Hitchcocks Forum

yes its me again. with your help I have gotten the motor running well, the gearbox shifting, but my new clutch won't disengage. I can see the clutch plates moving when U depress the lever on the bars, as I have taken the cover off. I put the plates in proper order - or at least I think I did. the first plate (dished) goes on so the raised portion of the dish faces the fitter, outward (away from the bike) the other plates go on and then the other dished plate goes on so that the raised portion of the dish faces toward the bike, inward (or away from the fitter) If this sounds correct, what do I need to look for next? I have started the bike on it's stand and can clunck it into first gear, at which time the rear wheel begins turning. When I depress the clutch lever on the bars, the plates move, but the rear wheel continues moving. I had put the stiffer springs on, and then tried returning to the original springs, doesn't matter - still won't disengage. How much movement should I expect to see out of the clutch plates, when I depress the clutch lever?

also. with the cover off, I noticed a small bit of smoke comong from one of the iwres on the alternator - is this a problem?

worked on the adjustments for the cable and at the gearbox - everything seems OK. The plates move about 2mm (maybe slightly more, when I depress the lever on the bars). what am I missing?

post 2 should read a small bit of smoke coming from one of the wires on the alternator.

could it be as simple as the fact that it is being tested dry? should I put the cover on and fill it up with ATF and give it a try? Hate to put the cover on if there is something I need to do inside, b/c it is such a mess taking it off.

Dean make sure the ball bearing between the clutch push rods is in place , this gives you the extra adjustment on the clutch cable also as the clutch is a wet clutch better to try with the cover on and atf to the correct level.

Hi guys ----------- sorry to "burst your bubble" as it were but you should be able to disengage the clutch with OR without oil in the chaincase...With the bike on its' stand and a piece of wood under the it such that the rear wheel is clear of the ground, put it into gear--- hold the clutch lever in,--rotate the wheel and you should be able to see the driven plates rotate, whilst the driving plates remain stationary--------------Similarly with the kickstarter.......

Smoke escaping from wiring is not "a good thing". ... Disconnect the alternator wires until you have resolved the clutch problem, then look for the short circuit ............ On clutch assembly this line copied from Snidal - 7. Ensure that the dished friction plates are assembled as shown - the dished centers must "reach" towards the hub. ...... refer to the clutch section of whatever model you have here http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pa ... an_Bullets ...... For the purposes of investigation it matters not whether the clutch, chain or alternator sit in an oil bath. ... be aware that when the primary drive is closed & the requisite amount of oil (of whatever type and/or grade is fashionable) only reaches to the bottom chain run.

Dean, if the rear wheel is off the ground it will spin, if you can stopit with your hand/foot it means it is working ok. As a starting point to see if it is close is to use the kicker, pull the lever in and if the kicker goes through with little resistance then you are pretty close

Beezabryan - I have the snidal manual, but the hitchcocks tech notes state that the reaised portion of the first dished disc should face toward the fitter and the raised portion of the second, outer dished disc should face awaay from the fitter - therefore, they would be opposite one another. the snidal manual would have these raised portions of the discs both facing the hub (bike). I tried this and the inner dished disc hits against the rivets on the friction disc.