In Nowheresville Mexico with a Clutch Release Arm Issue - Help please?
 

Bike: 2002 F650GS
Location: Nayarit, Mexico

Appreciate the help. Doing this in less than ideal conditions, but all things considered not the worst place to be broken down.

In the process of replacing the water pump seals, the clutch release arm (horizontal shaft coming out of clutch) was pushed back into it's housing. Yes, this is because I tried to put the cover back on when it wasn't lined up properly. My folly. :oops2:

My question is - do I remove the clutch cover and hammer it back out to it's seated position? Is there anything that may have been damaged as a result? Any recommendations for this process?

Photo attached showing the clutch release arm sitting out at an angle. It's loose to the touch.

Thank you if anyone has experience with this and can help! I need to be back on the road in two weeks or so or else I'm gonna miss Christmas with my mom, which was the only thing she made me promise when I left a few months back. This one's for you mom!

I know zip about F650's, but it looks like a normal clutch. First off I'd pull the outer pressure plate off - 6 bolts - and see what's going on inside. It might be an easy and obvious fix once you get in there.

Post a pic of the insides! And one of the inside of the outer cover would be very helpful too.

Hopefully an F650 expert will weight in.

Good luck!

Thank you Grant. There's a great video for removal of the clutch cover on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpwG9nPqIBM&t=852s).

But, it doesn't cover re-seating that bearing. I read a pretty vague description about removing the out plate, heating it up, and pressing the bearing in at that point. If anyone has any experience or knowledge of this process I appreciate it!

Will post pictures per your request Grant. bier

Here are photos of removal of the clutch cover plate (not a technical term?). Six 10mm bolts under slight pressure from the springs. You can see the clutch plates clearly in one of the photos.

Currently have the clutch plate heating in a toaster at 120 degrees celsius (250f) and the bearing in the freezer. Going to see if I can press it myself here shortly.

Note: When re-installing the clutch cover plate you want a torque of 10 N-m, same as the engine cover bolts.

Will update with my success or failure. Still open to input from anyone who may know better what they are doing than I do :thumbup1:.

That looks exactly right to me, good job!

Tip - once you have the bearing pressed back in, put a big weight on it as it will tend to move out just a little bit as it all cools.

The good and the bad:

1) The bearing didn't drop in as easily as I thought after heating. I didn't have any tools to press it or hammer it back in either. Took it to a mechanic down the street who had it back in a few minutes.

IMPORTANT: In this picture you can see the bearing after it's been re-seated. It is important that if you need to hammer this back in you only contact the metal outer ring of the bearing. The inner portion (which looks like an easier surface to hammer on) will loosen the bearings if you apply pressure to it and then the problem compounds.

As it is, sewing up the bike today and hoping to be rolling.

Well done! And a good tip too - hammering on the inner bearing race will trash the bearing at the first hit, and it won't last long after that.