broken clutch cable

[mick h]

Whilst riding today, I lost my clutch, the handlebar lever went loose and floppy . When I got home I removed the gearbox oil filler plug and the nipple had parted company from the cable. Whenever I checked the gearbox oil I was always able to see above the accuating arm a spring, with the clutch cable passing through the middle of it, of which there seems to be no mention of in parts manuals or maintenance books. The spring is approx 50mm in length although seems to be broken at the upper end , and approx. 8mm in diameter, I was able to hold the spring whilst I withdrew the clutch cable then remove it with tweezers. Should I remove the outer cover to try and retrieve the nipple or will it lay at the bottom out of harms way, and if I do remove the cover should I push down on the kickstart hold it there and fasten it in that position beforehand, any ideas and tips will be much appreciated, thanks mick.

[mick h]

Sorry I forgot to say my gearbox is a post 1952 burman b52 . The bike is a1952 350gls, fitted with a 1954 350 engine, mick

[ajscomboman]

There should be no spring, someone has added it for some very strange reason.

[mick h]

I have now removed the cable adjuster from the casing and offered the spring over the threaded end that would have protruded through the casing and it is a perfect size diameter wise. I should have added that the clutch action was very light and smooth , as good as a new modern Honda !!

[ajscomboman]

I have now removed the cable adjuster from the casing and offered the spring over the threaded end that would have protruded through the casing and it is a perfect size diameter wise. I should have added that the clutch action was very light and smooth , as good as a new modern Honda !!

May well have been but it's not correct.

[SPRIDDLER]

I I should have added that the clutch action was very light and smooth , as good as a new modern Honda !!

It'll be even lighter without the spring which would have to be compressed when the h/bar lever was squeezed.
I'm just guessing but it could be that it's a push-off spring because in the past the clutch was incorrectly adjusted at the pressure plate and allowed the 3 balls in the operating plates to override their ramps (you get a 'click' when that happens), in which case the lever with the nipple could possibly stay in the clutch disengaged position.
I don't think that the fallen nipple would be a problem but if you take the end casing off secure the kickstart or its return spring will unwind.
Have a look at this drawing:
http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Tra ... rawing.pdf

[56G80S]

I think those diagrams can be puchased through Kettering spares?

Think I have one.

Hope not to use it.

JOhnny B

[Andy51]

This happened to me at last year's Jampot Rally. Couldn't find the nipple and was concerned that it could find its way into the gears, get caught up between teeth and wreak damage and even cause a gearbox seizure. This is most unlikely as the hole between the kickstart and gear compartments is well above the bottom of the kickstart compartment, but after fitting a new cable I went home carefully. Took off the kickstart case cover, no nipple! Perhaps it had made its way into the gear compartment? Took off the kickstart case to expose gears, still no nipple! Started to put it all together, when the nipple appeared on the tray I had used to put pieces on. Seems it had been lurking in one of the several recesses on the inside of the kickstart case cover and I had missed it, causing an afternoon's worth of unnecessary work. Moral - if you can't find the missing nipple, bang the kickstart case cover down on a piece of wood to dislodge the nipple and save yourself a lot of trouble! Andy

[mick h]

I ordered a new clutch cable from the club spares scheme pt no t226 for my 1952 g3ls only for that part to be totally incorrect, as the bar nipple was the same as the clutch end nipple, and was 24cm shorter than my broken one and would not even reach the lever. So down the local shop ask nicely and they soldered a new nipple on the original cable. Once fitted without the mystery spring back in place the clutch works exactly the same, super smooth. I have not attempted to hunt for the missing nipple and have now clocked up 200 trouble free miles so I think ill leave well alone for now. Thanks for the advice and reassurance, much appreciated, mick

[ajscomboman]

I ordered a new clutch cable from the club spares scheme pt no t226 for my 1952 g3ls only for that part to be totally incorrect, as the bar nipple was the same as the clutch end nipple, and was 24cm shorter than my broken one and would not even reach the lever. So down the local shop ask nicely and they soldered a new nipple on the original cable. Once fitted without the mystery spring back in place the clutch works exactly the same, super smooth. I have not attempted to hunt for the missing nipple and have now clocked up 200 trouble free miles so I think ill leave well alone for now. Thanks for the advice and reassurance, much appreciated, mick

For the cable to be 24cm short something must be very odd with your set up. in the last 3 plus years we've only had 1 returned. If they were all that short I'd have said that they'd been made wrong but that cannot be the case or we'd have had over 100 returned. Both nipples are the same and at the bar end a split barrel nipple is used.