For anyone thinking about reducing clutch lever force on their EVO...

My left thumb is shot. Probably arthritis. I wake up in the morning and it aches. I can't use that hand to grasp anything because the thumb won't cooperate. If my thumb is all I have to bitch about, I'm lucky, I know. Still. It makes me nervous in the vein of: What if it gets worse? How'll that affect me riding a bike?

So I started looking around for a way to make clutch-pull force required less. I didn't have to look far because I had a Burly EZ-Boy (or EZ-Pull) in my tool-box. Must be left over from a prior bike, or project, that never got tackled. I don't remember where I got it. But I looked it up, and the part number was a fit for my '91 FLSTC.

This weekend I decided to install the device. The weather sucked. I had some time. All in all, it was a pretty easy deal. Things went pretty much as described in the directions...

I had to do some light grinding/filing on the 'hook' piece provided. Rather than try to explain precisely what I did, suffice it to say when I fitted things up it became apparent to me why things didn't fit as they were intended. It was also apparent what needed to be done to make them fit. I have a stock transmission side-cover, and stock 'internals', e.g., ramp and *****, etc. (The transmission itself is a Rivera Primo, but plays no part in the fitment, i.e., it's equivalent to a stock 5-speed with respect to the parts that 'touch' the EZ Pull).

When my trans was installed they put Formula+ in it. I'm not an advocate of that in the transmission. So I traded to what the local Autozone had--Royal Purple 75/140 synthetic. (BTW, I drained the trans by choice. Only a little of the lube ran out when I pulled the side-cover.)

When I got it all back together I had difficulty 'finding' neutral with the engine running. It shifted into N slicker-than-snot with the engine off. Thus it seemed to me it was a clutch issue, and not the RP I'd put in the trans. (I could find N reliably before the EZ Boy install with the same trans).

I looked up what I know as the "Hippo Clutch Adjustment Procedure". He was a wrench who frequented another site, had something to do with the VIP centrifugal clutch stuff, and was always very helpful toward people. Did he 'invent' the procedure? I don't really know. All I know is, it works. (It's the deal where you back off the adjuster all the way, the clutch cable all the way, and then turn the adjuster until you 'feel' the lever 'just' move...)

I did this, and had about 75% success finding neutral. Fiddled with the adjuster (moving it 'out' away from the point where it moved the lever) and finally, through trial-and-error, found the 'sweet spot' (someone else's term for this point) where the clutch didn't slip, but I could find neutral pretty reliably. As others have said the EZ Pull and similar devices reduce the travel in the clutch mechanism so clutch adjustment is a little more finicky.

As for making the clutch pull lighter this thing definitely did. They advertise 40% reduction in clutch pull force. It's pretty significant for sure. The price-tag was $23 (think they've gone up most places). All in all, early report is it works.

Alan

 

I've never heard of this..thanks for the info...I didn't like the clutch pull on the Electra glide I had and an adjustable lever helped some.

 

I have adjustable levers on my Softail. But they didn't help much with the force required to pull the clutch. There are various things on the market to reduce the clutch effort. This is just one example. One thing about them is they're relatively cheap, compared to some of the other methods. I guess I'll see how they work out.

alan

 

I had a similar device in my 1990 Evo for a while. They work by extending the ramps in the ball mechanism, which means when we pull the clutch lever in it doesn't depress the clutch push-rod as much as the stock one. With our older bikes clutch adjustment, in my experience, is already marginal and getting my clutch to work well was nigh on impossible. If I hit the sweet spot it didn't last long and the slightest traffic work increased clutch drag to the point that I couldn't select neutral.

Unrelated to that I later bought a new clutch cable, a H-D Diamondback. That thing is so darned smooth I was able to put back the stock release device. However like you age is catching up on my ole wrists and I now have an AMP Research clutch assist device, which attaches to the clutch handlebar lever. Note that I believe they are no longer made, so buy while stocks last. I have two, one as back-up. Apparently they have changed hands and the new owners have dropped non-truck parts, however they may still be available - check Ebay.

