Hello everyone. My uncle is away for several weeks working on a rig. I'm a 17 year old Harley rider riding a 1999 Evo Dyna that was my Granddad's that my uncle fixed up for me last year. I love it. I know he's checked in here before so I've got his computer to ask a question. I want to fix something myself to show him I can while he's gone.
Today I'm pretty sure my clutch started slipping. I don't have a ton of money but can anyone recommend a good clutch set to buy that would cost me $250 or less. I can do mac and cheese for a couple weeks and manage that!
I think I've only got one install question after looking at the book. When it's all back in does turning that little center screw in make it release sooner or later? Just so I can find what will be my happy place. And while I'm in there is there anything else that would also just normally be repalced or that should be looked at more close?
I appreciate your willingness to fix something and don't want to curb your enthusiasm ..
But-Lets start with a diagnosis and go from there.
Rare is a clutch going to slip in a Harley.
Start with the hand lever -is there ANY free play there?
The clutch release action needs a TINY amount of lever-action to take up cable slack.
If there is none, that could be causing the slip, if you have too much lever-action you get the clutch drag.
As you know there are several clutch friction disks and sever plates in the clutch basket.
They last a lifetime under most applications.
Let's start with: How many miles are on the bike..??
Do some research and learn the correct way to adjust the clutch. Run through that procedure a couple of times and see if it doesn't help things. As Thumper already pointed out..there HAS to be a little slack in that clutch handle. The specification is about 1/8 inch. Some folks use a quarter. Run the adjuster in until there's just enough space to slip a quarter in between the clutch handle and the hand lever bracket up on the handlebar.
Anything else to check:
Please take a good look at the tires. NOT just for tread depth but also for condition of the rubber. It's not uncommon to find older bikes that haven't been ridden too much that have tires with plenty of depth in the tread..and cracked, split, rotten rubber.
It's more than just the center screw adj. Read the book 1st a couple x , Cable needs to be loosened up as well and adj. along with center screw as final touch.. Don't piss off uncle if you don't get it right and need his help later. You do the job and have him sitting around having a beer.
When done right no slip, no grab, no hard shifting ,and easy netural find. Keep reading the book and U-Tube will get you on the right track . You never get in trouble if you ask first. Keep the ? comning. :up:
It is best to soak the Discs Overnight. Why, I don't know but it has always worked best for me.
Turn until resistance is felt, back off 1/2" complete turn. You can adjust the Friction Zone as desired at the Cable Adjuster.
Correct adjustment sure, but the number one thing that ALWAYS happens with Harley clutches is the cable gets dry. While adjusting it, be sure to oil the cable. Makes a night and day difference.
-JW
Thank you everyone. I found a youtube video. Watchign it being done is a lot of help to make the book's directions clear. That was good advice I hadn't thought of. I know the cable is lubed and the tires were new last year. On some hard throttle pull with a little uphill at the same time the engine revved more than the bike went. I couldn't think of anything else other than the old clutches slipping. The bike has 40,000 miles now. It only had 29 when I got it a year ago so I've been riding the piss out of it!
I'll try the adjustment first before buying expensive parts. If that doesn't change things I will look for recommendations on a good set of clutch discs? Do the kits come with the metal plates and the discs or just the discs?
You can get the plates & disc ea. at dealer , If you buy a set of just the friction ,make sure the steel are not blue and warped. Lay the steel on flat glass to ck. If eng is rev- on a hard pull with lever all the way out. it 's slipping ,Doesn't mean clutch is shot. Adj. 1 st , You could all so go with a new S-E Pressure plate.More clamping pressure , along with harder pull in of lever.
And maybe try some Type F automatic transmission fluid in the primary instead of regular primary oil...
-JW
Thanks again everyone. My bike may be all good now. I did the adjustment this afternoon. While I was working on it my uncle's neighbor who is also his buddy came in the garage to see what I was doing. Then he left and came back with some new clutch thing he just gave me. It's a Harley part. I think he called it a center frugal clutch spring. I'm not sure. But after the readjustment and adding that new thing it's not slipping anymore. Can't wait to tell my uncle the bike I had a little problem and I got it fixed!
