Clutch - Loud Noise

[N A Chess]

Hi All


I seem to be getting a loud clicking sound from behind the front sprocket cover when I pull my clutch in.  Cable and adjuster both set as standard and the mountain of gunk behind sprocket cover has been removed. Push-rod moves freely. It still happens.


I seem to recall that some on here are not fans of non-original clutch cables. I am - the originals are 30 quid now according to fella in local dealers! However, could that be the cause? I must admit to being stumped by this one......... It seems to run OK but I don't want any long term damage.


Any suggestions gratefully received.


Stay safe out there.

[His Dudeness]

Does the clutch operate normally? Is the noise definitely coming from the sprocket cover? Did it start making the noise all of a sudden or has it gradually got worse? Any damage to the cover itself? When you pull the lever in does it return normally when you let it go?

[N A Chess]

Thanks for your reply. Answers in order of your questions:


It seems to..........
Yes
All of a sudden
No
Yes, the noise happens when you pull the lever; it returns normally.


Imagine tapping the edge of a coin on your table - that is what it sounds like.

[His Dudeness]

Is it a single tap or a continual tap tap tap? Does it happen when stationary or moving? Does it only happen when when you put it in gear or all the time when the lever is pulled?

[N A Chess]

Single click/tap noise. Didn't notice it while riding (too noisy), but in the garage while parked up. I pulled the clutch when routinely checking free play and heard it then.  Repeated 10 times and it always happened. A loud single click/tap as soon as I pulled lever. Definitely coming from behind sprocket cover.


Assume it happens every time I pull the clutch in/change gear while riding but I can't hear it over engine running.


Bizzare 


I could replace the cable (again for the 4th or 5th time) but am loath to - how many times can you change a cable before the locking tab behind the sprocket cover (that keeps the nipple in place) breaks through being opened/bent back too many times?  Knowing my luck...........

[bbb]

How clean is the back of the sprocket cover? mine would click/pop when I pulled the clutch lever, since I cleaned greased the actuator its a lot quieter and smoother.

[N A Chess]

Cleaned it but makes no difference unfortunately 

[His Dudeness]

There's not much to the clutch in that area, just the cable and the mechanism that pushes against the push rod. Maybe try taking the cover off and hold it so there's tension on the cable then pull the lever a few times and see if there's anything out of the ordinary.

[gassitt]

Check the nipple on the lower end of the cable is located properly in the actuator mechanism.
Theres a tab on the actuator where the cable goes that makes the nipple a little awkward to slot in properly , clutch will still work but the cable moves about a little causing the click

[fazersharp]

Yep what gassitt said
Here is what I have found as last week i gave it a clean of its life
The tab "C" has to be bent down to enable enough slack to push the cable down enough to slide it out of the slot. The area between "A" and "B" will not pass through the slot as the slot is only wide enough to let the bare cable pass.
If your tab has not been bent back up after removing the cable or if it has snapped off. then your cable nipple part "A" will fall below the hole at the end of the cable slot, when you then pull the leaver  point "A" catches on the slot/ hole and then slips off and catches onto point "B" with a "click" where it should of been all along and helped to stay there by the tab.Or it is even doing the same but catching on what remains of a broken off tab.
Also the photo looks like it go's in from the front but it dosent - it slides in from the left like the diagram
 
Hows That !!

[Buzz]

I think you missed something out... 

[jason1]

 

[darrsi]

I've got this bloody clicking now, i actually thought it was the lever end with the crash helmet on, but obviously not!
Just had the sprocket cover off (nut's still there, werhooo) and cleaned it all up, bent the tab up a bit more so it was touching the nipple then put it all back and it still clicks, quite loud actually as well.
Started rapidly running out of daylight so i'll have to have another look at the weekend now.

[fazersharp]

bent the tab up a bit more so it was touching the nipple then put it all back and it still clicks, quite loud actually as well.

Well that chucks my theory out the window then. Take the cover off - let it dangle and pull the leaver whilst having a close look, you wont be pushing the rod but can see if its anything at the nipple end

[darrsi]

Your theory did sound promising, and is still feasible, but it still clicked?
Need to examine in in good daylight.

[unfazed]

Hi All


I seem to be getting a loud clicking sound from behind the front sprocket cover when I pull my clutch in.  Cable and adjuster both set as standard and the mountain of gunk behind sprocket cover has been removed. Push-rod moves freely. It still happens.


