Hitchcocks Forum

Does anybody have a mod worked out to be able to get the 4 speed clutch to work properly. I fight with these on a regular basis and usually am able to get them working sort of. Poor design is the main problem with them having the pivot point too close to the push point and in setting the adjuster screw to allow "click" freeplay on the rod, you then need to adjust the cable to prevent drag to a point that the rod is now under pressure causing bit to either spin constantly or put enough pressure on the pressure to cause it to slip. I have tried shortening the arm,changing the push point centre modifying the clutch lever fulcrum point, all with some degree of success but in most cases the expansion rate of the gearbox case is greater that the expansion rate of the clutch push rod negating the modifications I have tried. Any thoughts?

Hi Norm, which bike are you asking about?. ---------- I have read on here many times about the Indian Bullet clutches and the associated set up problems with interest, this makes me wonder what it is that they have done different to the Reddich built bikes. --------- I have a 1959 Super Meteor and everything on the bike as far as the clutch is concerned is standard (no weaker springs &c), the clutch set up is straight forward and easy to carry out, I did help someone out a couple of years ago with a Meteor Minor and the problem they had was the handlebar lever was the wrong one and would not give enough lift, changed the lever and the fault was cured, on the Reddich bikes the lever should measure, 1 1/8 inch from the centre of the pivot to the centre of the nipple, any less than this reduces the amount of lift available and causes drag.

Have a read here;
http://www.whfolk.co.uk/REOCHUMBER/Articles/flex.htm

Hi Dennis, it's right across the models Meteor, Interceptors, Bullets, Super Meteor. I have extended the pivot point on the handelbar clutch lever on the Meteor, and one Interceptor by 8mm , this has worked to a degree, giving me a longer cable pull. Depending on the lever type( Indian ones step in for reduced travel, great idea that one) I can get cable travel from 17mm on the Indian ones to 22mm on the modified levers. Today I set the Meteor up with a clutch push pad both ends and that seems to be working well, time will tell once it gets used in heavy traffic and gets hot.
Peter, I'll have a look at the link

Hi Norm, It's hard to tell where your problem lies, I have just checked the travel on my S M and the cable travel in total is 22mm with about 3mm of this being used for clearance giving about 19mm of working travel. ------- Pete, I don't think the Redditch gearboxes have this flex problem, mine certainly doesn't. ----- Forgot to mention that the adjustment on mine does not alter hot or cold, guess I am just lucky or dare I say have the knack for setting them. ------ I read in Real Classic last month that Odgie bought a bullet with the clutch dragging and he cured it by putting washers on the three bolts that hold the spring retaining plate, personally not sure how that would make any difference, but you never can tell.

Hi Dennis, I;ve done the washers trick over the years with mixed results and you are right the Redditch boxes done suffer the vflex and I have made and fitted offset bolts through the neutral finder on several Indian boxes, Reduces the flex by probably 1mm and certainly improves the operating but my aim is to achieve no drag,no slip,no problems as the boxes/clutch heat up and the perfect situation would be to achieve all this without pressure on the rod. Latest fix is stainless rod with 6mm bearing welded to each end. This seems to be good as I can then grind the push pads to get the initial adjustment right