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Tech. Advice: Series 'B' / 'C' 500cc/1000cc Bikes
Assistance sought with a Rapide Clutch problem please
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<blockquote data-quote="BlackLightning998" data-source="post: 10920" data-attributes="member: 109"><p><strong>I'm a pratt!</strong></p><p></p><p>Hi Everyone, </p><p></p><p>So, I'll own up to what some of you may have suspected for some time - I'm a pratt.</p><p></p><p>Having thoroughly read Sib Biberman's "how to set up the clutch", FYO, ATY, Richardson. KTB and the Riders Manual plus spoken to my Vincent Engineering Mentor and a few other friends, I thought I had nailed down the possible problems with my clutch.</p><p></p><p>Interestingly, when you used the clutch to depress the kickstart, the first time it might slice through like a hot knife in butter. If you then used the valve lifter to turn over the engine and try the clutch lever again you'd find it locked solid. Ahh - I hear you say, the famous problem of springs not allowing the plates to lift square. The problem was a little deeper than that.</p><p></p><p>I stripped the primary out and found that the shoe carrier was binding, no end float. I had meticulously taken it apart, thoroughly cleaned it and re-assembled exactly as it had come apart, but I'd clearly got the clutch nut a little tighter than it had been and in so doing had removed any end float in the shoe carrier which was subsequently binding - and it got worse on a hot engine of course.</p><p></p><p>My bike had two thrust washers (PD19) - one thicker than the other. So I've removed the thinner one, cleaned everything again and put the nut on properly tightened and locked with the lock spring. </p><p></p><p>I then polished all the spacers for the 9 steel pins (might not do anything but I read about it in FYO and it made me feel better - so worth doing!) and made sure that the springs, cups and spacers were all mated nicely as sets with the springs measured. Then re-built the primary, adjusted the spring locations to try and achieve an even lift and tried it out, however many times I span it over on the kickstart and valve lifter, the clutch lever then always freed off the kickstart to slice down nicely - success?</p><p></p><p>So I put the cover back on and took it for 40 miles, not enough yet to claim full success I know, but enough to think I may well have got it sorted - a lovely sweet clutch and hugely enjoyable 40 mile test ride - hurrah!</p><p></p><p>Oh, and an interesting non-sales tip - in my Sunday night frustration having had a tough ride home from the White Horse Rally I emailed Russ Kemp at VinParts (other parts suppliers are available) and ordered a load of new Primary Clutch parts as I suspected my "blued" ones may be the problem. Russ spoke to me on Monday and encouraged me to persevere to try and get it sorted before buying new bits - good bloke.</p><p></p><p>So, given my very amateur status on the Vincent Mechanic/Engineering front I am pretty chuffed that I seem to have sorted my clutch clip, caused a clutch drag and sorted a clutch drag all in the space of a few days - and in the process stripped the clutch and re-built it twice.</p><p></p><p>If ever there was an example to follow this must be it, if you've been thinking of whether or not you can have a go yourself and get the satisfaction of maintaining your own bike - have a go.</p><p></p><p>I hope I'm not premature, I know it's only 40 miles and I need a good 200 and a stonking hot engine to prove the repair - but I do hope that I've found it and frankly, I don't feel a pratt, I actually feel quite chuffed.</p><p></p><p>Thanks to all who helped out along the way.</p><p></p><p>Bucks Shiny Bike Night tomorrow night - and I'm going on the Vincent......</p><p></p><p>Regards</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BlackLightning998, post: 10920, member: 109"] [b]I'm a pratt![/b] Hi Everyone, So, I'll own up to what some of you may have suspected for some time - I'm a pratt. Having thoroughly read Sib Biberman's "how to set up the clutch", FYO, ATY, Richardson. KTB and the Riders Manual plus spoken to my Vincent Engineering Mentor and a few other friends, I thought I had nailed down the possible problems with my clutch. Interestingly, when you used the clutch to depress the kickstart, the first time it might slice through like a hot knife in butter. If you then used the valve lifter to turn over the engine and try the clutch lever again you'd find it locked solid. Ahh - I hear you say, the famous problem of springs not allowing the plates to lift square. The problem was a little deeper than that. I stripped the primary out and found that the shoe carrier was binding, no end float. I had meticulously taken it apart, thoroughly cleaned it and re-assembled exactly as it had come apart, but I'd clearly got the clutch nut a little tighter than it had been and in so doing had removed any end float in the shoe carrier which was subsequently binding - and it got worse on a hot engine of course. My bike had two thrust washers (PD19) - one thicker than the other. So I've removed the thinner one, cleaned everything again and put the nut on properly tightened and locked with the lock spring. I then polished all the spacers for the 9 steel pins (might not do anything but I read about it in FYO and it made me feel better - so worth doing!) and made sure that the springs, cups and spacers were all mated nicely as sets with the springs measured. Then re-built the primary, adjusted the spring locations to try and achieve an even lift and tried it out, however many times I span it over on the kickstart and valve lifter, the clutch lever then always freed off the kickstart to slice down nicely - success? So I put the cover back on and took it for 40 miles, not enough yet to claim full success I know, but enough to think I may well have got it sorted - a lovely sweet clutch and hugely enjoyable 40 mile test ride - hurrah! Oh, and an interesting non-sales tip - in my Sunday night frustration having had a tough ride home from the White Horse Rally I emailed Russ Kemp at VinParts (other parts suppliers are available) and ordered a load of new Primary Clutch parts as I suspected my "blued" ones may be the problem. Russ spoke to me on Monday and encouraged me to persevere to try and get it sorted before buying new bits - good bloke. So, given my very amateur status on the Vincent Mechanic/Engineering front I am pretty chuffed that I seem to have sorted my clutch clip, caused a clutch drag and sorted a clutch drag all in the space of a few days - and in the process stripped the clutch and re-built it twice. If ever there was an example to follow this must be it, if you've been thinking of whether or not you can have a go yourself and get the satisfaction of maintaining your own bike - have a go. I hope I'm not premature, I know it's only 40 miles and I need a good 200 and a stonking hot engine to prove the repair - but I do hope that I've found it and frankly, I don't feel a pratt, I actually feel quite chuffed. Thanks to all who helped out along the way. Bucks Shiny Bike Night tomorrow night - and I'm going on the Vincent...... Regards [/QUOTE]
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Tech. Advice: Series 'B' / 'C' 500cc/1000cc Bikes
Assistance sought with a Rapide Clutch problem please
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