Clutch mod

[Tally]

I am going to do the clutch seal upgrade soon and what I need to know is do I have to drain the fluid before I can remove the slave cylinder, or can it be done still full.

[KiwiCol]

It can be done without bleeding / emptying, it's just an additional seal that goes at the end of the cyl, you'll have to clean out all the chain lube & grit mixture first though.   However, if you're in there, why not bleed the system & get fresh fluid through it?

[Tally]

@ kiwicol I'm bleeding the system as well, I just needed to know I can do the seal before I put a vacuum pump on the clutch line

[grog]

Tally, as Col says. Ive always found tiny little pumps thru easier than vac job. Empty cylinder, wipe it all out, re fill and can reach nipple and lever.

[Tally]

Well that was an effort and a half,the assembly came off alright,but the two little screws that hold the tin plate will not budge. I am thinking that all the other bolts that came out showed signs of being done up with loctite or something similar , I've rang me mate and he's gonna lend me his impact driver, but for now they are doused with lashings of WD40 and being left overnight to soak. The pushrod was a mess, but that's scrubbed up really well, anyway here's a couple of pictures and you'll see what I mean.

[Hooli]

Get some JIS screwdrivers, they really help as they fit the screws properly.

[Tally]

I've got some @ Holli , the screws just will not budge, I'll try again tomorrow, hopefully the WD40 will have loosened them up a bit

[Hooli]

They are sods. I had the slave in a vice & knocked them free with a cold chisel the first time I took mine apart.

[KiwiCol]

Yeah, looks nasty. I think you'll find it's well crudded up behind the rusty plate as well, (once you get the 2 screws out) A good strip & clean up & she'll come up good. 

I'd be taking the whole assembly off the bike though & do it on a bench, you're going to bleed it up with new fluid anyway, so . . .

[grog]

Tally, you blokes do it tough with corrosion. So glad we get nothing like that where i am. Tight screws those little mongrels. Ive got JIS impact driver, got shield held and applied impact with a few hammer hits. Not in vice but hand held. I did use loctite to refit.

[Tally]

All good, the WD40 left to penetrate overnight did the trick, one strong turn with the right screwdriver (j.i.s.) and they came undone. The seal mod went as smooth as silk after that . My mate lent me his vacuum pump so I could bleed the clutch which was a piece of piss to do , it's so easy with one of those  . I also cleaned the clutch switch and the pivot point as well just for good measure, the clutch action is so light and smooth now. Anyway here is a pic of the old fluid that came out

[KiwiCol]

Good job, it's amazing how dirt gets into the fluid, but it does.