Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit Forum
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read


Search Titles Only

Sponsors
Donations accepted to help with server fees and other expenses. Thank you!


Go Back   Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit Forum > Motorized Bicycle > Motorized Bicycle General Discussion

Motorized Bicycle General Discussion Topics on bicycle engine kits, help articles, repair and modifications for your motorized bicycles

Clutch lever, cable & assembly


Discussion at Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit Forum in the Motorized Bicycle General Discussion forum. I'm in the process of assembling my first bike and am hung up on how everything with the clutch ...
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 08:14 AM
tibim's Avatar
Motorized Bicycle Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Default Clutch lever, cable & assembly

I'm in the process of assembling my first bike and am hung up on how everything with the clutch lever and cable is supposed to be assembled.

I'm confused on where the two springs go and the placement of the small silver "cup" thing that sits up by the lever.

Of course the included instructions are no help, and I have not been able to find anything specific using search.

Does anyone have any diagrams of how all this is supposed to go together?

Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 08:21 AM
Bikeguy Joe's Avatar
MODERATOR
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashtabula county, Ohio
Posts: 4,723
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

The larger spring is a "heat shield" and goes over the cable housing where it goes by the engine. The smaller one is not needed, it just makes the clutch harder to pull- toss it.

Now the "cup"....not sure what you mean, picture?
__________________
If it ain't broke, and you mess with it long enough, it will be.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 08:27 AM
deacon's Avatar
Master Motorized Bicycle Builder
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: north carolina
Posts: 3,888
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

First thing I would do would be to go to the bike shop and get a brake lever then throw that silver thing just as far as I could.

the silver thing on the end is most likely you cable end. It goes into the brake lever and then the cable is threaded through the opening and twist the nuts on the end so that the slot is closed around your cable.

then route the cable down to the engine. Slip on the long sprint it is your heat shield so it goes around the engine it isn't really a spring at all. then you put your cable stop, the brass thing with the screw in it on. slip the cable through the hole in the brass thing. That is how you adjust the clutch throw.

There is a slot in the clutch arm. the cable fits through it. then you run your brass cable stop up till it is tight (and i mean tight with a little clutch tension) and tighten the screw to hold it.

At this point you should have some cable hanging down. Don't cut it off till you test the clutch. work the lever on the handle bars and see if the clutch arm moves. It the arm does move, hold the lever down and push the bike. It should move without any engine drag. If all that is good, trim the cable but leave about six inches hanging out so that you can adjust it again later if you need to.

the small spring is pretty much just unnecessary junk.

Im sure someone can find you a picture of it all.
__________________
visit my blog for Riding in the hood,... The home brew bike journal....http://frictiondrivebicycles.blogspot.com/ The deacon's fiction
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 11:06 AM
Motorized Bicycle Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 18
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

How tight does this cable have to be? How can I adjust the throttle or carb to ge more rpm.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 04:34 PM
tibim's Avatar
Motorized Bicycle Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

I got it all assembled. The only thing is my clutch lever is so hard to twist I cannot use the clutch lever in fear of snapping it. I can actuate the lever with my hand with quite a bit of force and it works properly... but it takes too much force to use the lever. How can I loosen this up so I can actually use the clutch lever?
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 04:41 PM
misteright1_99's Avatar
Master Motorized Bicycle Builder
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Treasure Coast, Florida
Posts: 680
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

Quote:
Originally Posted by tibim View Post
I got it all assembled. The only thing is my clutch lever is so hard to twist I cannot use the clutch lever in fear of snapping it. I can actuate the lever with my hand with quite a bit of force and it works properly... but it takes too much force to use the lever. How can I loosen this up so I can actually use the clutch lever?
You can replace the lever with a bicycle brake lever. Replace the cable they are junk. Lenghten the clutch rod and move it inwards toward the carb for a more direct line pull (se pic)..........
Attached Thumbnails
clutch-lever-cable-assembly-april-2008-010.jpg  
__________________
"No such thing as a stupid question, just a stupid answer"

48cc Grubee Starfire Round Head......
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 04:57 PM
tibim's Avatar
Motorized Bicycle Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

Quote:
Originally Posted by misteright1_99 View Post
You can replace the lever with a bicycle brake lever. Replace the cable they are junk. Lenghten the clutch rod and move it inwards toward the carb for a more direct line pull (se pic)..........
What did you use to lengthen it? Is this the only way to make it easier to engage?
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 05:41 PM
Bikeguy Joe's Avatar
MODERATOR
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashtabula county, Ohio
Posts: 4,723
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

Quote:
Originally Posted by tibim View Post
What did you use to lengthen it? Is this the only way to make it easier to engage?

Make sure your cable has no sharp bends in it.
Adjust the cable holder (where the cable housing ends at the engine) on the engine so it lines up with the clutch arm and lock down the locknut..
Oil the cable with some motor oil and slide it back in the outer part.
A bit of oil or grease inside the clutch arm/pushrod will help too.

I've never run anything but the stock cable and lever.
__________________
If it ain't broke, and you mess with it long enough, it will be.

Last edited by Bikeguy Joe : 06-25-2008 at 05:44 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 05:43 PM
Bikeguy Joe's Avatar
MODERATOR
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashtabula county, Ohio
Posts: 4,723
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

Quote:
Originally Posted by boylove35 View Post
How tight does this cable have to be? How can I adjust the throttle or carb to ge more rpm.

The clutch cable has to be pulled up tight so there is no play in it, then the cable end tightened on it securely.

You can not adjust the throttle or carb to get more rpm....you'll need to get some miles on the engine and get it broken in and then it will start to rev better.
__________________
If it ain't broke, and you mess with it long enough, it will be.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 06-25-2008, 06:08 PM
deacon's Avatar
Master Motorized Bicycle Builder
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: north carolina
Posts: 3,888
Default Re: Clutch lever, cable & assembly

if you can engage the clutch with the lever on the handle bars and the motor runs just ride the bike a while and get used to it and let it break in before you start to reinvent it.
__________________
visit my blog for Riding in the hood,... The home brew bike journal....http://frictiondrivebicycles.blogspot.com/ The deacon's fiction
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:10 AM.


Advertisers

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.1.0
Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit Forum