New clutch hard to squeeze?

z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/23/2017 2:04pm
I installed a brand new clutch kit with springs. i soaked everything for a few days and installed it exactly perfect. I also installed a brand new clutch cable. I went to squeeze my clutch and it was extremely hard and moved back slowly as well, almost as if the cable was bad, which it isn't. So I took everything apart and found out that my inner clutch hub had very slight grooves and was also very slightly off balance, so I bought a brand new one and when I installed it, it was perfectly center and everything looked perfect. Also my outer clutch hub had grooves as well and I sanded that down until it was all smooth. After everything was installed o squeezed the clutch and it's was a little better, but still very hard to squeeze. The actuator moves freely as well as the clutch when everything is not installed. I figured everything is perfect so they only thing it could be is 1) my springs or 2) it just needed to be ran for a while and get warmed up and the oil flowing. So I first replaced the springs back with the stock ones and the clutch was still very hard to squeeze. Then I just ran the bike for about 20 minutes while squeezing the clutch some and it didn't improve at all. What's the problem???
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Acidreamer
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11/23/2017 5:42pm
Remember we said not to sand shit down?

Is your cable adjusted right at the lever?
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/23/2017 5:58pm
Acidreamer wrote:
Remember we said not to sand shit down?

Is your cable adjusted right at the lever?
Sanding it down will not make it hard to pull the clutch. If anything it'll make it easier. This is just temporary.
bf884
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Belle Chasse, LA US
11/23/2017 7:40pm
Time for a new basket. Just because its smooth now doesn't mean its to spec.
z71will
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11/23/2017 7:56pm
bf884 wrote:
Time for a new basket. Just because its smooth now doesn't mean its to spec.
Well what would cause the clutch being hard to squeeze then?

The Shop

speed_racer
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Aiea, HI US
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2104th
11/24/2017 6:17am
What exact motorcycle are you working on?
Model,size?
z71will
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11/24/2017 7:10am
What exact motorcycle are you working on?
Model,size?
2001 Honda cr125
ktm-5
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Ravenna, MI US
11/24/2017 9:38am
It sounds like it is something in the clutch and I have seen some pretty bad notched up baskets and not have your problem. If it were me I'd remove the clutch springs and use your hand to hold the outer pressure plate then try pulling the lever to see if it's still hard. If u can't reach the lever holding the plate put the springs in but only thread bolt like 1 or 2 turns. That's where I'd start since u said cable and actuator works good by themselves
lumpy790
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York, SC US
11/24/2017 11:06am
Clutch kit? Let me guess ... aftermarket HD kit? The kind with HD springs? Thant are stiffer?
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/24/2017 11:23am
ktm-5 wrote:
It sounds like it is something in the clutch and I have seen some pretty bad notched up baskets and not have your problem. If it...
It sounds like it is something in the clutch and I have seen some pretty bad notched up baskets and not have your problem. If it were me I'd remove the clutch springs and use your hand to hold the outer pressure plate then try pulling the lever to see if it's still hard. If u can't reach the lever holding the plate put the springs in but only thread bolt like 1 or 2 turns. That's where I'd start since u said cable and actuator works good by themselves
I'll try it
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/24/2017 11:24am
lumpy790 wrote:
Clutch kit? Let me guess ... aftermarket HD kit? The kind with HD springs? Thant are stiffer?
Yes aftermarket but i also put in the old OEM clutch springs and had the same problem. Also it's not acting like it's just harder than normal. It's extremely stiff. Like it feels like it's glued.
ktm-5
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11/24/2017 11:28am
lumpy790 wrote:
Clutch kit? Let me guess ... aftermarket HD kit? The kind with HD springs? Thant are stiffer?
HD springs do not feel that much more stiffer. If I remember right they're only 15% stiffer than oem definitely not what z71will is defining
11/24/2017 1:33pm
Did the kit have the same number ( quantity) of fibers and steel plates in it as the one you took out ? How about the thickness of the plates ? Are the new ones the same thickness? Something in the stack height sounds off.
Acidreamer
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11/24/2017 2:08pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Clutch kit? Let me guess ... aftermarket HD kit? The kind with HD springs? Thant are stiffer?
z71will wrote:
Yes aftermarket but i also put in the old OEM clutch springs and had the same problem. Also it's not acting like it's just harder than...
Yes aftermarket but i also put in the old OEM clutch springs and had the same problem. Also it's not acting like it's just harder than normal. It's extremely stiff. Like it feels like it's glued.
Your old springs are worn. Take calipers and measure the length of them. Or just order a set of new ones. They’re literally like $5 on RM.
z71will
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11/24/2017 2:10pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Clutch kit? Let me guess ... aftermarket HD kit? The kind with HD springs? Thant are stiffer?
z71will wrote:
Yes aftermarket but i also put in the old OEM clutch springs and had the same problem. Also it's not acting like it's just harder than...
Yes aftermarket but i also put in the old OEM clutch springs and had the same problem. Also it's not acting like it's just harder than normal. It's extremely stiff. Like it feels like it's glued.
Acidreamer wrote:
Your old springs are worn. Take calipers and measure the length of them. Or just order a set of new ones. They’re literally like $5 on...
Your old springs are worn. Take calipers and measure the length of them. Or just order a set of new ones. They’re literally like $5 on RM.
I had the new ones in before and if they are worn then it should be easier to pull the clutch, not harder
z71will
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11/24/2017 2:12pm
Did the kit have the same number ( quantity) of fibers and steel plates in it as the one you took out ? How about the...
Did the kit have the same number ( quantity) of fibers and steel plates in it as the one you took out ? How about the thickness of the plates ? Are the new ones the same thickness? Something in the stack height sounds off.
Yeah it had the exact amount. It looks to be the exact same thickness and lines up right. I can measure it just to be sure.
ktm-5
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11/24/2017 2:12pm
Also check where your springs go and see if that is notched up real bad
Paw Paw
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Benton, LA US
11/24/2017 3:57pm
Are you 100% sure you have the new clutch cable routed like the OEM unit? If not , it can cause binding.

