Freeplay after lever change

[Sqbydoo]

Hello,

I have a question about free-play on the clutch lever for the Tracer 900 2018. I seen a lot of videos and read quite few topic and there seems to be some different points of view. I changed my levers and I am not sure if the free-play should be down at the clutch. Some people say that the bottom arm should return all the way without any free-play some say there should be some. Here how it is now ( I basically have to push the lever up to get the bottom arm back to place when I release it smoothly )

You can see here that after releasing the clutch I can still putt on the bottom arm. 

If I release it quickly it goes back all the way. 

Overall there seems to be a small free-play without touching the clutch lever

Is this normal or should I adjust it to have no free-play somehow on the bottom and recommended free-play at the lever? 

Thank you!

[GTO MIKE]

No that's not normal .Either you have the lever bolt too tight causing it too bind unless you let it snap back quickly like you did in the video or that lever isn't just right when it seating into the mount .You should have a.250  to .375 inch free play at lever when right.

 

[Sqbydoo]

So @GTO MIKE you are saying there should be no free play down at the clutch? And it should snap back on it self? e

I have free play on the lever around the amount that is in the manual. Except these are not stock so I measured the gap near the bolt rather than at the end of the lever.

Thank you. 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Sqbydoo

[betoney]

2 hours ago, Sqbydoo said:

So @GTO MIKE you are saying there should be no free play down at the clutch? And it should snap back on it self? e

I have free play on the lever around the amount that is in the manual. Except these are not stock so I measured the gap near the bolt rather than at the end of the lever.

Thank you. 

Looking at your videos, I agree with @GTO MIKE - that is NOT normal.  My lever flows smoothly in and out, both quickly and slowly and I cant move the lower arm on the engine by hand.  I'm sure if I pressed really hard then I could move it but there isn't slack on the lower arm to move around.

[koth442]

You should have about 3mm or 1/8" of free play on the lever. Anymore and something isn't adjusted correctly. 

[Sqbydoo]

Thanks for the answers. I was wondering so what your suggestion would be? To adjust so there in no free play at the clutch and then adjust the lever free play? Or just make a free play of the lever smaller?

[betoney]

44 minutes ago, Sqbydoo said:

Thanks for the answers. I was wondering so what your suggestion would be? To adjust so there in no free play at the clutch and then adjust the lever free play? Or just make a free play of the lever smaller?

My issue isn't with the amount of free play, its the visible binding on the last part of lever travel, you shouldn't have to push the lever forward to get it to fully extend.

One thing you could try is disconnect the cable from both ends and slide the cable back and forth in its sheath as far as it will go, it should be 100% effortless with no catch or stick point. 

Then with the cable still disconnected, move the lever back and forth be verify there is no binding, again it should move 100% effortlessly with no sticking.

[jdavis]

I think the pivot bolt on the lever is binding, too tight.

[GTO MIKE]

I looked at the video again . It looks like you have the cable adjuster screw at the lever out way too far and actually have taken all the free play out . Screw it in some till you actually have some free play in the cable, also try to make sure the slot in the adjuster is toward the top or bottom as to not snag the cable. I think this will work and you will get smooth engagement.

[Sqbydoo]

Hey thanks everyone for suggestions. I tried all the suggestions but it seems same no matter what I do. I will try going back to the original lever and see if the issue persists. 

- cable adjuster screwed to make more freeplay resulted in lever not returning even more

- disconnecting the cable it had smooth operation no hickups I would be surprised as it only has 3k km on the bike

- loosening the pivot bolt maybe helped but at a standstill on cold engine the lever doesn't go back even with it loosened completely

[Lone Wolf]

1 hour ago, Sqbydoo said:

... loosening the pivot bolt maybe helped but at a standstill on cold engine the lever doesn't go back even with it loosened completely

Well, depending on your adjustment - it may not need to "go back" any more.
What I am not hearing on this thread is your engagement point. 

This stuff is fairly universal. Does the clutch fully disengage, can you release a bit, then a bit more and it starts to engage, and smoothly fully engage the clutch by releasing.

If you can pull in the clutch fully and start in first gear while holding in the clutch, and release with normal engagement, you are good to go.

You mentioned "cable adjuster screwed to make more freeplay resulted in lever not returning even more"
Right, that is what you would expect. The clutch is fully engaged, it isn't going to pull any more cable.

You mentioned "disconnecting the cable it had smooth operation no hickups..."
OK so the lever moves smoothly. Assuming it is a quality aftermarket lever you just need to adjust for the engagement point. If it is a super cheapo aftermarket and you don't have trust in it - I would take it off.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Lone Wolf

[Sqbydoo]

@Lone Wolf The engagement and shifting if fine. There is no issue with that. Unfortunately after I changed the lever and rode for first time I smelled my clutch a bit, so I worried about the adjustments. I tried riding now and if it seems ( I am not 100% sure ) if I push back the lever when it doesn't return all the way I feel no smell. 

I am such a noob and also super noob that I didn't check how it was before I changed the lever, but I went to a dealer and checked new 2020 Tracer it seemed to have very small free-play and thus the "arm" at the clutch would not move. I can achieve that on mine by making my free-play super small as @koth442 mentioned. 

Very grateful for all the help. I need to fix this as I am not riding my bike because of this ;/ will be reverting back to the original lever in few hours. 

[Lone Wolf]

13 minutes ago, Sqbydoo said:

...after I changed the lever and rode for first time I smelled my clutch a bit, so I worried about the adjustments.

...will be reverting back to the original lever in few hours. 

If you smell the clutch it is likely slipping. But of course there would be other obvious signs of not getting full engagement of the clutch even in non spirited riding.

Gotcha on the original lever going back on.
You won't be juggling multiple issues and can simply adjust for engagement.

[fr8dog]

My clutch lever wouldn't return all the way. It was dirty at the pivot point. Removed cable at the lever and took apart the lever and cleaned it. Works like new now.

[Sqbydoo]

@Lone Wolf normally I would agree I am a new rider and I may not be great at my sifting, but I was riding this bike for a month before without any clutch smells. It only started when I changes the lever. True it could be change of lever that effect my riding but I would say I operate it better than before, as with stock it was bit far for me.

Such a fail with such a simple thing, but I hope with all the help I am learning ;]