Apparent clutch problem, 650 TA
 

Yesterday I replaced the back brake disc & pads on my TA. After putting it all together again, the chain seems a lot noisier than it was - as if it's now rubbing or catching on something it wasn't before. Freeplay checked (although with it measured right it seems very loose), and I can't see anything obvious.

Today I changed the front discs & pads, and now the clutch doesn't work - I just had it on the centre stand and ran the engine to have another look at the chain, and if I'm in neutral nothing happens, as it should do, however I can cheerfully change gear without using the clutch, and holding the clutch in does not stop the wheel turning or slow it down, though it does judder.

I'm fully prepared to be told I'm doing something very silly, and I'm going to hazard a guess that it's coincidence that this has happened now, rather than that clutch failure and brake change are related!

First oil change after getting the bike I used semi-synth, which it didn't seem to appreciate, so I changed to mineral oil, but since then the gears have been clunkier and I sometimes have difficulty getting into neutral. However that was nearly 20,000 miles ago. I also checked and lubed the clutch cable very recently.

All thoughts/ideas/suggestions welcome, but could they please involve quick and easy fixes such that I can make it to Ripley next weekend.

Laura

I'm back from the pub, suitably befuddled, but can't see how having the wheels out has effected the clutch, after doing the back brake did you go for a run with no probs?
Have you tried the bike off the centre stand and on the road? When it's on the stand the motor/gearbox aren't driving the weight of the bike and you against the resistance of the road/gravity/friction......So gear changing is much easier, also you don't have any resistance to stop the rear wheel turning when you pull the clutch lever in, so all the drag from the oil/mechanics turns the rear wheel.
If this makes any sense in the morning I'll be pleased, surprised and probably hung over, if it doesn't, I apologise.
Other thoughts, do both wheels spin easily? Is the chain aligned, wheel square in the swinging arm, is the chain on the same way round,same way up, if it and the sprockets are worn and you've put it on inside out or back to front it could cause more noise....But the clutch?????????

Clutch.
 

Hi.
When you say the clutch doesn't work are you only testing it on the stand?
Can you ride it as it could just be the clutch plates sticking.
oothef rightly says that things work a bit differently when the bike is on the stand with oil drag making it look like the clutch isn't disconnecting drive to the rear wheel.
My WR 250's clutch plates stick if it's been standing for a while and stalls when it's put into gear.
I have to persuade the clutch plates to loosen up with a little throttle when putting it into gear.
The chain noise could be a mis-aligned rear wheel as oothef mentioned, have yoyu checked the alignment markers on the swing arm with the rear wheel spindle?
Good luck with it.
Dave.

Hi,
I concur with other replys, if you have the bike on its centre stand put it in gear and pull the clutch in, the rear wheel will still keep spinning, try putting the rear brake on as well, the engine should keep going and the wheel stop spinning. The chain may be out of alignment or maybe its just picked up some muck or debris, try cleaning and relubing it.

Teedee

Hi Laura,

Did you get it sorted..?

Not long to go now.:thumbup1:

Think it's all sorted, or at least the clutch thing does indeed disappear when it's off the stand - my old GPZ used to spin a wee bit with the clutch in, just not quite so dramatically as the TA (the centre stand is a recent acquisition).

Now just need to finish putting the brakes back together, fit a new wing mirror, and we're on the road!