That's awesome! Your first step into a gigantic new universe. Hope your wallet can keep up.
:hyst:
-JW
I know what you mean. This is weird. I walked by the bike this morning. After fixing something on it on my own now there were all these thoughts in my head like gee, what should I do to it next? Nothing is broken. It's all working fine right now. It's like it was calling to me.
It means you're hooked now!
Quote from: chipthedonkey on April 20, 2020, 07:22:41 AM
I know what you mean. This is weird. I walked by the bike this morning. After fixing something on it on my own now there were all these thoughts in my head like gee, what should I do to it next? Nothing is broken. It's all working fine right now. It's like it was calling to me.
Jump on your bad motor scooter and
RIDE !!!
Quote from: chipthedonkey on April 20, 2020, 07:22:41 AM
After fixing something on it on my own now there were all these thoughts in my head like gee, what should I do to it next? Nothing is broken. It's all working fine right now. It's like it was calling to me.
We have a saying for that.
"If it ain't broke, fix it until it is".
Maybe best to lock up the wrenches, eh?
-JW
Quote from: JW113 on April 20, 2020, 09:02:29 AM
Quote from: chipthedonkey on April 20, 2020, 07:22:41 AM
After fixing something on it on my own now there were all these thoughts in my head like gee, what should I do to it next? Nothing is broken. It's all working fine right now. It's like it was calling to me.
We have a saying for that.
"If it ain't broke, fix it until it is".
Maybe best to lock up the wrenches, eh?
-JW
!00% correct...
I'm with BurnOut... "get on yer bad MotorScooter and Ride!!!"
Hey Bud, get job on the clutch fix, nothing like doing repairs yourself...Now get on it and continue to ride the piss out of it, Real curious as to what your friends think of you riding a Harley? they supportive or just don't get it?
Chip, see if you can find out if the cam bearings and cam chain tensioners were ever changed in that engine and let us know.
Disregard if this is actually an evo engine. I was under the understanding that the only 99 evo engines were in Softails. The first TC engines were the cam bearing problems. I just checked and see the evo went as far as the 2000 FXR4.
Good to hear it's fixed , Sping plate is what i was thinking but said pressure plate. How were the steel plates looking when you had it apart. Any bluing from the slip? You now konw you can fix just about anything with this site and H-D manual.
If I wrote 1999 before it was my bad typing skills. It's a 1998 bike. Definitely Evo. So here's what happened with me and my bike today.
I socially distanced all afternoon. Like 250 miles worth. Saw a bike mid afternoon that obviously had LED light bulbs. Before now I would not have thought of OH, I need those. But since I didn't have to buy a clutch I got money. So I ordered LED bulbs and a tail light and something called a equalizer so they'd all work right.
I might have been better off if I'd just let my uncle fix the bike. Now I'm seeing all this stuff in a whole different way!
Oh, you are on a slope my friend, a very slippery slope!!
Hey ... I've got a few ideas for ya too. :hyst: Just check in on occasion with a bank statement an your new pals will hep ya out. :potstir:
QuoteNow I'm seeing all this stuff in a whole different way!
(https://i.imgur.com/DNa6dzJ.png)
oh boy, I got a tracking number for my new LED lights. Even waiting for UPS is different now!
Quote from: chipthedonkey on April 21, 2020, 06:22:57 AM
oh boy, I got a tracking number for my new LED lights. Even waiting for UPS is different now!
:hyst: :hyst: Now you know how an addict feels waiting for his delivery. You're hooked now. Re read FSG's previous post. It's called replacement therapy. :wink:
Nothing like a mechanical mistress to keep a guy broke!
-JW
A homemade custom paint job doesn't cost much.....
And that's ALL I'm going to do. Just a rattle can paint job, and that is it. Forever.
