One more spot to grease, or an excuse

[slug]

Meant to post this a month or two ago...

 

Was giving the bike a pre-springtime lookover and noticed the clutch lever was getting sloppy, as in lots of up and down play. Pulled the lever off and the whole pivot area was dry as a bone. Looked at the pivot hole on the lever and it has become very, very oval. Looked at the pivot pin, very, very not round. I don't think that the pivots were ever greased at the factory (and shame on me for not checking sooner.)

 

To make a long story short, this is another place to check for "intermittent" greasing from the factory.

 

I was able to get rid of some of the play by lining the pivot hole on the lever with super-thin brass shim stock (.001" - .003") and rotating the pivot pin 180 degrees when reinstalling the lever. Of course, a generous helping of waterproof grease has been applied.

 

Hope this helps...

[Guest ratchethack]

Good reminder, Slug. It's yet another dry-from-the-factory place for lube. I use boat trailer wheel bearing grease about every 10K miles. My dirt bikes have always suffered from ovalling of the lever eyes due to vibration. I like your shim idea, but it takes a LOT of wear to get 'em that far out..... I have a stack of shim washers that I use for this on the dirt bikes, stacking them between lever and lever housing, but I like your idea - seems like a really good alternative.

 

FWIW - for those yet to be initiated, the pesky little ball-bearing and "Puck-like" gizmo's that actuate the clutch and brake switches and their springs like to dive for the deepest, darkest corners of y'er shop when you take the levers off!!

[slug]

FWIW - for those yet to be initiated, the pesky little ball-bearing and "Puck-like" gizmo's that actuate the clutch and brake switches and their springs like to dive for the deepest, darkest corners of y'er shop when you take the levers off!!

90439[/snapback]

 

Amen, Brother. In fact, doing my repair, one of these little bastards took off somewhere, never to return. Made a replacement out of a thick nylon screw with the threads shaved off.