2017+ 650 Clutch adjustment

2501 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by WingVetteStrom, 10 mo ago

WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · 10 mo ago

After replacing clutch plates on my 2018 Wee have a question on clutch adjustment. (See my other thread this section on my blown clutch.)

Got new clutch installed, and adjusted the push rod at the pressure plate per the manual. Plus I cheated just a little bit and ran the rod in maybe a 1/4 turn tighter. Problem is, without running both the cable adjusters almost full out, there's too much play. With both cable adjusters at full extension, that doesn't leave any extra for further adjustments if necessary.

The only way around it is to cheat and run the push rod at the pressure plate clockwise in farther than you're supposed to. I guess the danger with doing this is that if when the oil gets hot, the clutch plates could expand enough to start rubbing continually if there isn't enough free play there.

Only other solution I can think of is to adjust the clutch cable connection position at the push rod on the engine left side. However the shop manual doesn't address this at all, even though it looks adjustable. Not sure why the shop manual doesn't want us to use that as an adjustment too??? The bike only has 25,000 miles on it so I doubt the cable is stretched.

Has anyone ever adjusted clutch free play down the engine left side where the clutch cable connects to the push rod on a 2017+ 650?

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Rolex

· #2 · 10 mo ago

I have never worked on that bike so I'm talking general terms

Don't have the push rod tight it will create slip

Many bikes have a ball bearing on the end of the rod, does yours and is it there

Do you have aftermarket leavers

If you don't have enough adjustment you need to make the outer cable longer, if you can't get it with the Suzuki gear you can try another cable or make some spacers that fit in the cable ends

There are a few ways to achieve what you need but with such a young bike it shouldn't be necessary

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #3 · 10 mo ago

Rolex said:
Don't have the push rod tight it will create slip
Correct, that is my worry about running the push rod at the pressure plate in more than the manual calls for.

Many bikes have a ball bearing on the end of the rod, does yours and is it there
Nothing visible and nothing in the manual that I can see.

Do you have aftermarket leavers
Yes

If you don't have enough adjustment you need to make the outer cable longer, if you can't get it with the Suzuki gear you can try another cable or make some spacers that fit in the cable ends
Actually it's the opposite problem. Too much slop. To get free play to normal, have to run adjusters right up to the limits just before they would come out of their fittings on the cable and in the handle.

Rolex

· #4 · 10 mo ago

Yes that is what I said, you need to make the outer cable longer , this will shorten the inner cable

I have made spacers from old cable parts but you shouldn't need them unless the inner cable has stretched heaps.

There should not be so much slop are you sure everything went back the way it should, there was no bearing or spacer missing giving you the slop

Does it feel normal, if not you may have a clutch plate hung up, this would give you more free play

Brockie

· #5 · 10 mo ago

I believe that the reassembly is somewhere incorrect.
You needed to replace the plates at 25,000 miles? Wow.
With new clutch plates the adjusters should be nowhere near fully extended.
How many miles since the work? Could it be that the internal clutch adjustment should be rechecked?

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Motor7

· #6 · 10 mo ago

Maybe you also need a knew clutch cable too. Like Brockie said....what happened to kill the clutch at 25k??

STCorndog

· #7 · 10 mo ago

Clutch cables rarely stretch. Did you soak the fiber plates in oil before assembly?

Something is put together wrong. I have been sure I did everything correctly and still had issues before. Start over.

Reactions: 3

WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #8 · 10 mo ago

STCorndog said:
Clutch cables rarely stretch. Did you soak the fiber plates in oil before assembly?

Something is put together wrong. I have been sure I did everything correctly and still had issues before. Start over.

Yes, soaked them. I replaced the clutch cable and things are a lot better now. Not sure why original cable went bad, but maybe from several hours of struggling with adjustments to try to get it right.

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #9 · 10 mo ago (Edited)

Motor7 said:
Maybe you also need a knew clutch cable too. Like Brockie said....what happened to kill the clutch at 25k??

