Been changing clutch plates recently and I've learned from on here that the clutch push rod should be withdrawn from the slave cylinder side. Mine is firmly stuck in the pressure plate. The bearing in the pressure plate seems fine and the rod itself seems straight. Pulling by hand didn't work soI tried a very very gentle tap with a drift and toffee hammer to the outside centre of the bearing in the pressure plate but the rod did not budge and I was weary of faffing either the rod or bearing up. Is there a simple way of doing this job. The 2 rubber O-rings are present and will be getting changed. The needle rollers look fine in the drum. TIA.
easiest and best solution to avoid damage by far, is to remove the pressure plate. If you then have to remove the pushrod then you can fully support the spigot bearing in the pressure plate without damaging the bearing, although it's often best to replace the bearing anyway for peace of mind, and particularly if "clunky" or binding when you spin pushrod whilst removed together.
Cheers Chris, Please bear with me....I'm so rubbish on social media..... The pushrod is semi-circular at the slave cylinder side...presumably!!!!!! It needs to be the same at the clutch side for the rod to be withdrawn through the engine and out of the slave cylinder side. So, is the pushrod sitting in some form of cup in the pressure plate bearing. Is that what I can see on the outside of the pressure plate (in the centre of the bearing). I do understand about supporting the bearing as you suggested.
we can get a picture up - you need to take the "anti-spin" circlip/"R" clip (for want of the name used in parts manual) out before the pushrod will go through from the clutch side on modern Ducati, but yours shouldn't have this unless somehow retro-fitted. Apart from this, it should be ok to remove with pressure plate?
Honestly, I've taken Ducati clutches apart loads of times, and 99% of the time, the push-road stays in the bearing and comes out with the pressure plate. And as long as the bearing rotates freely, I don't think that's the end of the world.
Cheers Moto. You are absolutely right. I'm not overly concerned, I just wanted it to be as it should. I won't lose sleep if it doesn't split. I was going to give it a run after faffing with the clutch but the built-in Ducati barometer deemed it too cold outside so the cow won't start now (battery going south I think). More tinkering time then.
