Clutch
Pushrod, throwout bearing,
lever at rear of transmission, cables, clutch carrier/flywheel,
bolts, crankshaft end play, etc.
(INCLUDES
ADJUSTMENT of the clutch levers; and crankshaft end play spacers)
©
Copyright, 2012, R. Fleischer
clutch.htm
Article 60,
subsection 9
>>>>>>>>>>REFER to
article on
INPUT SPLINES,
for additional information!!!<<<<<<<<<<
Warning!!.....Warning!!.....Warning!!!
Under
NO circumstances
should the flywheel be removed without
blocking the
crankshaft!
See article
flywheelremovalwarning.htm
You MUST block the crankshaft!!!
It is true that
many have
removed and replaced an Airhead flywheel or clutch carrier without blocking the
crankshaft, and have had no problems.
My advice,
VERY
strongly given here, is to take
the time to make and
use a simple crankshaft blocking tool. If you
do not use some sort of crankshaft blocking
tool, and your
crankshaft should
happen to move forward enough (does not take much pressure nor
have to move far at all!) to have one of the thrust washers fall
off its pins,
you can cause VERY serious damage
as you attach the
flywheel or clutch carrier.
Do NOT chance
it!
Since it is a MUST,
in MY OPINION,
to mechanically block the crankshaft from moving forward before
AND after
removing/replacing a flywheel or clutch carrier, you need to know
how to best do that.
This can be done in several ways. I recommend you do NOT
use a towel between the front cover and the alternator rotor,
as
is sometimes done!! I recommend a simple and neat
method...just make a tool
out of a piece of Allen wrench
material, and weld a disc
(fender washer) on one end, making the
length such that the Allen end fits into the alternator bolt, and
the disc end presses against the
inside of the outer
timing chest cover.
Usually 3/4 inch overall. The length should be such that when some light pressure is
applied by the
cover, the cover being screwed back towards the
engine lightly (but not touching the engine case,
to be sure of
having LIGHT pressure). That is, the tool should be just long enough that the cover can't quite fully fit home all the
way. Obviously you don't want to tighten very much. A further
treatment of how to make this tool is in the
TOOLS article
on THIS website, item #8. (that is a hyperlink).
There is a sketch with information on this website, so you can
REALLY see what
is going on......SEE,
without fail:
flywheelremovalwarning.htm
>>>>SEE and READ
IT!!!<<<<
AGAIN: See my tools article, about half-way down the page, item #8: a photo and description of this very simple tool: CLICK!
That above article on TOOLS also has
photos of the clutch assembly tools!
Be sure the OT mark is in
the timing window when removing and
replacing the
flywheel (or clutch carrier). Do
this
"removing and replacing" ONLY when
the pistons are
fully
extended outwards. When
the flywheel shows the OT mark
in the timing hole, both
pistons will
automatically be fully extended outward if the flywheel or clutch
carrier was already installed properly.
If that is not
seen,
then the
flywheel is mounted to the
wrong
crankshaft bolt
holes. Many a
person has
goofed, so, be forewarned!
The flywheel
is not
'indexed' and can be installed to
the wrong
crankshaft
holes.
Furthermore, the flywheel is to be centered by moving it back and forth
very slightly CW/CCW
in its holes, before being
fully tightened.
Clutch parts, including flywheel, should be identified by marking with paint or punch pricks before you disassemble. BMW did that on some models. Parts are installed at 120°. This confuses folks, so pay attention: In case those marks are not seen, mark your clutch parts (not disc nor diaphragm spring) before disassembly from the 'flywheel' or 'clutch carrier'. If you see factory marks, those marks are to be oriented so they are, as best possible, 120° apart to all of each other;....NOT lined up! YOU can make YOUR markings with arrows or single and dual and triple punch marks if you like for the markings TO BE re-lined up later.
/5
clutches had changes during and after production.
The replacement diaphragm springs were changed, and 6 spacers
were no longer used.
There were several types of
diaphragm springs used, and the heavy duty type is usually
stamped with the part number. That part was
21-21-1-234-035.
Some call that the 'sport plate'...but it is the
diaphragm spring. There was a spring common to the R90/6
and R90S, 21-21-1-231-842; it is obsolete, NLA.