New clutch cable fixed the problem. Not sure why though. I destroyed the outer fiber plate trying to get up a sandy steep hill on the WA BDR. Dumb.

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #10 · 10 mo ago

Brockie said:
I believe that the reassembly is somewhere incorrect.
You needed to replace the plates at 25,000 miles? Wow.
With new clutch plates the adjusters should be nowhere near fully extended.
How many miles since the work? Could it be that the internal clutch adjustment should be rechecked?

Had to replace them because destroyed one of them on a steep sandy hill while trying to slip the clutch on the WA BDR. Learned a big lesson. Next time knobbies and downsize to a 14T front sprocked.

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Motorpsychology

· #11 · 10 mo ago

Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt, sold it at a garage sale...etc.
Mine did the same thing after adjusting the clutch. Gave the clutch rod screw a leeetle extra turn out, and the cable magically grew a 1/4." I rotated the clutch release arm one tooth clockwise (#21 blue arrow) as the arm moves forward turning the clutch release camshaft (#18 red arrows) counter clockwise. This took up enough play so that the cable could be properly adjusted on both ends. I would also do what @STCorndog suggested and remove the cam #16 and ensure that the pushrod cap #19 is seated properly. On my second adjustment, I think I might not have had the cap in the cam's notch correctly (purple), as the cable adjustment was better with the arm in its original position.

Font Auto part Jewellery Circle Parallel

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #12 · 10 mo ago

Motorpsychology said:
Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt, sold it at a garage sale...etc.
Mine did the same thing after adjusting the clutch. Gave the clutch rod screw a leeetle extra turn out, and the cable magically grew a 1/4." I rotated the clutch release arm one tooth clockwise (#21 blue arrow) as the arm moves forward turning the clutch release camshaft (#18 red arrows) counter clockwise. This took up enough play so that the cable could be properly adjusted on both ends. I would also do what @STCorndog suggested and remove the cam #16 and ensure that the pushrod cap #19 is seated properly. On my second adjustment, I think I might not have had the cap in the cam's notch correctly (purple), as the cable adjustment was better with the arm in its original position.
View attachment 306670

I did the same thing you describe yesterday. Rotated the clutch release arm one tooth clockwise. That seemed to help a bit as well as putting in a new clutch cable. Not sure how I would access the other parts you're talking about without tearing a lot of stuff apart??
Thanks much for taking the time to insert the diagram!

WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #13 · 10 mo ago

Well, thought the problem was fixed. Removed the old clutch cable after installing the new clutch cable and now the clutch lever is completely loose again! The push rod at the pressure plate is adjusted correctly. It was working perfectly this morning before I removed the old clutch cable. Yikes. I'm stuck.

Motorpsychology

· #14 · 10 mo ago

WingVetteStrom said:
Yikes. I'm stuck.

Workin' on it...

Rolex

· #15 · 10 mo ago

I'm at my farm so I'm working off a phone, I don't like that

In your original photo it looks like parts of 2 plates

The fibre plates have knotches on the outer edge and they slip into the outer basket

Then there is a inner plate with the smaller knotches that slip over the inner basket

Do have more photo's there is something not right it is not normal to damage a inner plate like that

The wee had the adjustment on the left, the glee on the right at the basket does yours have that or just the lever spline

Ensure the spline has not slipped and the saft has a good sharp edge where it pushes the clutch rod

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Motorpsychology

· #16 · 10 mo ago (Edited)

Frustrating I know. My approach is to start with the obvious, simple and cheap checks and keep working my way in. I have a hunch that the clutch cable might also be used on some other models, and is longer than ideal for the DL 650. In the spirit of trying to be helpful and not disparaging, read this all the way through, as there may be some things you want to/have to redo. I used my 2017 Dl 650A Suzuki Shop Manual for reference:

Are both adjusters, the one at the lever and the one by the steering stem adjusted correctly?
When adjusting the clutch rod screw [CRS], did you turn both cable adjuster collars all the way in (shortest cable, most slack) beforehand, then adjust the CRS?
Was the CRS held in position satisfactorily while tightening the locking nut? Check to see if the screw slot is in the same position as you remember it.

