Just did a clutch job. Went pretty well... Gears change beautifully, but I get stuck in gear and cannot put it into Neutral.
Originally as the clutch scuffed up a bit, it was hard to engage 1st cleanly (dog teeth grinding). That has gone away, but the neutral thing is puzzling.
Situation again. Come in from ride or at a stop light. From 1st or 2nd the gear level is totally firm - cannot take it out of gear. Or it pops between 1st and 2nd missing neutral. Eventually I can get it into neutral.
Clutch seems adjusted well for all operation except this.
Maybe the clutch needs more miles?
Maybe the transmission is bad (Oak Oakson wrote the 81s had issues, ugh)
thanks
• Gearboxes don't magically fail just because you replaced the clutch friction plate. If you could shift and find all the gears before the work, then you should have access to all the same gears after the work. The problem has to lie somewhere in the work.
People don't think about this, but you need to now....
One shaft full of gears in the g/b is connected to the rear wheel; the other set to the engine. 98% gear changes happen when both sets of gears are moving, and the change is fairly smooth and effortless.
However, most people find neutral after they stop for traffic. At that time, one of the g/b shafts is stationary (because the rear wheel is standing still), but if the clutch is not able to break completely free, then the other shaft is spinning at some RPM. Maybe not full engine RPM, but some speed. This can make finding Neutral much harder.
Suggestions:
• Keep adjusting the clutch. Clutch wear is significant in the first 500 miles due to "bedding in".
• Adjust the clutch so that engagement is in the last 3/8" of lever movement. (Almost all the way out.) This means you'll be getting the maximum disengagement when you pull the lever in, thus reducing the "drag" and thereby reducing the internal g/b rotation.
• Try slipping from 2nd to Neutral as you roll toward a traffic stop. This move has the advantage of having both sets of gears still spinning, and thus gear selection (including Neutral) is much easier.
Hope this helps.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
Yes! that makes a lot of sense. I noticed exactly that - more difficult at a full stop, but quite smooth when moving slowing 2nd to neutral.
I think our group of Mass Airheads likes the clutch engagement point closer to the grip - and I admit to rushing to finish this job in two tech nights. I will keep adjusting.
thanks a lot!
I think our group of Mass Airheads likes the clutch engagement point closer to the grip - and I admit to rushing to finish this job in two tech nights. I will keep adjusting.
The only possible reason to do that is for a rider with undersized hands. Otherwise the clutch is not getting full disengagement. Those who do not use Neutral at traffic stops will be heating up the friction plate and pressure plate. That will be resulting in undue and pre-mature clutch wear. There's the added possibility creeping out into intersections. Making it hard to find Neutral when you must have it. It also precludes the use of the "2 finger clutch", such as dirt bikers use. I don't believe the realities of this "group standard" have been thoroughly thought through.
IMHO, that adjustment procedure is totally ill-advised.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
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