The
pressure ring was updated, that is part of the spacer deletion
thing, and the new pressure ring is more rugged, and a better
heat sink. If you are
updating, the updated
parts are the -035 spring; the 21-21-1-236-332 clutch plate which
has an extra set of rivets and a plate, on opposite side, locks
those.
Another later part to use is the 21-21-1-231-666
pressure ring. The early pressure ring had standard
blade screws which should not be used; instead use
6 point head
Allen screws, and torque to a target of 16.6 footpounds.
BMW made a big change to the
clutch/flywheel parts in 1980-1981.
The flywheel as such was dropped, and a lighter 'clutch carrier'
was incorporated. The
throwout bearing was also changed in
design. These clutch parts are very
different from earlier models. The new clutch assembly
was lighter, and also
required much less lever force at the handlebars, so shifting was easier; but engine vibration
generally increased. The 1981
ONLY clutch parts (as
opposed to later clutch parts) were sometimes
very troublesome, and some nasty failures were seen now and
then.
My comments here do not necessarily apply to the R65:
The initial clutch friction disc, called
officially the clutch plate, was 21-21-1-242-370. A
stronger disc, under part number 21-21-1-451-512 was then
used. The carrier, officially the clutch housing (or,
clutch case), was 21-21-1-242-372; it was also beefed up,
becoming 21-21-1-451-511, and then
that became
21-21-1-338-722. Note
that during early production of the 1981 bikes, some bikes had
factory installed washers between
the carrier and the
cover. They are NOT to be used on replacing these
parts. The early carriers had 6 'ears'; later ones
went full circle....so
did not twist and distort nearly as
much. The 1981-1984 diaphragm spring was
21-21-1-242-353, and a higher pressure one IS available,
as
21-21-1-338-508. There were other
updates. The pressure plate 21-21-1-242-354 became
21-21-1-243-009, which became
21-21-2-302-200.
The rearmost part, called a
case lid or housing cover, was 21-21-242-355; and became
21-21-1-457-280. Bolts 21-21-1-242-371 became
21-21-1-338-680. If
you are overhauling a 1981 model with original parts, it is a VERY good idea to
replace all the parts that were updated
...which is nearly
everything!
Disassembling the clutch:
It is important to unfasten the bolts evenly, in a criss-cross
fashion. On the early clutches, those bolts are NOT long
enough to do this due to the HIGH diaphragm spring pressure on
those models. So, how to do it? You remove three
of the six.
In place of those three, you install some long bolts and spacers
...from the hardware store....unless you have the BMW factory
type clutch tools. You can then undo those long
bolts, evenly, in a criss-cross pattern, bit by bit, until all
pressure is off the clutch. 3 of them will do, but 4
is nice. You will use these same bolts and spacers when
RE-assembling.
I reuse the early bolts. On the 1981+ clutches, I usually
use new bolts.
Here is a photo of the factory-type tools for the early clutch
(including the centering tool):
ClutchFlywheelTools.jpg
Note that
late production discs have no asbestos, and may not grip quite as
well, and if you replace just a disc, if the mating parts are
worn
some, they may well not be dead flat, and the clutch may
slip...although if used gently, the clutch may break-in after a
few hundred miles
and be OK. Professional
mechanics usually do a clutch job by replacing the three parts,
but you CAN just replace the disc, but I would
recommend
checking the taper/flatness of the parts. Use of new parts
will guarantee a proper strong clutch, but the set of parts
is
not cheap. The heavy duty higher pressure spring
is a good idea, especially with these later non-asbestos discs on
the early clutches.
A SI was issued with a lot
more information on where to
grease the mating clutch parts....ETC.
That is in the 1992 service fiche, page 4, G13/H13/I13.
Basically, it is the contact points of the diaphragm
spring. I use a moly grease there,
very sparingly.
