V35TT Clutch Adjustment

Technical Small Block V Twins (not new V7s)
1

Hello

I have a manual, but all it says is to adjust the free play at the handlebar lever end. The clutch had no free play at the lever, and now adjusted (it took a lot of adjustment), the clutch isn’t working. There is a nut on the gearbox arm, do I need to adjust this?

Thanks

2

There’s no set method of adjusting the clutch. Having said that, there are two things that you’re aiming for:

  1. Clutch arm at 90 degrees to the back of the gearbox when pulled in
  2. 3mm of clearance at the clutch lever end.

So, yes, you need to adjust the nut and adjuster on the back of the clutch arm. It’s a 13mm lock nut and the adjuster itself (IIRC) is 6mm. Start by slackening the locknut. If the locknut comes free and the adjuster is also free, you’re up and running. Wind the adjuster in, set the slack at the handlebars, pull the clutch in and check the angle of the clutch arm against the back of the gearbox. Rinse and repeat until both clearances are correct, then lock both down.

There are a couple of problems that you may hit (or way too often, both):

  1. The adjuster is corroded in solid
  2. The clutch arm pivot is corroded solid either in the arm or in the support.

Quite often the adjuster comes with the locknut - if that happens, wind both all the way out and free them up on the bench. Clamp the adjuster into a vice and using penetrating oil plus heat to free off the locknut.

If the adjuster is corroded in solid, take the entire arm off and as above, attack it with heat and penetrating oil.

If you need to remove the clutch arm and the pivot pin is corroded in, under no circumstances try to hammer it out using a drift without using penetrating oil and heat first. If you do it too hard you stand a very high chance of breaking the pivot support on the back of the gearbox. Penetrating oil plus heat, then every now and again try to tap it out.

1 Like
3

Super and thank you for such a detailed write up.

I’ve been through it and it wasn’t put together right; the spring was on the pushrod and the pin was just an allen bolt. The hole in the arm was a bit worn, so I’ve use a shouldered bolt and shimmed out the hole, which all seems nice. Anyway, to get it anywhere close, the adjuster has to be screwed in so far it doesn’t project beyond the nut. Is that normal/does it matter? Unfortunately, my ignition has gone down on one side, so I can’t test it. Also, whilst looking under the bike, the UJ gaiter is split :frowning:. That doesn’t look like a small job…

4

I had the adjuster/no locknut ‘problem’ on my G5, but it didn’t seem to affect the working of the clutch. Just don’t lose the adjuster because the thread is a fine pitch and it’s not easily available except from a Guzzi dealer.

Allen bolt = no problem. Done that too. I picked a bolt that had a shank just long enough to go through the two support castings and stick out the other side by a mm or two, then secured it with a nyloc nut and washer. The advantage of that is if the arm does corrode you have something (the caphead) to lever with.

The UJ gaiter is a quicker and easier job than you think it is. Even at a first attempt I believe you should be able to do it in approximately an hour. Get yourself a tube of Castrol Molub-Alloy Spline Paste White T (used to be called just Castrol Optimol) and smear the splines with it on reassembly. It’s specifically designed to stick to driveshafts - I use it on my two K100s (hence the link).

5

Thanks for that.

With the bolt, I’ve basically done what you did.

Thanks for the advice on the UJ; I looked at it and my heart sank, which has happened quite a bit with the bike (Note to self, it was cheap…:neutral_face:).

Cheers