Paw Paw
z71will
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11/25/2017 4:57am
Paw Paw wrote:
Are you 100% sure you have the new clutch cable routed like the OEM unit? If not , it can cause binding.

Paw Paw
I might not but I'll check. It wouldn't cause it to be this hard would it? The cable is pretty straight through.
ktm-5
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11/25/2017 7:54am
Let me know how it is without springs and If spring pockets are grooved
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/26/2017 11:18am
ktm-5 wrote:
It sounds like it is something in the clutch and I have seen some pretty bad notched up baskets and not have your problem. If it...
It sounds like it is something in the clutch and I have seen some pretty bad notched up baskets and not have your problem. If it were me I'd remove the clutch springs and use your hand to hold the outer pressure plate then try pulling the lever to see if it's still hard. If u can't reach the lever holding the plate put the springs in but only thread bolt like 1 or 2 turns. That's where I'd start since u said cable and actuator works good by themselves
Ok I took the springs out and held the clutch with my hand and it was easy.
z71will
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11/26/2017 11:21am
But all it did was push the pressure plate out. It didn't push the plates or anything in.
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/26/2017 11:56am
Ok I took all the brand new plates and I got the old OEM ones that were in the box and swapped the old ones in and it's just as hard to squeeze, if not harder. What's the problem??? This makes no sense.
Chopsalot
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Fantasy
1082nd
11/26/2017 12:01pm
Use a torque wrench when you re-install the new kit
z71will
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11/26/2017 12:06pm
Chopsalot wrote:
Use a torque wrench when you re-install the new kit
I did
Chopsalot
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11/26/2017 12:19pm
Is the cable hard to attach? If the pressure plate moves without the springs, and your clutch pack is the correct thickness, then the problem is there in the spring/ bolt or cable. Or the arm is clocked wrong i guess.
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/26/2017 12:29pm
So I just went over my cable and turns out it was in fact routed incorrectly. I rerouted it exactly how it's supposed to and the clutch is seriously twice as easy to squeeze now. I can actually ride it! However it's still harder to squeeze than how it's supposed to be. I can barely squeeze it with two fingers. Is this normal and should I not worry about it?
ktm-5
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11/26/2017 12:51pm
Is it notched pretty bad where springs go in outer pressure plate?
Paw Paw
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Benton, LA US
11/26/2017 1:16pm
If the routing made it better as you stated, then lube the new cable as it was binding.

Paw Paw
z71will
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Pinson, AL US
11/26/2017 1:50pm
Guys it's over. This bike is over. I put all my money. All my graduation money in this bike and lost it all. I cranked it up and was working on tuning it right and everything looked great and I revved it to make sure everything was good and then all of a sudden I revved it once more and it revved to the moon maxed out and wouldn't come down so I freaked out and tried pressing the kill switch, which has always worked I used it all the time and it worked every time but this time it didn't work at all and I kept pressing it but it wouldn't work and I started unplugging every electrical wire I could and I unplugged the gas line and turned it off and nothing worked so the bike kept revving wide open throttle for about 5 minutes. Oil started seeping out and then a pool of coolant came flowing out until finally the engine locked up. 2 months of hard work and over $1300 of all my money just gone. I don't know what to do guys I can't believe this I haven't felt this bad in a long time....
z71will
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206
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Pinson, AL US
11/26/2017 2:47pm
If anybody wants it I'll sell it just make me an offer. I have no other options. I'm taking a huge loss but idk what else to do. I feel really depressed right now and I need it gone.

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