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View Full Version : Clutch lever making a click when pulled in?



zeocen
16th December 2006, 10:44
I was just having a looksee at my bike today and found when I pulled the clutch lever in it makes a pretty noticeable *click* by the handlebars halfway to being pulled in fully.

I can feel the click in my hands when I pull it in, it's definitely somewhere around the the lever.

Is this something to be worried about? I turned it on and clicked it into gears fine, but the click it makes seems like something is wrong.. I can't think of when this started to happen, I usually start the bike up for a bit before checking things and probably wouldn't have noticed or felt the click when I pulled the lever in

I hope it's nothing serious, it just came back from the freaking shop :(

thanks

Ixion
16th December 2006, 10:56
Its probably wear in the lever pivot. The clutch lever pivots around a bolt. Modern levers tend to be cheap and nasty, the bolt runs directly in the alloy, with no brass bushing. So the bolt hole wears until it is oval instead of round, and then when you pull the lever in the lever "slips" from one end of the oval to the other.

Slacken the cable, and remove it from the lever. Then remove the lever (usually one bolt and locking nut), and inspect the hole. It should be circular and a good fit on the bolt. If it is at all oval you need to replace the lever, though it's not an urgent matter.

Of course if you have a hydraulic clutch then forget everything I said. If the hole is round then you'll need to look further.

zeocen
16th December 2006, 12:31
I dont have the tools to unscrew it all at the moment, but you're basically saying it's just from wear and tear and it'll be fine for a while longer but I should ideally get it replaced?

Ixion
16th December 2006, 14:28
Thta's my guess. Bear in mind I haven't seen or heard it. So it *could* be anything at all. But wear on the pivot holes is common

sAsLEX
16th December 2006, 14:36
ummm nice point fish/ixion

but most bikes have a microswitch on there levers so it could be this you are feeling.

Should be able to hear/feel a click on the brake lever as well and if you notice your brake lights coming on around the same time as the click happens......

The microsw on the clutch is normally to stop you starting in gear unless the clutch is depressed

Ixion
16th December 2006, 14:37
That's possible - though it would have always been thus. Usually also the microswitch action is too slight to be felt.

zeocen
16th December 2006, 15:16
ummm nice point fish/ixion

but most bikes have a microswitch on there levers so it could be this you are feeling.

Should be able to hear/feel a click on the brake lever as well and if you notice your brake lights coming on around the same time as the click happens......

The microsw on the clutch is normally to stop you starting in gear unless the clutch is depressed

Yeah I know what you mean, but it's a louder clunk than the microswitch.. I'm pretty sure it hasn't always been there or that loud and compared to the break microswitch click it's a lot more clunky sounding than the little tick I hear.

How smart it was of me to quit my job before I found another one. :(