HINTs!!!.....exceptionally
stiff clutch action can be due to worn, grungy and even broken
parts in the clutch throwout bearing area,
including the bearing,
piston, etc. Do NOT forget to change the clutch
cable if bad;...it can FEEL OK with the cable disconnected at
the
transmission end, yet be very stiff when in actual
operation. Do NOT have the clutch cable running with
sharp bends; nor more than the
ONE tie on the right down-tube. Be SURE to grease the bar lever area (not the
pivot there, it is nylon lined), and be SURE that the cable
inner strands are NOT fouled by the slot in the bar lever
as you pull the lever back towards the bars. Wiggle the lever UP
AND DOWN TOO,
to see if there is so much play in the lever bushing (nylon
and replaceable) that strands foul in the lever slot. It is
especially important
that the cable end, called a cable barrel,
be free to rotate in the clutch lever. Pulling the
clutch lever slowly backwards will show if the
barrel is moving
freely. If not, unfasten the cable from the lever, and
clean up any rough spots on the barrel, then reinstall using a
moly
grease on the barrel. The lever at the bars pivots on the
screw/pin, via a plastic (Nylon probably) bushing in the LEVER. If the lever has
too much
free-play, replace that nylon-like bushing. Failure to do so might allow
the lever to foul, in the lever slot, the cable strands....and
the cable will
snap eventually. Mind my caution on lubing the barrel. I use a moly
grease.
NOTE!....BMW has shipped brand-new cables wherein the barrels do
NOT rotate smoothly. Do some hand-filing!
Grabby clutches can come from many things, including excessive crankshaft or transmission input shaft end play.
Throwout bearing, etc:
Slipping clutch? Acts up when engine fully heated up?...etc...??
This problem has been reported now and then with motorcycles as late as the early 1990's manufacture!
On 1980/1981 and later models, the plastic 'piston' with the metal center, that the clutch lever at the back of the transmission applies its force to, might be too large in diameter, and stick in the transmission bore when hot. This throwout piston part is next to the 1 inch mark of the ruler in the photo below. The LIMIT is 28.7 mm, and it can be sanded down, or replaced. This occurred because tolerances on some transmissions throw-out area bore sizes, and these throw-out pistons were not held tight enough. If the piston fits into the bore a bit too tightly ....(it may still operate fine when cold), under some circumstances, PARTICULARLY when HOT, the piston may stick. That is because that plastic piston material expands a lot faster than the aluminum bore it fits into. Obviously this means that a proper check is with a hot transmission! This can manifest itself in several ways, INcluding a slipping clutch. Measure the piston, and if it is over about 1.13" (28.7 mm) when hot, you MAY want to reduce the outside diameter a bit. I have seen these as large as about 1.142" that still worked OK (NOT all at that diameter WILL be OK!!). I can't give a hard and fast rule here, but if yours is up to 1.141 or so, I would certainly see how it fits, and if a bit too much friction with a HOT PISTON, I would recommend sanding the OD a bit. You might want to check the fit, hot, if you have any hot clutch slipping problems, but OK when cold. Whilst this modification can be done on a lathe with some sanding paper, you can also chuck the rather short shaft tip end in a drill press and use some rather fine sandpaper for this. Use a micrometer or vernier caliper to measure the piston diameter. Inspect the bearing, and if it looks bad, replace it. Grease it with a good grease (Do NOT use moly). While the bearing is theoretically lubricated by oil from the transmission, that is not hardly so at initial assembly....so use a soft mild grease, non-moly.
>>>BMW has
had several versions of the unit, and offers a
replacement piston: 23-13-1-464-167, another way of coping
with a sticky hot piston....and if your
old bearing is shot, and piston sticking when hot.....you could consider this pricey part, as it is a new design, and
incorporates the bearing, and it has the proper diameter.
If your old items are
in good condition, you really do NOT have to spend the bucks....you can sand your
piston outside diameter. It
has been reported to me that BMW MAY have recently shipped all-plastic parts that have
the same old problems!....so, be sure that no matter what part you have in YOUR
bike, that it is not expanding and seizing up!...measure the part!
NOTE: From 1970-9/1980, the 4 speed transmission had a ball bearing throwout bearing; the 5 speed transmission
(1974+) had a radial needle bearing type.
From
9/1980 BMW went back to the superior ball bearing, of a new design.
NOTE: The 4 speed transmission and the early 5 speed transmission
clutch push rods had felts located in a groove, and are installed best from the
front.
Below is a picture of a 1982 felt-less
model
clutch rod, ball bearing, piston with plastic outer, the internal
spring, a new rubber accordion cup, and the
band-clamp. The
rod is about 9 inches long; the piston cup is about 17/32"
wide on the DARK plastic portion.
