Help! Put in clutch now rock hard lever

VMAX  Forum

Help Support VMAX Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Tommygun4u

Active Member
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado Springs
If someone can, please help me. I followed all the directions and bike starts in neutral but I can pull in clutch to try gears. Anyone know why? Thank you
 
What PROBABLY happened, when I did mine....I had the bike in first, and squeezed the clutch with which gave me a rock hard lever, and pushed everything out, so once I put it all together, I couldnt get it into any other gear, and had a rock hard lever. I had to go back, and bleed everything.
 
try poking a guitar string (small one) into what looks like a false hole in the bottom of the reservoir. Cover all your stuff with towels first so you don't give it a nice bath in brake fluid from the possible fountain that could occur. I squeezed my lever when I was putting in my new stuff, too, and couldn't do anything until I poked mine with a violin string. Then you're gonna rebleed stuff, too.
 
try poking a guitar string (small one) into what looks like a false hole in the bottom of the reservoir. Cover all your stuff with towels first so you don't give it a nice bath in brake fluid from the possible fountain that could occur. I squeezed my lever when I was putting in my new stuff, too, and couldn't do anything until I poked mine with a violin string. Then you're gonna rebleed stuff, too.

Or a small straight pin, or a needle which is what most of us are more-likely to have-around. Raid your wife's sewing kit.:biglaugh:

The hole to probe is the forward one which has a very small-aperture hole, and may-appear to not-have a hole, if it is plugged-solid. Changing the brake and clutch fluid once a year gets-rid of sediment which can cause problems such-as this, and removes the water which is attracted from the atmosphere to the hygroscopic brake fluid. :confused2: That water-entrained brake fluid can cause nasty corrosion, and deterioration of your hydraulic components.
 
Got it working! Thanks guys for your input. Works much better. Ill eventually need new steelies due to the fact mine were burnt up pretty bad. I sand papered with 400 grit best I could without removing too much material. But hoping it will last till winter, when I can do new friction, steelies, and spring. Neutral is a little easy to miss, easier then before but not too bad. I'm gonna still need to bleed it really well. I just wanted to make sure all the gears engaged before I spent the time bleeding it. Maybe get a syringe this weekend to reverse bleed. Finally, I've got my power back and it's not such a slouch. Thanks everyone for your input and thanks to the forum, only reason I felt like I could do the clutch was all the great info on here!
 
BUMP: Hello all, I am bumping this because I am having a simular problem.

2002 Vmax sat a bit, like 8 months. I replaced the battery, spark plugs, and the bike would not idle. I cleaned out the carbs and ran down to the gas station to fill up tank. One the way back riding my bike was about to die and like a idiot I popped the clutch before it died to try and keep it started.

Needless to say my clutch went out there and then. I can push the bike while in gear. I finally got the carbs cleaned up and the idle circuit blew out. I assumed the clutch plates needed replacement so I did so today. As I suspected they where in very bad shape. In fact some of the material was obliterated.

I replaced the friction pads and put it all back together with a new gasket.

The old DOT fluid was brown and I got all that out and flushed. I did the guitar string in the little hole trick and I can see when I depress the clutch lever the fluid springing up in the master reseviour. The problem now is while I am depressing lever and releasing the nipple nut the fluid comes out the nipple opening then I close. etc... and eventually I can not depress the lever. It is as if it has no movement to give. It not compressible. The lever will not depress any further.

So my question
1. will a good reverse flush with clean fluid and a slave rebuild fix this?

2. Did I possibly do some kind of damage to my clutch and it wont disengage? ( the bike will go into the various gears. but I can push it /move the bike when the clutch lever is released

3. Is there something keeping the clutch from disengaging some kind of rod that might be bent or broke I can inspect or replace?

I really appreciate any input. Id hate to have to take it to the bike shop if I can possibly fix this issue.

Regards,
 
So you're saying that opening the bleed nipple at the middle gear cover doesn't release the pressure?

1---probably
2--probably not
3-- I don't remember if getting the ball behind the little hat wrong will cause this. You probably didn't bend or break anything.

Take the cover off and you'll probably save the whole gasket. when you go to put it on next time, put vaseline all over one side in case you have to remove it again right away.
 
Did you get the pressure plate to the correct orientation? It only goes on one way (out of possible 6).

