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[Bandit12]

Morning all
I've a 1959 big head bullet thats developed a faulty clutch.
Background is I resolved an oil leak from behind the clutch by replacing the felt seal with a modern one from our hosts. While apart I noticed the clutch centre was so worn it fell off the shaft into my hand without need for extraction tool. I've replaced the clutch centre, the steel spring plates as they were badly chewed up and the springs. However the clutch refuses to work. Its very heavy and wont engage. I've taken it apart a couple of times and fairly certain I've got the dished steel plates round the right way. I've tried adjusting it from both ends but without success. Engine turns over and starts freely with no unusual sounds. The clutch used to display exact same symptoms when the oil had leaked out of the primary chaincase hence the seal replacement. Good news is the oil leak is cured. Oh and its a new clutch cable with 400 miles on it and I'm using 20/50 engine oil brought from our hosts in the the chain case.
Any advice is appreciated

Bandit

[Chris Tindal]

I had a very heavy stiff clutch that didn't engage properly and found the steel plates were in the wrong way. Another time I had similar symptoms was when I put the wrong combination of clutch rods/ball bearing back so that the pressure pad was protruding too far.

[stinkwheel]

I had an impossibly crabby clutch on a recent Indian bullet build (something of a bitsa, made from two non-runners, a 91 and an 04) and noticed the springs were pretty much becoming coil-bound, presumably due to some mismatch in the mix of different year componants I used to assemble it. A single washer on top of each "post" on the clutch centre to space it out slightly completely sorted it out.

[vince]

Hi, was the replacement clutch centre the correct type ie: three plate or four plate?

[Bandit12]

Hi guys

Thank you for your replies. Yes I replaced original clutch centre with superceded part from our hosts. Original had a cush drive and superceded part has not. steel pressure plates are identical and it all went together quite smoothly with no force (apart from to compress the springs and bolt them into place. I had the thought it maybe the adjuster which is original and a bit worn out so I've ordered another along with a new push rod. I'm intrigued with comment from you Chris about the push pad or mushroom sticking out. Any idea how far it should be? Just to double check, Which way round should the dished plates be? I'm fairly sure they are correct but would the clutch go together if they were the wrong way round?

Bandit

[vince]

Hi, inner plate centre dish outward. Outer plate inward. And yes it is possible to assemble incorrectly. Vince

[Bandit12]

Thanks Vince I'll double check when the push rod and adjuster arrive.

Bandit

[Chris Tindal]

When I got my 59 Bighead someone had put the clutch together with the original rod plus a ball bearing and then the pressure pad. It was too long and the pressure pad was protruding too far out. With the ball removed it worked ok. I have since got two shorter Indian rods and put the ball back halfway along as I find the operation with shorter rods and a ball bearing lighter. The clutch does work with the plates in wrong but it's very stiff and will not fully engage.