Adjusting dry clutch?

[Bun-bun]

Is there any way to adjust a dry clutch other than with the adjustment screw on the lever?

My clutch doesn't engage until the lever has been let out about 70%, and doesn't engage fully until about 90% out. I prefer it to engage earlier in its travel. Adjusting the lever screw outward doesn't help, so I'm wondering if there isn't some other adjustment I'm overlooking. . .

As always, thanks for the help.

[Howie]

The screw on the lever is for free play, leave it alone.  Your only options are an aftermarket slave with a bigger bore or adjustable levers.  The levers will not change the engagement point though.

[Bun-bun]

The bike has an aftermarket Evoluzione slave that the PO installed. Is it a matter of bore diameter, or is it pushrod total length that makes the difference?

[avizpls]

It would be the ratio of the master cyl bore and the slave cyl bore.

If the Evo is larger than OEM, the feel will be softer, but not engage as soon. If smaller, the opposite: It would engage quickly, but you would have a more firm lever and less modulation.

The rod length doesnt make a difference in level action.

[Bun-bun]

That makes sense, thanks.
I think I'll look for an oem slave, and see whether the softer feel outweighs the later engagement.
It's something I could probably get used to, it just makes switching between the two bikes annoying.

[Cloner]

There are clutch plates, and clutch plates.

The steel plates are available in differing thicknesses.  You can adjust the clutch engagement point by measuring the thickness of the steel clutch plates to find the thinnest one.  Find a thicker one to replace it if you want the engagement point earlier in the lever throw.  One is usually sufficient to take up for a worn clutch pack.

The easiest way to do this is by contacting your local dealer or independent service center.  They'll probably have a pile of used plates so they can sell you one at a very reasonable price.

Be sure you're not culling the "spring" plate.  There's one steel plate in the pack that's crowned a bit.  You can lay the plates on a piece of glass as you're measuring them to determine which one it is, as it's visually identical to the others.  It'll touch on its perimeter but have a gap at its center (between itself and the glass' flat surface) if you've laid it on the glass crown up, or vice versa if you've laid it on the glass crown down.  The "regular" plates touch both on their perimeters and their centers.

Best of luck.

[WTSDS]

+1 on Cloner's advice.

Find out what the correct stack height should be for your model. That's the total thickness of your steel and friction plates. If yours are less the engagement will be towards the end of the clutch lever's travel.

[brad black]

the pack thickness shouldn't make any difference as the piston in the slave should rest at the point where it is no longer being forced back by the springs acting on the pushrod.  it doesn't retract all the way back to a set point in the slave as there's nothing to make it do so.  so it's self adjusting and should lift the pressure plate by a consistant amount regardless of pack thickness.  within reason of course.

if you take the curved plate out it will take up quite suddenly and out further.  more curved plates will extend the take up period (already exaggerated by your larger slave) distance, but not effect the final take up point.  when the flat steels warp this also happens.

[Cloner]

YMMV, but I've had good luck increasing plate thickness toward the end of the clutch pack's life.

I've also heard of, but never seen, bikes where the slave was pushed out further because the rod was spinning due to a fouled release bearing.  Worth a look?

[Speeddog]

+1 on what Brad said.

[brad black]

YMMV, but I've had good luck increasing plate thickness toward the end of the clutch pack's life.

I've also heard of, but never seen, bikes where the slave was pushed out further because the rod was spinning due to a fouled release bearing.  Worth a look?

i had a 900ss once that i put a new pack in, then pumped up the lever to try it out and the piston popped out of the slave!  went "bang" and scared shit out of me.  the pushrod was worn a few mm and the slave was also worn where the pushrod rests.  owned by a guy who always had issues with clutches.

maybe the worn pack unloads the springs and that plays a part in lever feel.