 

grbrown, thanks for the tips. Yep, the old body is wearing out. (My thumb is a LOT better after just two days of not having to hoist the stock clutch back). I have it adjusted now where finding neutral is easy. Clutch engagement is a bit shall we say 'sudden'...but I'm acclimating to that. Seat of the pants I don't detect any clutch slip in third or fourth under high load conditions. But based on your experience, I won't plan on this situation (adequate clutch adjust) persisting...

I'll look a little harder for the AMP product. As you mention, they appear to be out of production, i.e., at least a couple of retailers still list the part but it's unavailable.

I'm also looking at a Rivera Primo 'centrifugal' clutch assist (similar to the VPC) with their clutch. The combo of it and the clutch is not all that much more than the AIM/VPC itself, for my year. I had the VPC device on three previous 'baggers' (along with the Harley ez-pull kit) and that combo worked well. Again, for my '91 the Harley kit doesn't fit. (I've got another thread about swapping in a 98-later clutch...that's what that's all about). Thanks again...

Alan

 

Alan, some of the modern devices won't retrofit to our Evos. The AIM VPC will work and uses a slightly lighter spring as well, so that gives a win-win. Add a Diamondback as well and you should get a decent bit of relief.

 

Graham, I will most likely end up with a VPC. But I'm still looking at alternatives.

Reading another thread (elsewhere), there's an erudite piece on clutch ramp 'extenders', modified ramps (shallower), etc. The gist as I took it is, all these things trade reduced clutch travel at full disengagement for reduced disengagement force.

It appeared from that thread...and I'm not sure this is the correct assumption...that if you can make the clutch lever travel a bit further (than 'stock')...that will increase disengagement distance. I have adjustable levers. There's like 5 or 6 settings, number 6 placing the distance between the lever and grip at something Shakeel O'Neal would favor. I wonder...

What's a 'Diamondback' in this context?

Alan

 

I have a shallow ramp set up in my Heritage.
I've had it about 6 years now and am still very happy with it.

The H-D Diamondback that gr is talking about is a clutch cable.
Barnett also makes an ez pull clutch cable that works well.

 

Alan, regarding the various devices that offer nirvana, like the Mueller or 'extenders', they all suffer from the same problem. The limiting feature is the amount of travel at the hand lever.

Take one of the extended devices: the arm is longer, but the hand lever can only move it the same distance. Leverage is improved, due to the longer arm on the device, but the movement it imparts to the clutch push rod is reduced. So it is indeed true that "all these things trade reduced clutch travel at full disengagement for reduced disengagement force".

The Mueller uses a different angle on the ball ramps machined into it, with the same result as above. Whereas the lever on the device is similar to the stock one, due to the different geometry of the ball ramps the movement of the clutch push rod is reduced. If it was possible to somehow "make the clutch lever travel a bit further (than 'stock')...that will increase disengagement distance" that would be great, however I suspect that even with adjustable hand levers the amount they can move the cable remains unchanged.

H-D themselves introduced a similar device for the TC88s, as we had one installed on ours when new, which was fine. By then the clutch plate lift was significantly improved over our Evos. It is quite possible that Texas's '95 bike, which I believe has a slightly different clutch to my '90, has improved clutch plate lift, hence gives better results. Or he's an ace at adjusting clutches!

Hope that helps. I strongly recommend you start with a clutch cable, especially if yours is old. A Diamondback is a cable, not a Colt!

 

Copy on the Diamondback clutch cable. Sounds like the type that doesn't need lube (teflon liner). I'll pick one up.

I'll have to take a look at the clutch cable travel and the clutch lever throw and figure out their relationship, this weekend. I just can't quite picture it...

Like I said, I'm leaning toward a VPC type device as I've had them in the past and had good performance/luck.

Thanks you guys.

Alan