thanks for the update on your success! I think it was mentioned but on the pulley affair for the clutch mechanism, remember that it reduces the pull in half but it also increases the throw of the clutch cable/handle. So you must be extra sure you have the adjust spot on as the engagement zone for the clutch will be smaller.

 

[beemerguru]

I've installed almost 50 clutch pulley upgrades on everything from /5 to a couple of GSs. The later models didn't really need them EXCEPT both riders are now suffering from arthritis in the left hand and considered selling their bikes.. The upgrade means they can continue to ride since they now have an easy two finger clutch pull..and it's a short pull.

The clutch upgrade does shorten the friction zone but once you get used to it, the lever action is very short in/out using maybe two fingers. That thing is almost a necessity for the /6 and /7 with the heavier clutch. Never had a rider tell me to take it back.

 

[fredheiler@aol.com]

How do you suggest securing the little bracket that holds the clutch cable end? On my /2, there’s no bolt, stud or hole near the stock cable.

 

[20774]

How do you suggest securing the little bracket that holds the clutch cable end? On my /2, there’s no bolt, stud or hole near the stock cable.

Here's something from Vech's old site. The bracket is held by one of the bolts holding the transmission cover plate on.

BMW motorcycle soft clutch, easy clutch

Soft clutches for vintage BMW motorcycles, easy clutch /2, /5, /6 and /7

www.benchmarkworks.com

 

[fredheiler@aol.com]

Thanks, Kurt. Vech's Easy Clutch is different, although maybe better -- it uses a little chain and involves cutting the cable. Ernie's design (see photo) doesn't require cutting the cable, but has it doing a 180 around a pulley (BTW, quality of the pulley and two stainless brackets is excellent). In this installation, you can see the bracket holding the cable end is somehow bolted to the transmission. On my /2, I took a chunk of half-inch aluminum and made a slotted hole for the cable and threaded a stud beside it for the bracket.

 

[20774]

I looked at my R69S. What about using this bolt that I've circled with a setup like Vech's? Might not have to cut the cable.

Kurt

 

[fredheiler@aol.com]

The engine-transmission bolt in your photo should work well with Ernie Bell's setup, probably also with Vech's. On my VW-powered bike, the stock clutch cable eye on the trans is against the adaptor and no longer usable, so I had fabricated that chunk of aluminum with a slotted hole years ago. Earlier this week, I also tapped a hole in it for an 8 mm stud that now holds the bracket for the clutch cable end.

 

[beemerguru]

Thanks, Kurt. Vech's Easy Clutch is different, although maybe better -- it uses a little chain and involves cutting the cable. Ernie's design (see photo) doesn't require cutting the cable, but has it doing a 180 around a pulley (BTW, quality of the pulley and two stainless brackets is excellent). In this installation, you can see the bracket holding the cable end is somehow bolted to the transmission. On my /2, I took a chunk of half-inch aluminum and made a slotted hole for the cable and threaded a stud beside it for the bracket.

View attachment 96783

When you get a chance, flip the pulley over so the buttonhead is on the other side.