NOTE!.....the
bearing is lubricated with transmission oil during operation; but
that takes time and miles...so.... I always use a very
light
NON-moly grease when installing this bearing.
NOTE ALSO that the
"felt-less' clutch rods came into being in 1981.
Prior models of clutch
rod
had a felt,
23-21-1-230-440, which is best installed on the rod, and the rod
inserted from the FRONT of the transmission. It is possible
from the
rear, with a homemade tool, but I recommend against
it.
The felt IS necessary on models prior to 1981, otherwise the
clutch disc can become oiled and thereby slip, and be ruined
eventually.
The
1981 and later models have a lipped seal, not easily
replaced....the transmission must come apart.

WARNING!
Earliest models, the /5 that
is, had the clutch actuating arm at the rear of the transmission
held to the transmission, via a cotter key. Very
reliable.
The later but still early models
had the clutch actuating lever at the rear of the transmission
held to the two bosses of the transmission cover by a PIN, that
used a single C clip. That C-clip fit on the pin at the INside
of the lower boss. If the clip
came loose, the pin could come upwards, and come out of the
lower
boss, and the next clutch application could, and often did, break
off a transmission boss ear...necessitating a transmission
overhaul....or some
inert gas welding at a minimum.
A
cure is to remove the old pin and clip and install the following
parts:
#23-13-1-241-484 pin, that has a flange, and won't fly
out. This is used with a clip that is part
number 51-23-1-864-963.
Another
HINT!.....
BMW Service Information
bulletin (we call them SI's), November 1991, #11-049-91, sub number 2495, and this can also be seen on
the 12/92 fiche on
page 3, G23:: Basically, it stated that while
the flywheel bolts were previously at ~75 foot-pounds (100 Nm),
they
were now to be at 90 foot-pounds (125 Nm), cleaned
threads, and then the threads were to be OILED! BMW specifically said that the
bolt
limits would NOT reach their limit of elasticity at that torque,
and could be REUSED! I will NOT tighten them that tight.
Makes me
very nervous! However, some do tighten them that tight, and I have
heard of no problems reported. It is YOUR CHOICE.
NOTE also
that this is in regards to the 11 mm bolts, and applies
to 1981+ models....certainly not
the smaller /5 and early /6 10 mm bolts; which
need replacement upon each
use, which the 11 mm do not, and those 10 mm bolts in the /5 and early /6, are
absolutely not be torqued
to such high values. There have been a lot of different
specifications on flywheel bolts over the
years. There were two lengths of
10 mm bolts used. I
use, clean and dry, torques of 42-45 foot-pounds on the 1973 and earlier
engines; and for the 1974 I use 52-55 ftlbs;
and 1975 and later up to the 1981
models, I use about 75 to 80 ftlbs. I use about 80 ftlbs, clean and dry
threads, on 1981+.
Grabby
clutch:
If your clutch is grabby, it can be due to a number of
causes. It is IMPORTANT that the transmission input shaft
splines
be regularly lubricated. When they get dry, clutch
action is poor, and shifting can be stiff and poor.
Never lube the disc spline, just the
transmission INPUT spline.
Cleaning and re-lubrication should be done at a mileage and time commensurate
with your driving habits
and atmospheric conditions. Moisture
condenses on the shaft and with the in-out movement during operation of the clutch,
and the
wiping action of the essentially gear-like teeth under torque,
all conspire to move the grease out of the splines. Late splines
were
nickel-plated, and hold up a bit better and longer, regarding lubrication.
Spline wear, if not lubricated, can lead to spline failure, a $$$
situation;
especially so on pre-nickel plated ones. I suggest a look-see and
cleaning and lubrication of the
splines at 15,000 miles since
last cleaning and lubrication, and
then adjust the mileage for the next following time. NOTE
that end play
of the input shaft can
cause a
quite-grabby
clutch operation, and that can happen cold and/or hot. More
often when hot. To fix THAT, one must remove and open the
transmission and work on the shaft shimming. One can get an
idea if that is a problem by removing the transmission, heating
it to about
the temperature of boiling water, and measuring, with
a dial indicator, the input shaft end play. Anything over a
few thousandths of an
inch is suspect. This problem with
transmissions causing a grabby clutch is not overly common, but
it seems to be more so for the 1979 models.
