Filing down a lever?

[hongman]

I bought a set of Trak-Tech Stubby Black levers for my bike as a birthday present a few weeks ago.

The brake side went on a treat, but the clutch side wouldnt go into the perch bracket no matter how I tried it. Was at an estimate .25-.5mm too thick.

I called up M&P, sent them back, and a week later a new one turned up with a note on the back "This one is approx .25-.5mm thinner than the previous one".

Tried this again at the weekend, and although it now slots in snugly, and returns fully with the retaining bolt out...as soon as the bolt goes in and the nut tightened up more than a light nip, the lever doesnt return fully.

Comparing the lever to the stock one, I can see the stock lever is thinner still.

The dudes at M&P are baffled as they have apparently sold many of these without an issue to SV owners. At first we thought maybe the wrong lever was put in the packaging, but twice in a row seems unlikely. I'm pretty sure this is the stock perch as well.

I cant be bothered to send it back again, wait another week, etc etc...

Can I just file this down? I'd do the underside (not that it matters much as it isnt visible anyway). Anyone done this? Any tips?

At a guess less than a mm has to come off.

Cheers

H

[barwel1992]

you could LAP it down but not sure on the shape of the bit of leaver you are on about.

if the whole piece is flat then tape some sand paper to a flat glass surface and rub the tiem up and down then roatat 90o and rub up and down again ps use 250 - 600 - then 1500 then fine wire wool to get a good finish

this is a pc possessor part lapped
http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/402/intel_lapping_3.jpg

finishd lapping

http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/402/intel_lapping_5.jpg

depends how good a finish you want but thats the best way to get a good flat finish

[hongman]

The bit I'm talking about it the bit that slots into the bracket where the single bolt holds the lever in...the bit that the nipple slots into. Doesnt need to be mirror finish!

[danf1234]

Personally I would be asking for a refund!

[barwel1992]

you dont need to do it mirror but the process still works, i know what bit you mean, is it dead flat so you could put it flat down with no bits sticking up or does it have extruded bits ?

[hongman]

Nah its dead flat.

I thought about a refund, but the only other place I can find this particular lever (SV650S 99-02 Stubby Black Clutch) is Busters. I called them and they have the same part code on the box so I could end up going through the same process with them?

I thought if I could just file it down a little, problem solved, and I can move on with life eh!

[hongman]

Poo photo but you get the ideahttp://img571.imageshack.us/img571/2893/lever2.jpg (http://forums.sv650.org/http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/2893/lever2.jpg%20%20Uploaded%20with%20) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[barwel1992]

busters is M&P lol

you can file it but id still lap it just with 600 then 1000 to finish it off a bit

[hongman]

Is it? Wow, how silly I feel. In that case I cant find anywhere else that sells them!

Being really bad at these things:

Is there a certain type/grade of file I should use?

[barwel1992]

use coarse grade file, then sand or use a fine grade file

[hongman]

B&Q tomorrow then...

Thanks

[barwel1992]

ps id still lap it ;)

[yorkie_chris]

Clutch levers will always go too hard to pull if you overtighten bolt. Experiment with your stock one to find right tension.

[beabert]

Try longer bolt and two nuts?

[hongman]

On the current thickness, in order for the clutch lever to return properly the nut has to be dangerously loose...like, I think it'll vibrate off very very quickly loose.

Unless I screw it hand tight and thread lock it?

[barwel1992]

or get a longer bolt ;)

[hongman]

The one I have is pretty though with unique markings.

[Stonesie]

Nylock nut?
You should be able to find some in B&Q or a motor factors.

[hongman]

Yeah, I'll have a gander when I get a moment to.

Thanks

[barwel1992]

make sure you get the blue nyloc nuts as they are metric and not the white imperial ones or they wont fit properly

[hongman]

Will do!

[fastdruid]

Er IIRC the pivot bolt screws into the bracket, there is then a nut that sits on the end, the pivot bolt doesn't need to be tight, the nut otoh does.

Is it possible you've overtightened the pivot bolt in the past and compressed the clamp?

Druid

[hongman]

Yes, you are right.

It's possible I guess, but the stock clutch lever is fine, so I dont think so.

[barwel1992]

the stock leaver on my bike is very lose in the pivot

[fastdruid]

Doesn't need to be much to be the difference between snug and too tight!

Druid

[Owenski]

Clutch levers will always go too hard to pull if you overtighten bolt. Experiment with your stock one to find right tension.

+1
its a retaining bolt not a fixing one, loosen it half a turn and see if you have any joy before you start cutting bits off the lever.

EDIT:beberts was showing as the last post, didnt see remainder of posts seems you've already been advised.