1st Gear Problems...Clutch Adjustment...Is this OK?

[xeridad]

Hi all. Spent a bunch of time reading the forums about clutches and shifting, but haven't found my exact issue. New to me K100RS was having some stiff and reluctant downshifting. A little rev on the throttle, or shifting right after clutching was managing it. Then, the shift lever broke (still not quite sure how), and I rode it home with the broken lever hose clamped together.  :yow

Fast forward to lever and clutch cable replacement...lever fits, clutch adjusted according to forum instructions and Clymer manual. But won't go into first without MAJOR effort. Just sounded and felt like like grinding.

Finally figured out that if I screw in the adjustment bolt at the back of transmission in further, the bike shifts in to gear without issue. BUT...is that ok to do?  :dunno2: Screwing the bolt in and adding pre-loaded pressure on the clutch has moved the friction point in the lever WAY up...meaning the clutch doesn't engage until the clutch level is almost all the way out. This is the opposite of what it did before the lever/cable replacement.

I really like 1st gear (though starting in 2nd seems to work fine, too). I've been told to throw the cure-all, clutch spline lube at it, but I want to know if that's the likely fix, or is something else going on? Also, am I risking damage to the clutch riding it like this, even though it works? Thanks!

[Scott_]

If you are requiring more clutch "travel" to release the clutch for the trans input shaft to stop turning:
1: either it was way out of proper adjustment prior to you getting the bike.
2: one of the 3 friction/pressure components of the clutch pack could be slightly warped requiring more pushrod travel to completely release.
3: you are in need of the clutch spline lube sooner than later........

Normally I would be more inclined to suggest #3, but yet you say that with more pushrod travel it improves your shifting so.........
I'd start from scratch with the clutch lever/cable adjustment if possible. I'll see if I can dig up the BMW factory service procedure for setting up the clutch and post it.

[Scott_]

This is from my 1100 manual, but it should be the same for a 100 as well.

[xeridad]

Thanks for the reply and the manual printout. I pretty much adjusted as noted, but I'll try again. How do you interpret the caution note, "Take up subsequent wear only at the adjusting screw on the clutch release lever?" Does that mean that I screw that bolt in when the Dimension A gets bigger than 5mm?

Also, I'm looking for insight into potential damage of having that screw in further to make 1st gear work. Am I making a mistake by adjusting it like that?

[rbm]

You adjust that Screw #7 once at setup and leave it.  Take up cable stretch at the clutch handle until you no longer have adjustment range, at which time you replace the cable and do the one-time setup again. If you screw in Screw #7 more than required, it will move the clutch activation rod further outwards. Since the cable will limit the arm's travel, a couple of problems will show up -- you won't have any adjustment range at the clutch handle and you'll slightly engage the clutch which will cause slippage. Not a good idea.

• Setting the exposed cable length sets the maximum actuation arm travel
• Setting Screw #7 properly takes up the gap at the pushrod and applies the proper pre-tension on the clutch cable
• Setting the gap at Dimension A dials in the cable slack and ensures that the clutch is not slightly engaged all the time

Follow the procedure because each adjustment is important and the order of operations is very important.  Upset any one of these and the entire system is out of kilter.

[johnny]

greetings xeridad...

you gotts a 20 year old motobrick there that is need of a minimal effort of mandatory maintenance...

id follow what scott_ posted and do it exactly as rbm suggested... getts that clutch adjusted before you do anything else... this way you will have a baseline to compare to...

now... if you want your motobrick to be dependable you are gonna have to do a full spline lube which includes the clutch splines... which means you ougatta do the seals and o ring because then you can ride it and not have to get back in there...

all the fluids oughtta be changed... fork oil radiator coolant brake fluid gear box oil final drive oil fuel filter... thats the minimum... rubber pieces and carbtune maybe in order too...

after all that and with good tiors you likely will be able to enjoy thousands of miles of worry free motobricking...

j o

[F14CRAZY]

Yup I did what Scott did. My cable was stretched but I replaced it and followed that procedure and it works great now

[billday]

General clutch cable note: The barrel at the lever end of the cable needs to be lightly greased once a year. If it does not rotate smoothly in its home in the clutch lever, the end of the cable frays until it breaks.

[Scott_]

General clutch cable note: The barrel at the lever end of the cable needs to be lightly greased once a year. If it does not rotate smoothly in its home in the clutch lever, the end of the cable frays until it breaks.

+1

I've tried both straight Moly60 and spray silicone, I think the spray silicone worked better for me as it didn't attract dirt like the Moly paste wanted to.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

A drop of motor oil every couple weeks keeps my clutch barrel moving smoothly.  Oil is cleaner than grease and I don't have to take anything apart to lube it.