clutch adjustment woes.

[wilcom]

I got around to changing to a shorter clutch cable since I put on the shorter bars. I pulled up Cutters " how to properly adjust your clutch" and went about making a coat hanger 201 mm in length. I actually cut mine to 7 15/16ths as I wouldn't know a mm if it hit me in the face'

5) The first adjustment is made with the large threaded adjuster at the top,
lever end of the cable. You need to measure the cable dimension at the LOWER
end, and make the adjustment at the TOP end. The dimension should be
PRECISELY 201 mm (7-15/16”) from the rear face of the transmission where the
cable comes through, to the near edge of the cable barrel. You may need to turn
the top adjuster out quite a ways to obtain that dimension. Squeeze the clutch
lever and re-measure, as that will seat everything.

When I adjust the top lever adjustment to get the 201 mm my adjuster is almost out of threads and falling out of the lever perch and I still have 3/8  of an inch(10mm) more I need to adjust to get the clearance!!!  I must be screwing this up somehow.... any ideas?

[Barry]

Assuming you are measuring correctly then it sounds like the cable inner might be too long. As a cross check you could try the old method of adjustment.

The object of clutch adjustment is to have the clutch operating lever parallel with the gearbox cover when the handlebar lever is at half travel and to have 2 or 3mm free play at the handle bar lever when it's released. The riders handbook for the early model describes clutch adjustment in those terms. It's aiming for no more than the best mechanical advantage. Judging or measuring the lever to be parallel is the tricky part.  If you can get the operating lever close to parallel I wouldn't worry too much about the measurement.  If it won't come near parrallel then that would confirm the cable inner being too long.

The 201mm method is nothing magic other than a shortcut way of achieving the exact same objectives.  I believe Tom Cutter devised the method and it was then officially adopted by BMW.

[georgesgiralt]

Maybe you did not back up the adjuster on the tranny lever as much as it should be ?
I think TC state that in it's paper.
Hope this helps.

[wilcom]

Geo......

Thanks for the tips. I did back off the lock nut.

I moved the handle bar adjustment to where I had enough threads in the perch as to NOT make me nervous. set my free play with the clutch arm and buttoned it up.

Thanks again!

[mrclubike]

Did you forget  to install  the nipple holder    

[wilcom]

Did you forget  to install  the nipple holder    

Yes I had the holder , but see I was missing the felt ring

[jamo]

How was the wear on the lever pivot.I could not adjust my clutch until I replaced the nylon bush. I did not know it had a bush until I cleaned the accumulated grease off it.

[wilcom]

How was the wear on the lever pivot.I could not adjust my clutch until I replaced the nylon bush. I did not know it had a bush until I cleaned the accumulated grease off it.

My lever was pretty tight, no problems there. I did about 300 miles since adjusting and the lever play and clutch feel is the same as when I made the adjustment.