Cheap foot clutch rod linkage on 79-86 4spd

[kiwidave]

After a couple of years riding withn a cable-linkage foot clutch I decided to swap to a rod linkage, as per the factory method.


One cable snapped and a couple frayed on me......wanted a bit more security....


Now a rod linkage is easy-peasy to sort out if you have a ratchet-top gearbox (pre-'79).

Just buy the aftermarket parts: extended clutch arm, and rod, with rod-end to fit the
foot clutch arrangement of your choice (either a Pan/45 style rocker or an adapted forward-control look).


Electric-start bikes need the special 1965-1978 police clutch release arm because there is no room for the earlier-style linkage,
what with the higher electric-start primaries. this is it here.....







But it's trickier for late Shovels and 4speed Evos. These come with the rotary-top (cowpie) tranny. That police clutch release arm will NOT clear the tranny top.


And the stock arm which sits on the tranny top is no good because at the rod end, it's machined for a cable ball, you can't slot in a rod. And it is too short as is to use a rod.






So after some careful measuring using stiff wire, I took a tracing of the stock clutch release arm, took that and the 65-78 police release arm to a fabricator, and said: ''can you cut / bend this to this shape?'' And they did for £20.



Then I discovered that, using this custom-made clutch release arm to clear the rotary-top tranny, the aftermarket linkage rod, with the rod-end fitted, was still a couple of inches too short to meet my rocker clutch.


After umming and ahhing for a bit, I decided to try my local fastener supplier to see what they might have.


Answer: 6mm (no non-metric) stainless threaded rod, cut to fit. £4!!!


It's a good snug fit inside the end of the arm, with double-nuts and red locltite either side. A nyloc nut on the rear end.


(stock type linkage rod on the top, DIY version on the bottom)



And here it is fitted.....

And for the other end........I bought a 6mm rose/heim joint for £13, and that screws on to the front of the cut-to-fit rod which attaches to the OEM style bracket on the engine side of the rocker clutch.



500 miles up so far and works good.



Mind you, setting up the Evo 84-89 clutch was a fine-tooth fiddly job and required several test rides. Once you are in this territory, all the ''correct adjustment'' stuff in the manual is no good.


There's a baffling balance - in the case of my kick-only 1985 FXEF - between rocker clutch disengagement, the release arm not hitting the tranny, and smooth engine turnover on the kick pedal.


But everything is possible!


(PS: I did this swap because I had Michigan genius Fabricator Kevin's prototype foot-clutch cable set-up for late four-speeds. He now after several years has a vastly improved set-up. Go to www.fabkevin.com and see what he is offering now. It looks good. He is also THE MAN for all other bits associated with hand shifting / foot clutching )

[Kiwi]

nice stuff dave

a tidier improvement would be to buy a length of stainless rod and just thread each end as required

using a rose joint fitting counter bore it about 1/8" so the rod screws into it and it hides the end of the thread

stainless is a little hard on dies so you may need to factor in the cost of a new die after you have made the rod

used this method to make up a longer rod for my shovel when I put floor boards on it in stead of the mid mount pegs, as for the otehr end of teh rod I cut it exactly to length and no adjustment is either needed or possible

[kiwidave]

Now that's not a bad idea!!

[Phil]

Brilliant Dave. You know you are well loved over here in the Phil family. I am writing this on the coffe table with Kat watching the tele (you`ve been there). Kat asks me: : "Did Dave do all that?" I say: "Yes". She says: "Why?"
I say: "Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

[kiwidave]

If I have to explain, Phil.....you still wouldn't understand!! LOL

regards to all!!! xxxx

[dantheman]

nicely done dave me lad,lol,

[Tibbs Art]

Cool Dave,
that's got me thinking for when I try the jockey shift route.
You'd normally use a cable with a Ironhead like your first setup, but I wreckon ya could come out the primary and use a simualr rod linkage.
I might have to look for a second hand primary cover in States to chop if I can find any decent shops that is.
I'm not having much luck looking on the net.
Will ya let me try out ya jockey shift up ya drive way?
Have ya got any trainer wheels?
Tibbs

[kiwidave]

The Horse swap board, Tony,...always The Horse swap board

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47852/


see you soon buddy

[Tibbs Art]

Originally Posted by kiwidave

The Horse swap board, Tony,...always The Horse swap board

THE HORSE BC Swap Meet


see you soon buddy

I do browse that mate, what I was meaning was I want to pop into some bike shops in San Diago while Fi is in her shops.
I'm having no luck finding any, only one Baza emailed me.

Tibbs

[chopper]

Originally Posted by Kiwi

nice stuff dave

a tidier improvement would be to buy a length of stainless rod and just thread each end as required

using a rose joint fitting counter bore it about 1/8" so the rod screws into it and it hides the end of the thread

stainless is a little hard on dies so you may need to factor in the cost of a new die after you have made the rod

used this method to make up a longer rod for my shovel when I put floor boards on it in stead of the mid mount pegs, as for the otehr end of teh rod I cut it exactly to length and no adjustment is either needed or possible

A slightly easier way of doing the above is to buy threaded rod and some stainless tube, cut the rod to length attach your rose joints at each end, measure the distance between each rose joint and cut the stainless tube to that length, then remove one rose joint and slide the tube over, Its the way i have made all of the torque arms/shifter rods on all of my chops, it also means you can paint the tube if you like.