CABLE ROUTING lever-to-clutch release arm [CRA]- important allow for full range of adjustment & travel:

Pass the clutch cable outside of left handle switch lead wire, and and both through the clamp and guide.
Pass the clutch cable under radiator inlet hose.
Seat the cable in the bracket mounted on the generator cover.

I adjust the lower adjuster first, then the lever end. That way I have a better idea if how many threads are in the female end; the lever end I can see.
CLUTCH RELEASE CAMSHAFT [CRC] & CLUTCH PUSHROD CAP [CPC]
If you’re satisfied with the clutch rod is adjustment, not much you can do except ensure the CRC is aligned with the CPC. Unlikely that it would be off, but may be affecting pushrod travel and thus CRA movement.

Shorten both cable adjusters, remove CRA end
Remove CRA
Remove bracket and alternator cover (probably want to have a new gasket on hand). NOTE: Nobody I checked lists an alt. gasket cover for a 2018, but they do for a 2017
Ensure that the CRC (18) is allowing maximum travel of the CPC (19)
Reinstall generator cover, minding the CRC-CPC relationship.
Reinstall & adjust cable. If there is still too much slack, then reposition the CRA clockwise one spline tooth as before.

Font Auto part Jewellery Circle Parallel

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #17 · 10 mo ago (Edited)

Rolex said:
I'm at my farm so I'm working off a phone, I don't like that

In your original photo it looks like parts of 2 plates

The fibre plates have knotches on the outer edge and they slip into the outer basket

Then there is a inner plate with the smaller knotches that slip over the inner basket

Do have more photo's there is something not right it is not normal to damage a inner plate like that

The wee had the adjustment on the left, the glee on the right at the basket does yours have that or just the lever spline

Ensure the spline has not slipped and the saft has a good sharp edge where it pushes the clutch rod

The outer fiber plate dropped out into pieces when I removed the pressure plate. Why that happened I have no idea. I incorrectly slipped the clutch at high RPM when trying to get up a deep sandy hill. My bad. No more pictures. (50/50 tires and a 16t front sprocket didn't help matters.)

Everything now ......once again........is working properly. This is what I think happened. I travel a lot in Latin America and had a spare clutch cable zip tied in place to the original clutch cable just in case the original S__t the bed.

When I swapped the spare cable for the original one I think the zip tie that was holding it in place to the original cable, was holding the new cable firmly enough in positon. But when I removed the zip tie, the new cable was now not held into position by the metal clip on top of the stator housing.

I removed the old cable (probably no problem with it), secured the new cable properly in the metal clip, but still had the totally floppy clutch handle problem. However, I was trusting that the clutch release arm would stay in place on the splined cam while I was experimenting with position, but as I hadn't clamped it down I think what happened, in addition to the cable not being originally secured properly, is that the clutch release arm was skipping on the cam teeth.

I now have the cable secured in the metal clip, the clutch release arm secured/clamped in its most clockwise possible position and everything is working properly, with both cable adjustments at about midpoint. The clutch pushrod is at about 3/4 turn counterclockwise (although manual calls for 1 full turn) from where I can feel resistance. ( Assume this is so when the plates heat up and expand there'll be enough slack to prevent slipping.). It's amazing how 1/4 of a turn on that clutch pushrod can make such an enormous amount of difference in clutch handle play. That's why I cheated clockwise by about 1/4 of a turn.

Going to operate the clutch lever a few hundred times to make sure all is well, then tank and air box back on (had to remove them to remove old clutch cable), clutch side cover and new gasket back on, hook up hoses, new coolant and oil .

ANY PRAY. LOL!

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WingVetteStrom

Discussion Starter · #18 · 10 mo ago (Edited)

Motorpsychology said:
Workin' on it...

Please read my above response to Rolex's post Motorpsy. Sure appreciate all the help Rolex and Motor!

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