EZ-Clutch (and variations): The pre-1981 clutches have a
heavier pull at the bars, some dislike that, or cannot easily
physically
cope with it. There are several types of modifications to
fix it, besides the HUGE expense of installing a 1981+
clutch. Modifications involve a single pulley device
or a lever arrangement. One that is available for purchase
is from Craig Vechorik
('Vetch'), dba Bench Mark Works.
(662) 465-6444; located in the USA;
www.benchmarkworks.com/articles/howto/clutch.html
They also have it available from a place in
Canada. There is also a
type you could
build, that has some advantages over Craig's...as the original
cable end can be used. Here is a website with photos
to give you some ideas: http://www.frankhams.freeserve.co.uk/temporary_uploads/ezclutch_page.htm
There is another type, can't remember the URL for the
website.
There
is a factory tool to help line up the disc when assembling the clutch to the
flywheel/carrier. You don't have
to have one, eyeball is good enough. If you
want to make
this tool:
The tool, overall, is
roughly 133 mm long. Starting
at the taper tip: The non-tapered portion of the tip
is 8.2 mm diameter and 5 mm long. The taper is a simple
rounding, or, just do a 90° tip....not sharp though. So,
with taper, the tip is a tad longer than 5mm...maybe 8 or 10 or
whatever. Back
of the tip is the second
section: 29 mm long by 20.7
mm in diameter. The
'handle' portion is 95 mm long and 22 mm in diameter.
Here is a photo of the
factory-type tools for the clutch:
ClutchFlywheelTools.jpg
Here is a hyperlink to my tools article: TOOLS.htm
In that article will be found information on clutch removal and assembly
tools
Assembling the clutch:
Here is a hyperlink to my tools article:
TOOLS.htm In that article will be found information on
clutch removal and assembly tools
Unless the clutch parts are pretty flat, you need to contact such as
Southland Clutch to machine your plate and make you a thicker
disc to compensate for that machining; or, you need to purchase
new parts. Many folks just replace the disc, and have to do
a clutch job all over again, soon enough.
During your assembly (don't forget previous information on
marking the parts and 120° assembly), I suggest you coat the edge
of the diaphragm spring where it touches the flywheel and the
fingertips with thick moly grease/paste....not very much!
This will help the spring fit properly and operate smoothly.
Remember: just a tiny coating.
Torque, evenly, the clutch bolts. You will need some
sort of long bolts and some spacers from the hardware store
(unless you have the BMW tools), in order to get the pre-1981 clutch to
assemble to the point you can use its original bolts. You don't
need more than 4 of these long bolts...three will do, as the
clutch has 6 normal bolts, and three can be spread at an even
120°...you will also need some spacers for them. You
install these long bolts evenly, criss-crossing while tightening
them evenly, bit by bit, until the clutch is pulled together,
only moderately. THEN you can install the original bolts,
and torque them properly....one by one. For the 1981+
clutch, replace the clutch bolts.
Flywheels,
clutches, and their bolts:
1981 and later bikes used Clutch Carriers,
NOT officially called flywheels.
HINT!.....The
early R65 and R45 had smaller clutches than the larger engines
did. The 1989 and 1980 had 6 x 1.00 mm
CLUTCH bolts.
The amount to torque the
clutch bolts to the flywheel
is NOT listed in early BMW literature; and is wrong in some later
literature.
There
is some confusion over this. BMW originally
had Allen head bolts, then later went to hex head
bolts. I suggest using the hex head bolts.
Some published figures are as high as 17
foot-pounds for the clutch bolts (any style). That is WAY too high, even for
high strength bolts.
I suggest 88 inch-pounds (7-1/2 foot-pounds), for the 1979-1980; and, use
clean, dry threads, then coat before assembly with a light
amount
of Loctite BLUE. It
is possible that up to 10 foot-pounds is OK, but that would be
for high grade bolts only. Any book figures you see
that say 17 foot-pounds,
or 15 foot-pounds, is WRONG!
Early /5/6....to 1974
had 10 mm flywheel bolts used on 93
tooth flywheels. There were two lengths installed. I will NOT
reuse them. Torque them
to book specifications,
dry. The flywheel was 11-22-1-256-906.
/6 in 1975 and 1976 had 11 mm flywheel bolts on a 93
tooth flywheel. The flywheel as
11-22-1-262-070.
