Clutch Arm Actuator

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Spunbearing

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I'm building a 66cc bike and i've come to the clutch assembly part of the project. I noticed on my motor that the clutch arm actuator that is attached to the clutch cam is very loose and floppy in the sprocket cover and rotates freely with no tension on it. Would the lack of the ball bearing cause this? I do have the inner clutch pin but have not yet looked for the ball bearing. Also, sitting on the bike I can only get a 6 o'clock position on the actuator , it wont move any closer to a 5 o'clock
 
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Al.Fisherman

Al.Fisherman

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Spunbearing said:
I'm building a 66cc bike and i've come to the clutch assembly part of the project. I noticed on my motor that the clutch arm actuator that is attached to the clutch cam is very loose and floppy in the sprocket cover and rotates freely with no tension on it. Would the lack of the ball bearing cause this? I do have the inner clutch pin but have not yet looked for the ball bearing. Also, sitting on the bike I can only get a 6 o'clock position on the actuator , it wont move any closer to a 5 o'clock
Click to expand...
You NEED both the ball bearing and bucking bar. The bearing is inserted first. If the bucking bar (inner clutch pin) sticks out about 1/4" then the bearing is in there. If need be, the arm can be removed from the cover. The arm is on a spline, can be removed and can be rotated.
 
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2door

2door

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If the arm is at the 6 position then it's a good bet the ball is in there. As far as you not being able to move it any further, that's because you are against the clutch spring tension. That arm will move in toward the right side (looking down) but you'll have problems doing it by hand. Wrap the arm with a rag and put some muscle into it. Most new builders will underestimate the amount of force needed to disengage the clutch. Just push hard. It will move, guaranteed.

Do not let anyone tell you to start messing with the flower nut on the right side. Leave that for any problems you might encounter later but it's doubtful you'll have any.
Tom
 
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Spunbearing

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ok i figured out (i think) how to adjust the clutch, then I used the hammer method to unfreeze it. Now it seems that the bucking bar is too big and the sprocket cover wont fit flush. so......?
 
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Spunbearing

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argh....now i think i have a dead clutch. I've been wrenching on the clutch for 2 days now trying to figure out why it isn't working the way i think it should. No matter hoe close i put the acuator to the carb, it seems that side of the motor has no effect on the clutch pad side. I tighten the clutch plate down it locks up the back tire i loosen it with 1/8 of play the back tire moves freely but, no matter what i do it seems the clutch cable side has no affect on the clutch plate side no matter what way i adjust it. The ball bearing is in and so is the bucking bar. I'm confused and a little sad, i put so much money and time into this, at one point i even though it gave me a hernia!
 
rustycase

rustycase

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You have probably done too much...

What 2door said, and Alf said is spot on.

Probably need to review the clutch repair section threads, and sit down and look at things for a while 'til you understand what's going on.

It's actually real simple and you have just over-thought it.

chinagirls require patience! :)

You'll get it resolved
rc
 
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Spunbearing

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I have rotation in the clutch axle but no lateral springy movement coming from the clutch plate side or no movement is being transferred to the plate side via the actuator bar. The plate is not popping back to contact with the pads, i have no clutch mating movement. I'm terrible at describing how i see stuff in my head lol. When i move the actuator arm i get no movement in the plate clutch I don't see it popping in or out and i tried looking for this action with the clutch very loosely adjusted. It's almost like there is no clutch spring inside.
 
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killercanuck

killercanuck

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Great advice Ron, and to borrow a pic from your parts page, the OP should know that this is what the bucking bar and bearing look like:


That bearing needs to be behind the bar. It may have inadvertently dropped out on you when you had things apart.

I'm thinking your bearing went on a walkabout on you... but best of luck!

Also Spunny, this is a good thread to read through:
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=22726
 
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Spunbearing

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i'm pretty sure the bearing is in there, i can see it with a flashlight. suppose that everything is correct and i don't have any internal clutch spring action which pushes and pulls the clutch plate on the pads. how would that be froze? I tried tapping the bucking bar with a hammer to get that spring in there to pop but didn't seem to work. I did read through the link posted above and thought i had the problem solved but then i saw that that part i actually had working correctly lol.
 
killercanuck

killercanuck

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Okay, so it has never actually released, and you're positive the clutch pucks aren't stuck, and you have seen the bearing in there....

Read this very thoroughly okay. Whoever put the clutch together might have cranked your clutch tension spring too tightly, making movement pretty much impossible.

Very, very thoroughly. I don't mean to be pessimistic/apprehensive, I just have no idea of your level of mechanical aptitude. Hope you understand.

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=8392

gl.
 
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Al.Fisherman

Al.Fisherman

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Remove the machine screw, the flower nut, and the pressure plate. Now work your clutch and watch what the inner shaft (on the right side) inside the clutch shaft does. When pulling on the clutch handle it should move out, release the handle it should return.
 
2door

2door

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Al.Fisherman said:
Remove the machine screw, the flower nut, and the pressure plate. Now work your clutch and watch what the inner shaft (on the right side) inside the clutch shaft does. When pulling on the clutch handle it should move out, release the handle it should return.
Click to expand...
IF, you have the clutch cable adjusted correctly.

The cable should be snug, no slack, in the engaged position. If your clutch cable is too loose you might not see the movement Al is talking about. When the handlebar lever is in the released (unsqueezed) position the cable where it attaches to the clutch actuator arm should have no slack. It should be snug; not bowstring tight, but no slack.

Tom
 
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motor_bike_fanatic

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I had one engine that I tried to adjust the clutch before installing on the bike, and no matter how I adjusted or how hard I pushed on the clutch arm, the sprocket would not move. I installed the engine and the clutch cable, pulled the clutch lever, and voila! the clutch worked fine. I think if you are trying to adjust the clutch without installing the engine on the bike, then you are overthinking the entire process. install the engine and the clutch cable and it should work just fine.
 
Al.Fisherman

Al.Fisherman

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motor_bike_fanatic said:
I had one engine that I tried to adjust the clutch before installing on the bike, and no matter how I adjusted or how hard I pushed on the clutch arm, the sprocket would not move. I installed the engine and the clutch cable, pulled the clutch lever, and voila! the clutch worked fine. I think if you are trying to adjust the clutch without installing the engine on the bike, then you are overthinking the entire process. install the engine and the clutch cable and it should work just fine.
Click to expand...
Adjusting the clutch before the engine is installed...how did you ever come up with a idea like that?
 
2door

2door

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One of my pet peeves is people telling a uninformed builder to start playing with the clutch, especially the flower nut when the issue of clutch problems comes up. Nine out of ten times the problem is improper cable adjustment and for a new guy to start messing with the right side/flower nut/clutch springs, only compounds his problem.

The clutch and how it works on a Chinese 2 stroke is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of these little jewels. My guess is that the percentage of mis-adjusted flower nuts from the factory is extremely small. There might be a few but the numbers do not warrant telling a guy to start adjusting something he doesn't fully understand. Leave the flower nut alone and get the cable right! Then if you're still having problems come back and ask for help but leave the right side cover on and the flower nut untouched.

Tom
 
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Spunbearing

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I went through the bike using http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=22726 and it seemed like i was making progress. The only way I can get any kind or movement form the clutch spring is if i tighten it all the way down, then i can see the flower nut threads move and it seems to work then. But then when i put the plug back in it, it seems the compression of the motor it too much and the clutch will slip. If i tighten the flower nut one tab then i get no free wheel with the clutch handle fully pulled in. I do notice the clutch plate gets warm but not enough to grab and rotate the motor.
 
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