I went to take a little free play out of the clutch cable on my Breakout, and noticed that the cable adjuster had very little adjustment left in it, and was hard to turn. I decided to adjust the clutch so I collapsed the cable and gave the lever free play, and pulled the derby cover. The clutch adjuster screw only turned in maybe 1/4 to 1/2 turn before lightly seating, and the clutch lever barely moved out. I backed the clutch adjuster screw out 1/2 turn and tightened the jam nut...Now I still have all of the free play in the lever, but not any where near enough adjustment left on the cable adjuster to take it out.

An indy did the last clutch adjustment, and told me he had trouble turning the cable adjuster because the long cable (16" apes) kept getting twisted and bound up with each turn, and I noticed the same thing. He didn't mention that it took almost all the adjustment to get the lever free play correct...I'm thinking maybe he stretched the cable, and I made it worse trying to adjust the free play???

At this point I cant even get it back to how it was before I tried to adjust it, I really can't get any pull on the clutch now even with cable adjuster to the end of its threads. I'm thinking a new clutch cable might be the only fix...Could I have snapped the cable some how flipping the cable around?? It feels connected and doesn't pull out of the protector housing. This is the first time I've adjusted the cable/clutch on this bike since installing the apes, but I've done it several times on my Rocker and have never had an issue....Any thoughts????

 

You or the indy couldn't have stretched a cable simply by adjusting it. Impossible. Do you have a stock clutch and pressure plate on the bike? Pull the lever all the way back to the grip and look at the cable where it meets the eyelet for the pivot pin. Is the cable frayed? It's also possible that it's frayed at the throw-out side too, it happens.

The only way you can run out of adjustment on the cable is if it is frayed and stretched.

 

Yes, stock clutch and pressure plate, I don't see any fraying up top, but knowing that it has to be frayed or stretched to run out of cable adjustment answers my question...Thank you!! l
Looks like I'll be ordering a new cable!

 

Just a wild guess....

Who added the 16" apes? Could they have gotten the wrong clutch cable....?

If you got a clutch cable with the wrong travel length, that could be the reason all the adjusting room was used up....

Good luck with the fix....

 

Thank you, I added the apes, and I could be wrong, but I think 72 11/16" cables all have similar length travel. I just ordered a new cable and everything I was finding had travel of 3 1/8" or 3 1/4", which is what I currently have. I'll confirm if it's stretched or frayed, or anything else I find after removing, and report back....

 

When you get the new cable, you can compare them....

Then you wil know!

But changing things always affects others. With my belt drive the clutch was heavier and due to an injury on my hand could hardley engage the clutch, this was resolved with a new release (Müller Clutch release), which helped already.

So new ape hangers may have had an unforeseen consequence too!!