:hyst:
-JW
Quote from: JW113 on April 21, 2020, 09:03:04 AM
And that's ALL I'm going to do. Just a rattle can paint job, and that is it. Forever.
:hyst:
-JW
Umm, yup. And new wheels. But that's it! Well handlebars, but they don't really count. And a seat, and then I'm done. Really.
Hmm, chrome forks would look good...
I don't need anything except this ashtray and that's it and that's the only thing I need. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - wait, I need this!
(just wait until he gets his first Harley....)
-JW
JW, I love that movie, very underrated as far as I'm concerned.
The Jerk, for anyone not familiar. Step right up and win some crap!
And consider the last time you saw a bone stock Harley-Davidson other than on a showroom floor, guess that makes us all a bunch of Jerks, eh?
:wink:
Speaking of showroom floor, and the boutique, "step right up and buy some crap. We've got chrome covers to go over your other chrome covers, and more live to ride ride to live embossed crap than you can possibly imagine! And if you pay us lots of money, you can wear all this fancy designer HD clothing and advertise for us!"
Oops, didn't mean to disparage the MoFoMoCo. I meant all that respectfully, of course!
:potstir:
Let's see, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, clutches. Given proper maintenance and minimal abuse, stock EVO and TC clutches can outlast the engine and possibly the transmission. Now there is some over-engineering for ya!
-JW
I burned up one clutch when the rear brake hung up. That's about it. I had to replace my clutch on another bike due to grooves being worn into the hub from extremely hard riding for 80,000 miles, and blued a few of the steels. Clutch still held fine.
Both instances not really the clutch's fault.
My '91 was pushing 180,000 last I had it. The first 120K on the stock 80", then the next 60K on a pretty heavily flogged 89". Never had a clutch issue.
-JW
Quote from: JW113 on April 21, 2020, 12:57:30 PM
I don't need anything except this ashtray and that's it and that's the only thing I need. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - wait, I need this!
(just wait until he gets his first Harley....)
-JW
Some papers????
Turns out I'm lucky in a lot of ways. When my uncle got this bike going last year he did a lot to it since it had been sitting for a long time. So there's not a lot left me. That still don't mean I didn't sit on a milk box for a half hour in the garage after riding tonight trying to figure out what else it could need.
I've been reading about things to do. That's probably not a smart thing. I know what my next thing is after I get the lights on. My bike has got rode a lot the least year. My next thing is I want a windshield. I think that will make it so much better to ride. So now I'm watching for something called a fast detachable windhsield. May be back to mac and cheese again for a couple weeks.
Take a look at a Windvest for a quick attach/detach windshield. I put one on my 1985 FXRS in 2000 on the day I left for Bikeweek, Daytona (RIDING from central Nebraska). My idea was to put it on for long trips, leave it off otherwise. I hadalready ridden the bike 125,000 mi so I had a pretty good feel for it, without a windshield of any kind. On the Windvest..two allen bolts are all you have to deal with to put it on or take it off. The brackets can stay on the bike and not detract too awful much.
That was "The Plan". I wound up riding 4,000 mi. in 6 days with the Windvest on the bike. Pretty good "shakedown" for a new piece of equipment. The ride South out of Nebraska bucked some pretty strong headwinds for an entire day and had me wondering about the windshield but after I got home...it never came off.
20 yrs later...still riding the same bike, WITH THE WINDVEST in place.
That's my real-life experience...(not opinion, internet BS or magazine review).
Others may differ.
Moneys tight for ya , look on ebay for nice used windshield
I did check out ebay this morning. Found some kits called quick detach that have these slick chrome clamps that just go around the tubes. Will check out the windvest thing too. Not something I have to do today though so it's ok to watch ebay for a deal.
Tracking number says my lights show up today!
Got all my LED lights installed today. No help. Works good and looks cool. I didn't know what the little qualizer box would do so tried the lights without it first just to see. Stuff got flashy weird. Put the little box in and not only does everything work the lights in the back actually work better. More lights on as tail lights now. Thank you again to everyone that helped with the clutch.