I seem to recall that some on here are not fans of non-original clutch cables. I am - the originals are 30 quid now according to fella in local dealers! However, could that be the cause? I must admit to being stumped by this one......... It seems to run OK but I don't want any long term damage.


Any suggestions gratefully received.


Stay safe out there.

Out of curosity what mileage is on it and do you use it in a lot of start stop traffic?
 

[darrsi]

Mine's 42k and always in bloody traffic, what's your theory unfazed?
It's an OEM cable too, and not that old.

[Fazerider]

Mine had a similar problem a few years ago, the action felt rough through the lever too.
I found about half the ball bearings in the actuator were knackered. (It's easy to mash the heads of those two screws, heating the alloy casing up a bit first helps.) Luckily I had some bearings of the right size and the helical grooves in the mechanism weren't too badly affected… it's been OK since then.

[darrsi]

Mine had a similar problem a few years ago, the action felt rough through the lever too.
I found about half the ball bearings in the actuator were knackered. (It's easy to mash the heads of those two screws, heating the alloy casing up a bit first helps.) Luckily I had some bearings of the right size and the helical grooves in the mechanism weren't too badly affected… it's been OK since then.

Don't actually know what you mean, could you be a bit more specific please?

[CRH]

Mine had a similar problem a few years ago, the action felt rough through the lever too.
I found about half the ball bearings in the actuator were knackered. (It's easy to mash the heads of those two screws, heating the alloy casing up a bit first helps.) Luckily I had some bearings of the right size and the helical grooves in the mechanism weren't too badly affected… it's been OK since then.

Don't actually know what you mean, could you be a bit more specific please?

....kin hell darrsi?...what he,s tellin ya is, ya ..balls" are foooked so slap some ..grease on em?

[Fazerider]

Mine had a similar problem a few years ago, the action felt rough through the lever too.
I found about half the ball bearings in the actuator were knackered. (It's easy to mash the heads of those two screws, heating the alloy casing up a bit first helps.) Luckily I had some bearings of the right size and the helical grooves in the mechanism weren't too badly affected… it's been OK since then.

Don't actually know what you mean, could you be a bit more specific please?

By "actuator" I meant the thing you can see in the photo above that converts the pull of the cable into a push on the push-rod.

[darrsi]

Mine had a similar problem a few years ago, the action felt rough through the lever too.
I found about half the ball bearings in the actuator were knackered. (It's easy to mash the heads of those two screws, heating the alloy casing up a bit first helps.) Luckily I had some bearings of the right size and the helical grooves in the mechanism weren't too badly affected… it's been OK since then.

Don't actually know what you mean, could you be a bit more specific please?

....kin hell darrsi?...what he,s tellin ya is, ya ..balls" are foooked so slap some ..grease on em?

Okey doke, i will grease my balls later then. 
Got a feeling i may need to take a couple of mm of lever play away as well, as there may be a tad too much.

[CRH]

the very first week i had mine, stationary cold it was fine?..after a run when got hot it would click around that area, i too had the casing off ,cleaned all shit out and still it did it?...all i did was spray the actuator with copper grease worked it a few times and it went away!!..the spring looked very rusty and weak so replaced that too!!..only once since i did all that have i heard it again!...fazerider could be right it maybe that the innards need looking at?..but like he says them fkn screws are bstds to get out?...heat may help but they do round off easily!!...so be extra carefull doing it?

[fazersharp]

they do round off easily!!...so be extra carefull doing it

Yep I can back that up, I swear they are made out of play doh. Look at my picture----now look again at the bottom screw,bast*rd it would not move.So gave up. Im guesing that they are also fixed with a very strong threadlock as you woulnot want them coming out and falling onto your sprocket
Once as clean as you see it, that is a ballbaring that is loose in the middle once all the old grease is removed with a cocktail stick. I let a little bit of ACF-50 go down there and then re grease as much as I could around the ballbaring and abit underneath 

[N A Chess]

Ho hum..........it has stopped doing it know.  Honest. 


The whole thing has been a complete mystery. But I think I'd go with Mr Gassitt's theory, and if it happens again, that is what I will work on.


Thanks for all you responses by the way