I recently bought a 2012 Road King. It had 3900 miles. The owner bought it from a retired police bike mechanic. I was told the mechanic replaced the clutch with a police type clutch. When I shift the clutch doesn’t engage/disengage until it is at the very last inch of the lever. I tried adjusting it with the derby cover removed according to the book several times but it doesn’t change anything. Sometimes when I let out the clutch it makes a squealing sound.
1. Does anyone have any advice?
2. I thought the cable may be stretched but I don’t know where to look. It looks fine at the lever.
3. I see there is what looks like an adjustment where the cable goes into the tranny. Is that an adjustment?

 

Did you release the cable all the way, so there is zero tension. This is located front of the engine, has a spired rubber boot covering the adjuster. This must also be done before making the adjustment at the clutch.

 

Yes I did that according to the manual.

 

using the cable adjuster on the down tube you can adjust when the clutch engages as you let the lever out ... if you make the adjuster longer the clutch lever will move farther before you feel it engage ... if you make the adjuster shorter the clutch will engage closer to the grip ...

you have to first make sure the adjustment is correct under the derby ... then play with the cable adjuster to get the friction zone where you like it ...

 

the 07+ has the lite clutch pull where the leverage makes for easier hand but adjustment is fiddly
( this is like the white brothers easy boy lite clutch we all put on our evos)

1.) same fluid he used? clutches absorb fluid and on a change the new fluid may not be compatible and cause slipping

2.) do you have good clutch holding when riding ( no slipping) and good disengagement when sitting at a light?
( even pulled the bike will surge when started esp cold fluid- this is normal- start in N if this bothers you)

3.) if above is good- then you are adjusted correctly and we now adjust the lever pull with the cable adjuster- many of us have just about 1/8" of slack at the lever and that works- but you may still find that the wide range of action is the lever isn;t quite "feel right" but you get used to it

mike

 

1. I have not changed the fluid yet.
2. The clutch seems fine riding, starting in gear(with clutch pulled in) and fine at a light.
3. The cable adjuster seems to be fine with a nickels width of slack.

I am baffled on this problem.

 

1. I haven't changed the fluid yet
2. clutch holding is perfect when riding and at a light
3. i also have the nickels width slack at the lever.

Quite baffling.

 

I think you're going to need a shop manual.

Unless there is something wrong with the clutch basket, etc. (which I doubt with the mileage that you have on that bike, it sounds like you need to pull the derby "clutch" cover and make your adjustment there first and then finish with the cable adjustment. Any indy should do this adjustment for you for half an hour labor at most.

 

There's several stickies in the primary/drivetrain/clutch section that might help you.

 

my adjuster plate was stripped out day 1 on my 2012 RKC, I tried and tried to adjust and finally figured it out when I put a Barnett in. The new parts are cheap, or the plate is repairable if the bolt is ok.