Can't adjust clutch?

[gold33]

I have just replaced my non standard levers with repo' original type and new off the shelf cables to suit.
The old set up had adjustment at both the level as well as the gearbox and required custom cables.

All in place and playing with adjustment points both for the cable and clutch push rod but can not get the required (any) slack at the lever and therefore at the clutch push rod, leaving my clutch partially disengaged when the lever is released.
I am getting full disengagement, and can easily change to neutral at idle.

I pulled the adjuster screw out of the gearbox and discovered a ball bearing inserted in the end? is this normal?
In addition my clutch push rod looks like it has spent a previous life as a drift?

I would expect that if the rod had worn down through wear that I would have difficulty disengaging rather than the problem I currently face.
Any thought?

[bsa-bill]

Ball bearing is as it should be.
There are two lengths of pushrod but if your clutch was working before then you probably have the correct one ( quite a difference in length)
You may need to take the gearbox cover off and move the clutch pushrod arm (the bit in the gearbox that the adjuster screws into), it is on a spline should be held on by a nut and a small split pin.
You could attempt it through the inspection hole in the gearbox cover, nothing lost if you have to remove the cover

[muskrat]

G'day Darren,
                  yes the ball should be there and yes after years of service the rod will mushroom a little. You should have three adjusting points. Both ends of the cable and the screw. A quick (slow) fix would be to take a bit off the outer part of the cable. Prise the metal cap off and cut about 1/4" off the outer. I use an angle grinder with a thin wheel. First cut through the outer at the required length then slice the cut off bit to remove from inner. Needless to say be very careful not to touch the inner with the grinder. Not a job to do after a night on the p#ss.
Cheers.
 PS. You coming down to our (SCMC) bike show at Berry on Sunday. Looks like it might be wet but it's only water.
PPS just saw Bill's post. Try that first but make sure the adjuster doesn't hit the cover.

[bsa1960]

Hi Gold33

I'm doing this right now, and have followed Muskrat's advice, to cut off some of the cable outer but I use hand tools rather than power tools.

But first, because it's an old cable without PTFE liner, I oiled the cable. Then, marked the amount I wanted off the cable outer at the gearbox end of the cable. My thinking being that if it looks untidy at least I won't see it. I had to cut off about an inch of the spiral steel outer to give enough adjustment space on the cable.

I scraped off the plastic cover with a blade and set about hack-sawing into the spiral, perpendicular to the cable. Slowly and carefully, I managed to score enough of a way through the spiral with the saw without breaking through to the cable within.

Then I took wire cutters, and as if I were crimping the steel coil I wanted to remove at the site of the hack saw score, I crushed the spiral so the spiral broke. The result was a near enough clean cut through the steel spiral and crucially the inner wire untouched.

I did the same at the ferrule end too as I wanted the ferrule intact as the end of my cable outer. With both ends cut through I then stripped the spiral off the cable.

Using the side cutters I pinched the end of the spiral that I wanted to remove and deformed it so that I had a tab to hold with pliers, as the spiral unwound slightly at that point of deformation. Did the same at the other end of the spiral and proceeded to unwind the spiral by holding the tab and gripping the spiral. It's satisfying (sad  ) as it comes off cleanly.

If your tab becomes too long just cut it off with your wire cutters and proceed until it's unwound and you can remove it.

Sorry if I'm 'teaching granny' here, but I don't have an angle grinder and find power tools in my hands and delicate processes end up in disaster.  Also this process might explain it for newcomers to cable-outer shortening.

Adjustment then is cinch, I start by taking up cable slack using the cable's adjusters, then screwing the clutch arm adjuster screw until there's a slight give/disconnect with the arm at rest.

There's a nice post I saw somewhere here with two images showing where the external clutch arm should be for optimal leverage.

[muskrat]

G'day BSA1960. Welcome to the forum.
I would have said it as you did but I still use 1 finger to type. 
Cheers

[gold33]

Thanks BSA1960 and Musky,

I had my cables adjusted by a local bike shop... would have been better doing it your way.
It turns out the reason my cables wouldn't fit related to a clutch centre nut with no tab washer fitted and a clutch push rod that is too short.