just read the posts on the clutch adjustment problem. is 1/3 turn ok for the mk111 clutch also? i am experiencing the same sort of issue, adjustment all the way to the end at handlebar and harder to shift, find neutral, etc. Thought i would drain and dissassemble and clean clutch, put fresh oil in and try, but want to get the adjustment right when i put it back together. also, are there any new upgrades or modifications available for the mk111 clutch i should consider? Jim, what does CNW do to a mk111 clutch ?
clutch mods mk111
- Thread starter donmeek
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Sometimes trouble getting clutch adj to work as listed can come from the RH main shaft nut backing off. My down/dirt way to get stack height right is mix/match plates so they just allow the spring to slip in groove w/o any force. New Barnett's plates should be wet with ATF on first bedding in, even in dry belt drives. Ask them if doubt me on this.
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donmeek said:
Quote from CNW website:
Motorcycle Primary Case and Drive
Standard
New belt drive
New outer primary cover
New Barnett steel and friction plates installed
New hardened clutch center installed as required
New clutch basket bearing installed as required
Clutch pushrod seal by Dave Comeau installed
New stainless steel fasteners and replated studs throughout
New inspection caps
No new upgrades... just the same old push rod seal since 1990..3500+ sold
not a fix-all but helps a lot keep the gearbox oil out of the clutch and reduces problems
1/4 -1/2 turn adjustment is fine and is NOT fussy.
http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm
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Rich_j said:
Gear selection problems are often caused by clutch drag, so it makes sense to ensure the clutch is set correctly which often involves using less than the recommended figure of "one turn out" for clutch pushrod adjustment. It doesn't reduce the free play, but it should reduce the amount of cable adjusting that's required after pushrod adjustment.
Rich_j said:
It's a MkIII, so there's no primary chain adjustment.
thanx for the tips. the mk111 has primary adjuster on it. drive chain is set properly. no oil leaking into primary. cable a year old. have 3 sureflex plates installed, put in about 4,000 miles ago. barnett plates better? i'm sure the cnw set up is the way to go if money is no object, but, unfortunatly it is an issue. stock set up has worked pretty well for 36 years
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donmeek said:
Either Sureflex or Barnett will work fine. The important thing is to get the clutch stack height correct. You want the diaphragm spring to be slightly concave - 040 to .060 inch lower in the center when the clutch is engaged. When you pull the lever the diaphragm spring should be
convex - about that much higher in the center. If it is to low or too high it will not release fully. When it is correct you will feel the lever pressure get lighter as the diaphragm goes over center at 60 to 70 percent of lever travel. Jim
DogT
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Jim,
You know that's about the way my original clutch feels when I have everything adjusted right. When I pull the clutch in the handle feels like a compound bow going over the break point close to the handle and the lever has nearly no pressure on it against the handle. And this is with my original 750 clutch pack. There is a tiny bit of slop from the clutch pack to the big circlip in the basket. Only problem is I seem to have a lot of adjuster distance at the lever.
All in all, it's about the best clutch I've felt on a bike, but I don't have a lot of other bikes to compare. It works just fine for me.
Dave
69S
You know that's about the way my original clutch feels when I have everything adjusted right. When I pull the clutch in the handle feels like a compound bow going over the break point close to the handle and the lever has nearly no pressure on it against the handle. And this is with my original 750 clutch pack. There is a tiny bit of slop from the clutch pack to the big circlip in the basket. Only problem is I seem to have a lot of adjuster distance at the lever.
All in all, it's about the best clutch I've felt on a bike, but I don't have a lot of other bikes to compare. It works just fine for me.
Dave
69S
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DogT said:
Yep. That's the way they were supposed to work. Unfortunately due to manufacturing tolerances and many years of wear and things being replaced with parts that may or may not be "in tolerance" a lot of Norton clutches don't work like they should and some of them didn't work very well the day they were delivered. Get them right and they work very well . Jim
I took all the steps to get a light clutch, which worked pretty good. But when I put in an Atlas actuator it almost felt like it wasn't connected to anything. No slipping, no drag, and a broad range of engagement. I don't know where they came up with the profile for the Commando spec arm but the Atlas arm gets the necessary lift to release the plates with half the effort.
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donmeek said:
All 850 MkIII models had an automatic primary chain tensioner as standard. The MkIII gearbox is fixed in one position due to the left foot gearchange mechanism so cannot normally be moved to alter primary chain tension-unless its not standard (or its not an 850 MkIII?).
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comnoz said:
The atlas lever gives 67% of the commando lever lift and is WAY more than enough for a reasonalbly functional diaphragm clutch to work. I would only expect a sloppy gear oil glued clutch with a lousy cable and worn out lever to not work. Most of the travel required is to lift the first 13 diaphragm fingers up to the level of the 2nd set of 13. Once you actually start to disengage, in only .015" of further lift has the clutch COMPLETELY disengaged. I would suspect a lot of the lever pull to be compressing the bowden cable, next is the adjuster freeplay on the clutch rod. To me, any commando clutch that needs a lot of extra lift, is a clutch in need of some serious maintenance.
The information about these clutches has been out there for a long time. When are these old wives tails going to die???
http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm
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Maybe I should have said many times people, me included , do not get a Commando clutch to work well with an Atlas lever. Everything better be right on the nut or you will have drag. Jim
PS- although the lift of the clutch center on a Commando is greater than an Atlas, the lift of the pressure plate in an OEM Atlas and an OEM Commando is the same due to the lever action of the diaphrgm spring. So when you put an Atlas lever in a Commando you get less plate separation than you did with the Atlas lever in an Atlas clutch.
PS- although the lift of the clutch center on a Commando is greater than an Atlas, the lift of the pressure plate in an OEM Atlas and an OEM Commando is the same due to the lever action of the diaphrgm spring. So when you put an Atlas lever in a Commando you get less plate separation than you did with the Atlas lever in an Atlas clutch.
information, please guys. don't need to know about old wives "tails". when someone asks a question on this or any other forum, they are asking because they DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, and are looking for help from the "experts". put your egos in the out basket and share your knowledge without the snide comments, or don't bother posting. just because something was discussed before doesn't mean that someone is going to pay attention to it if it doesn't pertain to them at that particular moment in time. what about the wet sumping issue? how much has that been discussed? E start electrics? brake upgrades? carbs? the list goes on and on. some of us work 5,6,7 days a week, ride our nortons when we can, and tend to them when we are able. does that make us less of an enthusiast? and at 62, i have trouble remembering what i did last week, never mind what i did to this bike 30 years ago, or what some one may have suggested i do. lighten up guys. thanks jim, you're the best
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Not to worry, I have no problems with Dave expressing his thoughts and I doubt that he holds anything against me. We are all in this together and although we may not always come to the same conclusions- I am sure he is trying to help the same as I am. Jim
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and thats " Nortons " with a capitol ' N ' . 
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