Forum

[Norm]

Nice theory Leon but wrong in practice, you need the ball to expand more when the box gets hot, these clutches don't slip when they get hot the drag because the plates can't be pushed apart, you have to adjust the cable up when you get stuck in traffic and back it off once the road is clear

[Leon Novello]

Hi Norm: Your Theory is of course correct, the lever on the bar gets slack with heat, it can`t be pulled in far enough to separate the plates. The Practical however, is this, the lever does NOT lose its adjustment with a ceramic ball in there and I have been riding in some high temperatures lately with the oil reaching 65c; a personal best for my Bullet, and the lever adjustment stays the same. As they in the classics, `bin dere dun dat`.

[Norm]

Leon,
Please tell me where I can get a bag of these ceramic balls because I can do a test and evaluation quickly and this could revolutionize Endfield clutches forever and I will be able to keep my hair

[Leon Novello]

Hi Norm: I bought mine from these people at Capalaba, East of Brisbane There might be someone closer to you. $5 for one 1/4" silicon nitrate creamic ball, the one for a 5-speed is a different size I think.
Try this simple test of rod expansion to clutch lever; push the kick-start lever down and swing the foot lever under the exhaust pipe to get it out of the way; open the cover where you adjust the clutch, screw and locknut are visible, pull in the clutch lever at the bar, whilst holding the lever in, jam the handle of a shifting spanner into the opening to hold the adjusting lever from moving back, then feel all the slack on the handlebar one; the result of heat expansion on the rods. CORRECT?
http://www.smallparts.com.au/store/categories/Balls/

[Frank]

Leon, the 5 speed uses a 5mm ball bearing.

[Norm]

Hi Leon, I'm not sure what the test proves, are you talking about doing this with a hot or a cold engine. Aren't you just proving cable stretch or gearbox cover flex? My belief is that the gearbox housing( alloy) grows at a greater rate than the mainshaft and the clutch push rod and as the clutch actuating arm is mounted in the alloy outer cover which has now moved further out because it is part of the alloy housing. We are only talking fractions of a mm but it is enough to cause the clutch to drag and once it starts it only gets worse as it heats the clutch plates and clutch basket and therefore they need more lift to separate the plates but you are loosing lift because the gearbox case is growing due to the heat. I need clutch push rod balls that expand at the same rate as the gearbox housing

[Leon Novello]

Hi Norm: All I can say is that it works for my bike.
Wandering around the internet I found someone who has done this with success. I hope Mr H doesn`t mind my posting this site.
http://royal-enfield.10950.n7.nabble.co ... 28634.html