at a standstill, please help (home made tool!)

[pimpygrub]

Ok, i made this homemade tool to compress the clutch and im not sure if im doing something wrong but i broke the little piece that holds the clip on the plate..i stopped there to get any input and see if im doing something wrong or if its just bad luck on my part. Please help me...im at a stand still. here is the pic..it happened as i was tightening down on the bolt.

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[Dan89flstc]

The tool looks like it does not have enough contact area, and the contact area should be as close to the clip as possible. A better way would have been to use pvc pipe, even better yet, use the correct tool.

I`m not a big fan of home made tools (although some guys can make tools in their shops that are better than the ones you can buy). I figure I save enough money doing the job myself to pay for the tools.

You need a new pressure plate.

The tool is only 54 bucks from Dennis Kirk.

[hrdtail78]

Looks like the inner c-clip broke it out with th force of the release plate.  The tool I have works the same as your home made one.  My guess is it was craked before and just happen to let go on you now.

[pimpygrub]

well..just for the record..im a dumba$$. I found out i didnt even need to be messing with that in the first place. I could have just taken the whole clutch assembly out to get to the mainshaft and replace the seal. Oh well, now I guess I will just have to buy the tool and replace the pressure plate. Can anyone else confirm that is what i need? is this the part you're talkin about?: http://www.jpcycles.com/product/6300236?N=0&Ntt=pressure%20plate&Ntk=All

[JohnS_Rosamond]

Don't feel bad, take it as a lesson learned.  All Harley clutches since the middle eighties (at least), you can remove the clutch basket as a whole assembly in you remove the snap-ring and the little plate in the very centre.  Yes, it looks like you need to replace the pressure plate.  The spring compressor that I have for that clutch has a barrell-like part that presses against the diaphragm.  It's not a lot of fun to use since you have to fish the retaining ring out from the middle of the barrell while the diaphragm is compressed, but it does work every time.

[pimpygrub]

Ok, so im gonna just buy the tool and pressure plate now and continue with the job i had before until those parts get here. Thanks alot for the help guys..i found the tool on ebay for $45..almost what it costed me to make one. oh well, like you said..lesson learned. I figure by the time im done i will have spent almost as much on fixing it myself as i would have anyway but at least I will have the experience and tools from it. Thanks again...

[PaJoe]

You may also be interested in upgrading the clutch while you are at it. EnergyOne has an extra plate kit with everything for upgrading the clutch ,1990-97 Big-Twin & 1991 to Present Sportster (XL) - Extra Plate Kit w/spring and Compression Tool Combo for about $160.00 However, their kit has a stronger diaphragm  spring which makes it  a little harder to pull the clutch in .




http://www.energyoneclutches.com/product.php?productid=108&cat=21&page=1

[92flhtcu]

The tool that comes with the Energy One kit is now a better unit than the one shown FWIW  the nice thing about having the right tool is you then always have it!

I've done the same thing(breaking the pressure plate) as they say, chit happens

Rob

[pimpygrub]

I have been trying to get the mainshaft seal out for a while now and it is just tearing away..how do i get this thing away? The rubber seems thin and it seems like there is metal underneath it and im afraid of messin something up..is there a trick to getting this thing out?

[Ajayrk]

I guess that you have removed the sprocket spacer.  With that out a seal puller will hook under the seal and pull it out.  Or just bend a piece of metal to 90*, slip it under the seal where the spacer used to be, grab the metal with vise grips and pull it out.  I just finished this same repair to my 2000 RK.

By the way, replace that spacer and set the seal .050" below the surface or you will have another leak.  And replace the quad seal behind the spacer.