Hey guys I recently posted a thread about the hydraulic clutch in my 84 vt700 shadow. I'm still having problems with the clutch. I have bled every banjo bolt, as well as the bleeding nipple on the slave. The clutch lever has a good amount of pressure and when I look at the right side crankcase cover as I pull the clutch lever I can see the cover of the pressure plate bulge out a bit. I'm not sure if this is supposed to happen or not but like I said the lever has good pressure it just won't engage when I pull the lever. For example when I have the bike in first or second gear and I pull the clutch lever it doesn't free the back wheel. This is the first bike I've ever worked on, so I'm not sure exactly how it's supposed to feel but this is so frustrating. I know the slave cylinder is getting pressure and is pushing the piston but I can't get the gears to disengage? I guess. Also I know that the clutch used to work because before I took the crankcase covers off to fix the gearshift, the clutch worked. The only thing I can think of which is the last question in my other post is that there is a crack in the left crankase cover where the slave cylinder fits and I think that might be causing the pushrod to not be centered. but if this is the case why would the right crankcase cover slightly bulge out when I pull the lever in? anyway this has been killing me because it's the last thing I need to work before I can ride this thing, and I'm going crazy. Please help I'll give any info needed. Thanks
This 84 shadow is kicking my butt
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First of all with the bike on the center stand and in first gear the rear wheel will revolve even when you pull the clutch in, but with the wheel on the ground there should not be enough to move the wheel..
Bleeding the clutch on an old VT700 can be very difficult, they were fitted with a solid hydrolic line which can develop a pin hole crack under the steering head cover, this shows as a slight damp patch against the corner under the cover..The cure if this has happened is to remove the solid clutch line and measure from the center of both banjo bolts, then buy a hydrolic braided hose..The easiest way to bleed a Honda is with a vacuum bleed kit from Home Depot.
John.
Bleeding the clutch on an old VT700 can be very difficult, they were fitted with a solid hydrolic line which can develop a pin hole crack under the steering head cover, this shows as a slight damp patch against the corner under the cover..The cure if this has happened is to remove the solid clutch line and measure from the center of both banjo bolts, then buy a hydrolic braided hose..The easiest way to bleed a Honda is with a vacuum bleed kit from Home Depot.
John.
i agree with clutch bleeding difficulty.
do to gravity, and air being lighter, your going to have a tough time bleeding the clutch downward without a machine.
if the clutch line was never opened when you removed the case covers then you likely didnt need to touch it for bleeding.
pull the slave cylinder off, pull the clutch lever, look at the piston
does the piston move? it wont move much, maybe a centimeter or two.
if the piston moves then your issue is most likely not the clutch or the bleeding.
engine casings shouldnt flex.
i would imagine that something isnt lined up right, or something is obstructing something else.
your taking the covers off again bro.
take your time, take lots of pictures as you do, listen to some music, and just zen the **** out, chillin with your engine.
it will all be clear when you least expect it, and you will be giddy with enlightenment.
im not joking.
its your ride, your art, your peace, and your alone time. enjoy it, and dont get pissed off and rush, or youll brake it worse.
do to gravity, and air being lighter, your going to have a tough time bleeding the clutch downward without a machine.
if the clutch line was never opened when you removed the case covers then you likely didnt need to touch it for bleeding.
pull the slave cylinder off, pull the clutch lever, look at the piston
does the piston move? it wont move much, maybe a centimeter or two.
if the piston moves then your issue is most likely not the clutch or the bleeding.
engine casings shouldnt flex.
i would imagine that something isnt lined up right, or something is obstructing something else.
your taking the covers off again bro.
take your time, take lots of pictures as you do, listen to some music, and just zen the **** out, chillin with your engine.
it will all be clear when you least expect it, and you will be giddy with enlightenment.
im not joking.
its your ride, your art, your peace, and your alone time. enjoy it, and dont get pissed off and rush, or youll brake it worse.
sounds like the hydraulic portion is working. Could the clutch plates just be stuck together?
Try putting in 4th gear with engine off and rocking forward and rearward or go down a slight grade to see if the plates will spin free with the lever pulled.
Try putting in 4th gear with engine off and rocking forward and rearward or go down a slight grade to see if the plates will spin free with the lever pulled.
I checked mine and the right side cover doesn't move at all when the lever is pulled. Something is binding. You may have to pull the side covers again and check all the alignment points of the linkage.
Thanks for the ideas guys, I do have a vacuum pump that I used to bleed out the clutch, and yes the piston moves so I guess I have to find out what is causing it to not work. I don't think the clutch plates are stuck because I recently took the clutch apart and nothing was stuck. I'm just curious what the problem could actually be.
Today I took the clutch apart to try and see if anything was wrong, but when I was putting it back together the manual says if you have installed the one way clutch correctly that clutch center b should only move clockwise but no matter how I assemble it the clutch center b moves either way, this was not the case when I assembled the clutch last time. I'm following the guide step by step and I can't figure out why it's moving both ways all of the sudden.
I will take some pics and vids soon but I have to go to rehearsal. also sorry for the late reply. thanks guys.
Today I took the clutch apart to try and see if anything was wrong, but when I was putting it back together the manual says if you have installed the one way clutch correctly that clutch center b should only move clockwise but no matter how I assemble it the clutch center b moves either way, this was not the case when I assembled the clutch last time. I'm following the guide step by step and I can't figure out why it's moving both ways all of the sudden.
I will take some pics and vids soon but I have to go to rehearsal. also sorry for the late reply. thanks guys.
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God's Speed. I had to remove my clutch ('83 750) to replace the pickup coils. I had to take it apart and put it back together 3 times before it worked right. Do you have the service manual?
Hope you get figured out soon.
While you have the cover off the right side examine the way the release of the clutch works. Looking at the clutch assembly movement when the clutch lever is pulled.
And see if anything is moving outward to hit against the right cover because that should not be moving under pressure. I haven't had my hands on this assembly but the photo in the manual shows 4 pins that line up with the back of the clutch assembly or it won't sit back properly and the nut won't be set in the right place.
While you have the cover off the right side examine the way the release of the clutch works. Looking at the clutch assembly movement when the clutch lever is pulled.
And see if anything is moving outward to hit against the right cover because that should not be moving under pressure. I haven't had my hands on this assembly but the photo in the manual shows 4 pins that line up with the back of the clutch assembly or it won't sit back properly and the nut won't be set in the right place.
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1,026 Posts
Sounds like you have your one-way clutch in backwards and it's not letting the clutch freewheel correctly.
Watching the video from your last post, have someone hold the back tire still, then install the one-way clutch. It should be able to rotate clockwise when it's installed and not counterclockwise with the tire held still. If it rotates counterclockwise then it is on backwards. The "one-way" part of the clutch means that the center and the outside of the clutch (center clutch B) can rotate separately one way and have to rotate together the other way. Watch your video, when you rotate "center clutch B" clockwise the center of "center clutch B" doesn't rotate, when you rotate it counterclockwise it is rotating, and this is how it is supposed to be installed.
Watching the video from your last post, have someone hold the back tire still, then install the one-way clutch. It should be able to rotate clockwise when it's installed and not counterclockwise with the tire held still. If it rotates counterclockwise then it is on backwards. The "one-way" part of the clutch means that the center and the outside of the clutch (center clutch B) can rotate separately one way and have to rotate together the other way. Watch your video, when you rotate "center clutch B" clockwise the center of "center clutch B" doesn't rotate, when you rotate it counterclockwise it is rotating, and this is how it is supposed to be installed.
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