Have to adjust clutch freeplay every few weeks, problem?

Hi there,

I've been happily getting on with my SV650S for a few months now but the clutch lever seems to need adjusting every few weeks. I turn the adjustment at the lever by a full turn and then the gears change nicely and it's a joy to ride. Then after a few weeks, I find the gears are harder to get into, especially when going down into first, I can feel a bit more resistance. Then I have to adjust the lever again.

I use the bike for commuting and have to use the clutch/lever a lot in traffic and was wondering whether this is to be expected or something to have checked. The chain looks tight enough but I haven't done a proper check on the length of the slack. It has a scottoiler fitted which lubes the chain nicely, there aren't any kinks and the chain is moving freely.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[johnnyrod]

On mine the locknut on the handlebar adjuster shakes loose quite easily. I had ot nip it up with waterpump pliers because no matter how hand-tight I get it, it still comes loose. Only bike I've seen it do this on.

Check the adjuster at the engine end not the lever end to see that it is adjusted correctly and that it isn't all gummed up. Have you just put a new cable on? May be that this is just bedding in. If it is old, it may be on it's way out / about to snap. Get it out of the outer cable and check the condition. Whilst it's out, lube the cable.

@Scoobs: Nope, the same cable. I presume it's the same age as the bike (K3). I had a go a while ago at adjusting the engine-side adjuster, together with the worm gear. Slackening the engine-side adjuster seemed to make the problem worse, no matter how much I adjusted the worm gear (to be honest I couldn't find the bite point which people talk about when adjusting the worm gear). It went in for a major service anyway after this and there weren't any problems so I don't think it's cos I fouled something up.

@Jonnyrod: I'll keep an eye on the locking nut and see if it's moved after the next adjustment.

my k3 did this aswell, i did as johnny said, havnt had a problem since

So basically I should use a set of pliers to tighten the thin locking ring up against the frame at the lever end? I'll try to give this a go...

[johnnyrod]

You don't need to adjust the worm gear very often, really only if you suspect a problem or have been dismantling. make sure there's a load of slack in the cable, undo the locknut on the worm gear, wind the screw in until it only just touches the end of the rod (if you can't feel anything then back it out a way first, it might already be touching), back it off 1/8-1/4 turn, hold still and tighten the locknut, After that it doesn't matter which cable adjuster you use to sort out the slack, they both work on the same thing in the same way. re. the handlebar end locknut, this doesn't always come loose and rattle around, often it just slackens off enough for the whole adjuster to then shake its way inward (i.e. more slack appears in cable), you notice wheny ou come to undo the locknut and find it's not very tight at all, not how you left it. Stoopid thing, can't we have springs on it like GSXRs?

Thanks Johnny rod. The description on the worm gear adjustment is what I've read before but I guess I need someone more experienced to show me where there is 'resistance'. In any case, I think the problem is as you said the nut just loosening and the cable then slacking itself off. Could you clarify how you managed to stop the locking nut from dancing around? Did you just tighten it extra hard up against the frame, with a set of pliers or do you mean you squeezed the nut itself so it held onto the thread with more force?

Noticed lately my locking nut comes loose,will try the pliers next time I take it out.

[johnnyrod]

The worm adjustment isn't that hard, you just need a bit of subtlety. when you're adjusting the screw, if it hasn't seated yet then you'll be able to lift the arm (same as when the cable pulls) and feel almost no resistance until it winds the worm mechanism in far enough to touch the lifter rod and start pressing against the clutch springs. this might be easier to feel than the screw bottoming out through the screwdriver you're using. If it's already touching the rod or pressing hard against it, there'll be no play in the arm at all. Getting it wrong means either the arm ends up in a poor position so the clutch doesn't lift very well, or you pre-load the clutch springs and cause early wear (like riding the clutch). A garage could set it for you, it only takes 2 mins.

Anyway get a pair of slip-joint pliers or anything that will grip something of the 3cm or so diameter of the adjuster locknut, and use that to tighten it against the clutch lever bracket. I found you don't have to murder it, it just won't stay put with as much strength as I've been able to use by hand.