triple clutch actuation question

[bclark]

I didn't get to work on the bike as planned this weekend but have just now at least had a chance to pull off the primary chaincase to get the ball rolling.

I just tried a depth gauge along the centre of the gearbox mainshaft took a measure then pulled in the clutch lever and took another measure - the difference is 2.8mm which seems very small, making me think my problem could be an operating rod/ball bearing issue.

If so is it better to pull apart the clutch to get to this or attack it from the clutch cable/operation side (or for that matter do I need access from both sides to pull/push it through the shaft)

While I am at it the manual says of the triplex chain "these chains have been known to go on for upwards of 20,000 miles without undue wear", mine has yet to reach 20k but I have to say I would have assumed it would have lasted much longer - is this not the case?

 

[laverdakeith]

Never actually measured the lift but 2.8mm sounds about right, the pressure plate does not need to move far to release the clutch. If your chain is worn then replace it. The book was written with reference to new parts as fitted by the factory, that was a long time ago so who knows what is in there now, can highly recommend Iwis duplex as sold by Andychain.


    Keith

 

[Laverdalothar]

Hi Brian,

not sure which Laverda we are talking about as you don't mention it here, but I assume it is a 750 or a triple, as both have the triplex chain. you can first try to get the rod out from the right side of the engine. it helps if you have a tool that has a magnetic part at the end of a telescopic part, like this here:

however, it needs to be slim enough to reach into the main gear shaft, so - no bigger than 6,5mm or so. Some screw-drivers with bits do have such, f.e.:

Make sure you check the oil-seal sitting at the end of the gear shaft on the sprocket side.

Exchange of the chain sounds like a good Idea as it is relatively cheap and gives peace of mind. Keith's recommendation of the duplex chain from Andy is a good one I feel.

HTH

 

[levo]

Hey Brien  simply chock up the left hand leg of the centre stand by about 25 mill start the engine in neutral & the rods & ball with go with gravity & fall out.

 

[sfcpiet]

Brian,

Always a good idea to renew a primary chain of unknown provenance, a chain breaking at max revs leaves quite a mess!  For safetys' sake, the factory specified change intervals of 35000km, so you're just about there with your 20000miles.  Can also vouch for Andys' duplex, lighter, just as strong, but far quieter than the original triplex.

Most clutch release related problems are caused by wear at both the rods and the cross bar on which they bear.  In rare cases, the release lever can be worn where it pushes on the rods or the roller in the release mechanism has worn its shaft.  There is a ball inside the release mechanism as well, check that too.  All this doesn't actually effect the clutch action as such, just reduces the lift because of ever worsening cable/lever geometry.  Check the rod ends for wear and replace accordingly, along with the centre ball bearing and the cross bar(this can be flipped over, if that hasn't happened too often in the past).  Do NOT re-dress the ends, this will shorten the rods and only worsen the situation further. 

With everything nicely set up, you should end up with an angle of slightly less than 90? between the release lever and the clutch cable, giving you maximum leverage resulting in maximum lift and a relatively light action.  This may not be attainable with new after-market plates that are slightly thicker than stock (EVERY little bit counts, here!), in this case, the rods will need to be lengthened.  With proceeding wear of the clutch plates, the included angle at the lever will become less and less, and clutch action progressively betters, albeit ever-so-slightly!

piet

 

[CLEMTOG]

Triplex chains that are available now are not the same thing that was avaialable in (say) 1978.The original factory triplex was made by Regina and the type is easilly recognisable because of the very large muchroom shaped domed rivets, later ones from most manufcaturers will have a simpler peened look to the rivets. although good chains can still look the same,with peened rivets, they too are no longer available (eg from iwis)

I was at one time very hard on my Laverda's
the factory chain fitted to my 1200 lasted at the very least for 40,000 miles, and the bike was raced like it in 1986/7.The replacement came from Andy and may have been the last triplex that he could comfortably supply (remeber he can still get them but states that they are crap) and I that was an iwis, I bought two, the first lasted for decades, probably another 40,000 miles and  when I changed it during an engine rebuild, I realy could not tell the differrence bewteen an old one and a new one , when they were both placed side by side on a clean steel table, I tried to measure the differreence, by placing two 50mm bars  at each end of the chains, about three feet apart and seeing if the bars were still parrallel,ie was the new chain markedly shorter than the old one? as far as I could tell they were the same, I was tempted to re use the old one, but in the end I fitted new.

Of great importance is the chain line , the clutch cush rubbers and of course, tension.The Jesus nut on the crankshaft can come lose if not correctly tightened using a good fitting six point socket and a locking tool, and if it does, then your chain gets a hammering.
CLEM

 

[sfcpiet]

For anybody really interested in keeping the triplex primary chain, OCT offers a top-quality replacement from D.I.D, Japan.  Can't get much better than that, imho...

piet

 

[bclark]

Finally pulled apart the clutch this evening - figured I'd go with the primary side to examine the plates. Everything was in very good condition, pushrod fine but a number [most] of the clutch plates were really stuck together and needed carefully prising apart. Gave them a bath and coated them in oil  and now clutch back to working as it should.

 

[Marmite]

Nice one Brian....glad you got it sorted. Sometimes, we spend longer thinking about a fault than it takes to fix it (I know I have been guilty of that on bikes, cars and even house stuff  : ).

Clutch was the first job I ever did on a Laverda, way back in the '80s.  I was amazed at how straightforward it was.  Since found that most of the triple is the same  

Pete