I replaced the levers on the Monster with V Trec shorties and since doing that, the clutch biting point is way too close to the bar even with the span adjuster at the maximum setting. I'm guessing I can tune the bar to lever distance by screwing the pushrod (which bears on the master cylinder) in or out of the pivot which sits in the lever. HOWEVER, that's not really possible as the thread got a bit mangled when getting the pushrod out of the OE lever because someone prior to my ownership had cross threaded it, and I had a hell of a job getting it disassembled. I'm thinking I'll have to replace the pivot and/or pushrod. Any other ideas please? Thanks
Bro, honestly, don't fuck around with that shit. Use proper, genuine, levers - especially for the brake side - or use expensive fancy levers from the right people. So many problems are caused by peeps using six quid levers from eBay or whatever. Yeah - that stupid little screw will allow you to adjust the preload on your m/c but do you really know wtf you're doing? Not being funny mate but my advice is get proper, OEM, lever that you KNOW will work properly. That's your starting point. Then see what you've got. Then take it from there. Problem is, the dynamics of a hydraulic circuit change pretty quickly with rising fluid temperature - and you may be surprised at how much temp you can get into a circuit when the system is preloaded just a bit more than it expects. Look on the lever for a dial (if it has one) and feel where the detents are - adjust that to adjust how it performs and see if you can tune it how you want it with that. If you've got a cheap pattern lever - order a real man's one and throw that shit in the bin when it arrives and don't be sorry. Troot. Or go and be nice to Ray/Marcus and they'll sort it out.
It should be possible to get a pushrod made up that is the correct size. Might be worth talking to an engineering firm or someone with a lathe.
Be careful adjusting the lever spigot. Too far in will stop the one way return from allowing fluid back into reservior when lever is at rest. Then when the motor and fluid get hot and expands and your clutch will slip.
I appreciate the time you took to write all that but, 1. The brand or type of lever has nothing to do with this problem. If you re-read my original post you'll see that the problem has arisen because the pushrod (which is OEM and has to be transferred over) had been cross threaded previously by someone else and now it won't screw as far into the pivot (again, you reuse the OEM item) as it should do. Therefore the problem would probably be exactly the same with OEM levers. 2. It's ironic you mention Ray as I decided to use this brand after we were chatting about a Monster he had tricked up which was sat in his yard and which had these levers fitted by him. I therefore presume they are "proper man's levers", whatever that means. They also aren't "6 quid levers". 3. I'm fully aware that the lever has an adjuster. Again, my original post states that the the adjuster is at its maximum setting.
Thanks. The pushrod is OEM and therefore the correct size. The problem is caused by the cackhandedness of someone who's messed around with it before I owned the bike and has cross threaded it. In removing the pushrod so it could be transferred over to the new levers, the thread got mangled due to being cross threaded and seized, and hence it now won't screw into the pivot as far as it needs to. I imagine that a new pushrod, and a new pivot (to be on the safe side) would fully resolve things but I just wanted to know if anyone has any other ideas. Cheers
I think these items only come with a new and complete lever as someone mentioned this before, hence my suggestion of having one made which you could even (maybe) make a fraction longer. Possibly another option is to alter the adjuster mechanism so that the detents are more suited to your hand or the required lever travel. I have just done this to a Yamaha RD250LC which I am restoring, I modified the front brake mounting to take a blue spot caliper amd altered the lever assembly to give the LC adjustable dog leg levers. It is now perfect and far safer and more reliable than the old sliding caliper setup.
Are you sure the rod is cross threaded, they are a very tight thread on the couple Ive adjusted, stiffer than nyloc.
I'm pretty sure it was as it has partially stripped the thread and it jams on trying to be screwed back in. I had another look at it this morning and I think in order to push the lever outwards a bit, the pushrod actually needs to be screwed out slightly rather than being screwed further in and I should be able to do this.
There is also a tiny grub screw in the ferrule that goes into the hole in the lever. If this is not undone then it will ruin the thread possibly or make it appear very stiff and could give the impression that the pin that bears on the master cylinder is cross threaded.
Yeah Zhed, sorry, was ratted. Have never seen 'just' a lever pushrod for sale ffiw. Don't see easily how you're gonna get one unless you find a busted lever and take it out of that one? At least it's the clutch side. I guess the first thing to check is the thread's OK in the lever housing? It's correct that the grub screw alters the preload amount.
If you adjust the lever to its maximum, mine actually goes beyond the max setting and them actually gives less pull, so make sure you haven't gone beyond the last detent. Also, you might be able to get a pushrod from a KTM dealer. Trevor Pope do online sales.