Sean
 
Hello thanks for response , yes when I crack the bleed nipple the pressure is relieved.
But as I continue to pump lever and bleed the pressure builds until it can't be squeezed.
This does nothing to the clutch. I get no clutch. I'm gonna order a slave rebuild and a bleed tool set up' Hopefully this is hydraulic and not mechanical. I'll report back
 
How do I get pressure plate aligned /orientated correct, or confirm this,? I'll unzip the cover tomorrow and check. Thanks
 
Did you get the pressure plate to the correct orientation? It only goes on one way (out of possible 6).

Sean

Hi Sean, I did some research and found out that the plates have notches that align with clutch boss Mark that aligns with pressure plate Mark.

I need to go back in cuz I do remember lining all plates round edge out and single notch at 12 o'clock, but can't remember if I used a clutch boss Mark alignment.

Also I did not go past the wired half plate but just replaced the friction plates.
 
Behind the wired plate is another clutch friction. A half sized disc along with some other preloading springs. Many eliminate the half friction, wire, and 2 preloading spring/washers. Then install a full size friction in it's place.

BUT, the main issue is likely the orientation of the pressure plate. There is a dimple on the pressure plate above one hole and a matching dimple on the inner basket that you use to do the alignment.
 
Hello thanks for response , yes when I crack the bleed nipple the pressure is relieved.
But as I continue to pump lever and bleed the pressure builds until it can't be squeezed.
This does nothing to the clutch. I get no clutch. I'm gonna order a slave rebuild and a bleed tool set up' Hopefully this is hydraulic and not mechanical. I'll report back

You get a lot of air at the slave this happen to me...... Try a brake bleeder vacuum type...

I used my AC vacuum pump to pull the fluid from the master, it also pulls out durt along with the old brake fluid ... This is my setup it took 3 to 6 mins on each bleeder valve. at the most and i took my time.
 

Attachments

  • vmax bleeding the lines (8).jpg
    vmax bleeding the lines (8).jpg
    88.9 KB · Views: 25
  • vmax bleeding the lines (1).jpg
    vmax bleeding the lines (1).jpg
    76.1 KB · Views: 25
  • vmax bleeding the lines (3).jpg
    vmax bleeding the lines (3).jpg
    93.5 KB · Views: 25
Behind the wired plate is another clutch friction. A half sized disc along with some other preloading springs. Many eliminate the half friction, wire, and 2 preloading spring/washers. Then install a full size friction in it's place.

BUT, the main issue is likely the orientation of the pressure plate. There is a dimple on the pressure plate above one hole and a matching dimple on the inner basket that you use to do the alignment.

Do they sell yammy friction plates in singles? My friction plate kit came with 8
If I eliminate post wire assembly and substitute a full friction plate that will make a total of 9
friction plates is this correct?
 
Yes you can buy singles.

The factory fiche shows 6 full-width (26H-16307-01-00) and one 1/2-width friction disc (26H-16321-01-00) for a 1992.

http://www.ronayers.com/CLUTCH-C487616.aspx

The 2007 fiche shows 7 full-width ( 26H-16307-01-00) and one 1/2-width friction disc (26H-16321-01-00).

http://www.ronayers.com/CLUTCH--C446093.aspx

I thought that the VMax clutch was the same whatever the year, I was a bit surprised to see the difference in the #/friction discs.
 
8 total plates. so you probably installed too many plates

Hi Sean, I typed that in error ; The clutch kit I bought has 6 plates.

{I bought the kit off Ebay for 35 bucks from China. I know, I know!!!:bang head:}

This makes sense because I did not go past the wire washer pack and get to that last full size plate.

So there should be one more full size plate behind there and then the washer and half plate.

That makes 7 total full plates and a half plate.

This is probably why the Barnett kits and other better kits have 8 frictions
Because thats what it takes to do the complete job and mod the last half plate and washer to a full size.

I need to go back in and get the complete clutch pack out because judging from the frictions I already replaced , that last plate is probably shot too.

I went to the link you posted and It is a great resource.

I will report back once the complete clutch pack is done and have bled the system. If that does not do the trick I will probably rebuild the slave and master, bleed again and see.

I appreciate everyone help. Happy New Year Maxers!!!:punk:
 

Latest posts

Back
Top