11 mm bolts were used on all later models.
/7 for 1977 through early 1978, NON-emissions timing bikes had 11 mm flywheel bolts on 111 tooth flywheels. The flywheel was 11-22-1-263-788.
1978-1980 WITH emissions timing bikes had 11 mm flywheel bolts on 111 tooth flywheels. The flywheel was 11-22-1-336-380
All
11 mm bolts up through PRE-clutch carrier models (came out in 1981): The
original good specification was: Torque these to 73
ftlbs.
Threads were to be clean,
dry, NO Loctite used.
Repeating!:
BMW Service Information
bulletin (we call them SI's), November 1991, #11-049-91, sub number 2495, and this can also be seen on the
12/92 fiche on
page 3, G23:: Basically, it stated that while
the flywheel bolts were previously at ~75 foot-pounds (100 Nm),
they were
now to be at 90 foot-pounds (125 Nm), cleaned
threads, and then the threads were to be OILED! BMW specifically said that the bolt
limits would NOT reach their limit of elasticity at that torque,
and could be REUSED! I will NOT tighten them that tight.
Makes me
very nervous! However, some do, and I have
heard of no problems reported. It is YOUR CHOICE.
NOTE also that this is in regards
to the 11 mm bolts, and applies
to 1981+ models....certainly not
the smaller /5 and early /6 10 mm bolts; which need replacement upon
each
use, which the 11 mm do not, and those 10 mm bolts in the /5 and early /6, are
absolutely not be torqued to such high values.
There have been a lot of different
specifications on flywheel bolts over the
years. There were two lengths of 10 mm bolts used. I
use,
clean and dry, torques of 42-45 foot-pounds on the 1973 and earlier
engines; and for the 1974 I use 52-55 ftlbs; and 1975 and later up
to the 1981
models, I use about 75 to 80 ftlbs. I use about 80 ftlbs, clean and dry
threads, on 1981+.
Cables:
32-73-2-324-956 cable is 1460 or 1495 mm long
and the sheath is 1285 mm long. This cable may have been
32-72-1-235-744???
32-73-2-324-958 cable is 1385 mm long, and the sheath portion is
1155 mm long
32-73-2-324-959 cable was used on R65 Euro, 86+RS is
1386 mm long
32-73-1-230-041 cable is 1320 mm long, and the sheath portion is
1085 mm long
32-73-1-230-042 cable is 1460 mm long, and the sheath portion is
1225 mm long
3273959 is 1361 mm long, sheath is 1130. Needs
confirmation. Believe was on R45/R65
3273694 is 1469 with 1242 sheath, needs confirmation, believe was
used on R45/R65 with high bars.
32-73-2-324-960 is 1625 mm and is on K1100LT
3273957 is 1410 long, sheath 1180, used on R80, R100, Mystic
See www.siebenrock.com for more control cable information
Southland Clutch;
101 E. 18th St., National City, CA, 91950, (619) 477-2105, can
resurface all models of Airhead worn clutch parts and supply the
thicker
clutch disc that is needed after those operations.
Dan Levine. Dan@southlandclutch.com
Clutch Adjustment:
The way I look at the adjustments is to first be sure cable is routed
properly, and then tied down only once at the frame. That tie, which must be only
moderately tight,
should be located roughly midway down the right side frame
down-tube. There must be no broken cable strands. The
clutch lever at the bars should not have excessive
UP and DOWN play, and if it does, the nylon bushing IN THE LEVER
needs replacing. BE SURE that with lever movement in any
direction the inner cable strands are
NOT being rubbed against by the clutch lever slot. Be SURE
the barrel rotates easily... lubricate
the barrel and the transmission ends with moly grease. I inspect quite
carefully the clutch lever at the bars. The nylon insert in the lever
wears, and the lever gets sloppy, and once things are sloppy enough, the
cable core strands can foul
on the lever slot. Is even worse if the
barrel on the core wires is not rotating in the lever.
Lube the barrel and
lever (the nylon bushing does not need lubricant), and make
sure that if the
lever is moved UP and DOWN, the cable does NOT foul the lever slot....and
that the barrel DOES rotate. Smooth the barrel metal if it fails
to turn properly,
check its fit in the lever. Some
replacement cable barrels do not fit smoothly...fix that! Failure
to ensure that the lever, barrel, etc., are OK, could destroy the
cable quickly.
