Clutch line - cable replacement- is it this tough?

[tony]

Howdy All:

I hope you are well.

So I ordered new brake lines and have now gotten them all replaced, that was fun.

While I was ordering I also went ahead and got a new clutch line/cable. Is it really this much work to replace it? I think it is but thought I would ask to see if anyone had some shortcuts.

– Place motorcycle on its centre stand.
– Remove right side section of fairing.
– Remove left-hand section of engine spoiler.
– Slacken exhaust system.
– Remove rear wheel.
– Remove rear wheel drive unit.
– Remove the swinging arm.
• Drain the clutch operating system.

Best regads, tony

[was]

Hey Tony. You certainly do not need to do all that simply to drain the DOT4 from the clutch circuit, but I'm afraid the steps are pretty close to reality if you want to replace the clutch line. As you probably know, the clutch line terminus is at the top of the slave cylinder, to which the clutch line attaches with a banjo bolt and crush washer. There is another opening on the top of the slave (see the pic of slave cylinders, below), with another hydraulic line that runs out to the right and forward to end near the backside of the tip-over wing frame. This line ends with a fitting that contains a grub screw that can be removed so a bleeder bolt can be screwed in. This is where you could drain the clutch circuit without removing all the hard parts.

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to get at the slave cylinder without removing the swingarm, which runs immediately behind the rear of the cylinder. To get a sense of it's position, the arrow in the pic below is pointing to a green paper gasket where the slave would be bolted to the rear of the tranny (the slave has been pulled in this picture). You would not even be able to see the slave if the swingarm were in place. Now, someone recently pulled the sensor just to the left of slave cylinder housing without removing the swingarm, but by dropping the exhaust system and taking out the shift linkage (among other things). He was able to reach one of the slave banjo bolts, but I don't know if he could have reached both of them. More importantly, I don't know if he could have replaced both banjo bolts.

There is some consolation if you go ahead and remove the swingarm. It will give you a chance to pull the slave and inspect it and the housing for any leaking DOT4. If it has not been done, you can drill the slave housing drain hole. You can replace the slave to go along with your nice new hydraulic hoses. And you can do a closer inspection of the final drive. Good luck.

[dshealey]

I'm afraid that it is pretty much the task involved to replace the clutch lines. It MAY be feasable to do it with the swing arm in place by removing the battery box, but that is not a mundane task in itself. Even then, I am not sure you could get to the fittings easily. I don't have a bike to look at any longer, so not sure, just working off memory.

[Schweintechnik]

Hey Tony. You certainly do not need to do all that simply to drain the DOT4 from the clutch circuit, but I'm afraid the steps are pretty close to reality if you want to replace the clutch line. As you probably know, the clutch line terminus is at the top of the slave cylinder, to which the clutch line attaches with a banjo bolt and crush washer. There is another opening on the top of the slave (see the pic of slave cylinders, below), with another hydraulic line that runs out to the right and forward to end near the backside of the tip-over wing frame. This line ends with a fitting that contains a grub screw that can be removed so a bleeder bolt can be screwed in. This is where you could drain the clutch circuit without removing all the hard parts.

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to get at the slave cylinder without removing the swingarm, which runs immediately behind the rear of the cylinder. To get a sense of it's position, the arrow in the pic below is pointing to a green paper gasket where the slave would be bolted to the rear of the tranny (the slave has been pulled in this picture). You would not even be able to see the slave if the swingarm were in place. Now, someone recently pulled the sensor just to the left of slave cylinder housing without removing the swingarm, but by dropping the exhaust system and taking out the shift linkage (among other things). He was able to reach one of the slave banjo bolts, but I don't know if he could have reached both of them. More importantly, I don't know if he could have replaced both banjo bolts.

There is some consolation if you go ahead and remove the swingarm. It will give you a chance to pull the slave and inspect it and the housing for any leaking DOT4. If it has not been done, you can drill the slave housing drain hole. You can replace the slave to go along with your nice new hydraulic hoses. And you can do a closer inspection of the final drive. Good luck.

Or, like me, while you've got the swingarm off, you can go ahead and remove the tranny, find three leaking seals, pull the oil-contaminated clutch off and find a leaking rear engine seal, then check the top of the engine and find a leaking crankcase ventilation hose as well. By that time, replacing the clutch line, throttle cables, etc. is a cinch! Heck, I should just go ahead and synch my TBs, adjust my timing chain, maybe bore out my cylinders....:rolleyes:

[was]

Or, like me, while you've got the swingarm off, you can go ahead and remove the tranny, find three leaking seals, pull the oil-contaminated clutch off and find a leaking rear engine seal, then check the top of the engine and find a leaking crankcase ventilation hose as well. By that time, replacing the clutch line, throttle cables, etc. is a cinch! Heck, I should just go ahead and synch my TBs, adjust my timing chain, maybe bore out my cylinders....:rolleyes:
.... find that blocked oil passage, that starved the main bearing of the crank, that caused overheating, that caused the coolant to boil, that caused even more overheating, that caused pre-ignition detonation, that wreaked the pistons, that caused blow-by, that allowed gas to be exhausted, that ate the cat that chased the mouse that lived in the house that Dave built :D .