Replace the nylon bushing if it is allowing
too much slop in the bars lever, an easy job. These little
things can greatly extend cable life.
The adjustment is not supposed to be exactly the same on all models.
In practice, the new method will work OK for all Airhead Clutches. The transmission clutch lever
should be set at
201 mm exactly, which is almost exactly
8
inches, from the transmission housing front casting area where the cable fits
through (rear surface of the transmission housing there), to the
forward edge of the lever rear
hook area. This is done via the bars
lever adjustment!!, and THEN the lever (lock nut and
screw) at the transmission is set for bars
lever clearance of 1/8". Do this adjustment with the engine COOL.
Make a tool out of a coat hangar or whatever, mark it "201mm
tool for setting clutch lever at transmission".
The reason the clutch levers are set this way is to ensure that the
transmission lever operates in the most efficient leverage position.
The lever at the transmission will point rearward by an angle of about 4°
when adjusted correctly.
The earlier clutches were originally set differently, parallel lever at the
transmission is where the 1/8" of bars lever clearance is set.
Crankshaft
end play, spacers, ETC:
Fairly rarely; and, after huge mileages usually (but NOT
always) one sees an Airhead that has two
or more of the following symptoms: Shifts hard (and
isn't lack of input shaft lubricant or bad clutch); most probably
has a lurching, grabby
clutch action; idle rpm is unstable and varies with clutch
pull-in; engine vibration. If you have
an airhead with those symptoms, you may want to check the
end-float (end play) of the crankshaft. This is a
serious subject. You are advised to see an expert, or to
get the BMW official information, but here are some things that
may clear things up a bit. This is the arrangement you
might typically expect to see if you removed the crankshaft and
viewing the crankshaft in the engine casting from the
crankshaft rear end:
FIRST you have a GREEN thrust spacer which is .1015-.1034 in
thickness; next is the main bearing insert, next is the RED
thrust spacer which is .0978-.0996, then the oil seal, then the
flywheel. This is for a 1970-1978. In 1979 BMW
added the O-ring seal and the flywheel changed design a
bit. If you have a BLUE thrust spacer it is
.0996-.1015" thick; and a YELLOW is .1034-.1052.
The limit of wear is .008" and end
float is .003"-.006".
End play is measured with a dial indicator. Ask on the Airheads LIST
if you have questions!
Stuck Clutch:
Now and then someone will complain that their
bike, after sitting, often for weeks or more, often in high
humidity areas, has a clutch that has failed. You can
pull the lever back, it feels normal, but the clutch will not
release.
The problem is that the clutch disc has frozen to the
adjacent parts. You need to force the
clutch to disengage.
There are several methods, including pushing the bike, and shifting into
second gear....etc.
I prefer to try this first: put the bike on the centerstand,
and jack the bike at the rear frame crossover (swing arm
area), or?....and have the rear wheel a bit off the surface.
HOLD the front brake! Start the engine in first gear.
At some moderate rpm or other, suddenly give very hard pressure with your
right foot on the rear brake. That should force the clutch to release.
Rev:
01/26/2008: all prior revisions incorporated, and much
added from old obsolete engineinternals.htm
05/04/2008: Edit section on the plastic throwout bearing piston problems.
04/16/2009: Clarify a few details. Re-arrange order of presentation
of items.
10/27/2009: Clarify a few things, fix and add hyperlinks.
11/04/2009: A few additional clarifications on R65/R45
clutch bolts; and re-arrange article somewhat, it was excessively
gaudy.
06/24/2010: Clean up article some
04/29/2011: Add more information, such as a link to the
factory clutch tools picture on this site, etc. NO errors
found. Strictly a clarification revision.
06/16/2011: Add Stuck Clutch section, minor other
clarifications, quite minor
09/08/2011: Fix typo in part number for the early eighties
heavy-duty diaphragm spring; was 2121338508, should be
21211338508.
10/02/2011: minor clarifications (which I forgot to upload for months)
03/28/2012: add note and hyperlink to my tools article.
04/08/2012: Very minor clarifications on throw-out bearings.
© Copyright,
2012, R. Fleischer