easy clutch lever pull

jseng1

jseng1

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The easiest clutch lever pull I've found so far (with cable) is a Venhill teflon lined cable lubed with WD40 and Atlas gradual ramp lever in gear box. Make a temporary funnel with masking tape and give it some time to work through. The Atlas gradual ramp lever is also very helpfull. Check little pinky pull (barely) in vid.


 
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jseng1 said:
The easiest clutch lever pull I've found so far (with cable) is a Venhill teflon lined cable lubed with WD40 and Atlas gradual ramp lever in gear box. Make a temporary funnel with masking tape and give it some time to work through. The Atlas gradual ramp lever is also very helpfull. Check little pinky pull (barely) in vid.

Click to expand...

Jim, video no work for me. You Tube has been berry, berry good to me.
 
Are you referring to a stock Atlas lever or an Atlas lever that has been modified?
I switched to an Atlas lever because the MK3 setup with the Newby clutch was borderline brutal. I’m thinking the Atlas lever could be modified because the Newby clutch doesn’t seem to require much travel on the pushrod.
 
gpzkat said:
Can you provide more info/link about the Atlas gradual ramp lever?
Click to expand...
You probably already have one in that N15. Same part number for a P11 and G15.

Jim is using a Commando style belt clutch in the demonstration obviously.

I had a Venhill cable, a RGM belt clutch, a Magura bar lever (like Jim's) and the original P11 AMC gearbox that uses a Dommi/Atlas 04.0029 lever. I never tried to operate the clutch with my little finger though. The belt clutch with the diaphragm spring is much easier to operate than the old AMC 3 spring clutch ever was on the best day for me. I never did achieve the 1 finger AMC clutch action often described on this site. 😢

I'm a full hand clutch operator with the Norton.
 
My stock 74 850 clutch has always had an easy pull clutch with a Venhill cable, yes I am also a full hand clutch operator but is still easy to pull with one finger, have never tried it with my little pinky but next time I am in the shed I give it a go, I still use the stock lever and clutch plates that came with my Norton since new, but had many broken cables in the early days, haven't broken a cable since I put grease on the lever end of the cable where it runs through the adjuster, back in the early 80s.

Ashley
 
The diaphram clutch can be made heavy or lighter..... by adjusting the clutch plate stack height. Any discussion that doesn't include stack height is leaving out a significant element in the equation. Also for every amount of stack height adjustment that reduces the force needed to compress the diaphram spring increases the tendency for the clutch to slip. There's a balance to be found between them where the lever pull is as light as possible without getting any excessive clutch slippage. I have numerous plates of different thicknesses and have had the pull be incredibly light, but I also had noticeable clutch slippage...(dry clutch with clutch rod seal and dry belt drive primary)

As for the mild ramped atlas clutch rod, I recall dynodave recommended that modification for commandos previously...
 
The clutch diapham is also adjusted for easy pull - Its flat at the 1/2 way point. I never had a clutch pull so easy before - it took all the details described but now its great.
 
o0norton0o said:
The diaphram clutch can be made heavy or lighter..... by adjusting the clutch plate stack height. Any discussion that doesn't include stack height is leaving out a significant element in the equation. Also for every amount of stack height adjustment that reduces the force needed to compress the diaphram spring increases the tendency for the clutch to slip. There's a balance to be found between them where the lever pull is as light as possible without getting any excessive clutch slippage. I have numerous plates of different thicknesses and have had the pull be incredibly light, but I also had noticeable clutch slippage...(dry clutch with clutch rod seal and dry belt drive primary)

As for the mild ramped atlas clutch rod, I recall dynodave recommended that modification for commandos previously...
Click to expand...
In the 48 years I haven't touched the clutch height on my stock clutch, I did run fiber plates when I had the belt drive on my Norton but ended up going back to my stock clutch plate even with the belt drive but I ended up going back the chain drive after 3 years and a few problems with belts, I also never lube my Venhill cable only a dab of grease around the lever end as that is where the clutch cable rub and break running through the adjuster and lever end.
 
Schwany said:
You probably already have one in that N15. Same part number for a P11 and G15.

Jim is using a Commando style belt clutch in the demonstration obviously.

I had a Venhill cable, a RGM belt clutch, a Magura bar lever (like Jim's) and the original P11 AMC gearbox that uses a Dommi/Atlas 04.0029 lever. I never tried to operate the clutch with my little finger though. The belt clutch with the diaphragm spring is much easier to operate than the old AMC 3 spring clutch ever was on the best day for me. I never did achieve the 1 finger AMC clutch action often described on this site. 😢

I'm a full hand clutch operator with the Norton.
Click to expand...
OIC. I don't mind the heavy clutch pull, don't even notice it, but my son hasn't developed the Kung Fu grip yet. He needs to eat his Wheaties and man up, I say!
 
gpzkat said:
Can you provide more info/link about the Atlas gradual ramp lever?
Click to expand...
When switching from the stock Commando (diaphragm) clutch to a multi spring clutch like the Newby version, it helps to switch the lever back to the earlier (stock) variety. Less lift and more gradual with the older arm equals easier clutch pull.
 
Here's the link to dynodave's page below... I haven't seen him here lately, so I hope he's doing well. Smart guy, I miss his input here. Thankfully his site is still up. Hopefully he doesn't mind me listing the link to his website page... and as he actually writes on his page, "A commando clutch with an atlas clutch rod actuator will easily become a "pinkie" 1 finger actuated clutch." He was the first person I ever heard suggest changing the actuator to an atlas version to lighten the pull...


He doesn't allow linking of images so I will respect his wishes and won't post any with my internet trickery, but as usual with Dave, there's a lot of next level information to digest and attempt to understand if you go to his site and read his work...
 
BNR clutch doesn't require much travel to free at all. It could be lighter but it isn't a problem really. My Trident pull is vastly heavier and needs full lever travel.
Might try the earlier lever just to see the difference.
 
Onder said:
BNR clutch doesn't require much travel to free at all. It could be lighter but it isn't a problem really. My Trident pull is vastly heavier and needs full lever travel.
Might try the earlier lever just to see the difference.
Click to expand...
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

EXTENDED CLUTCH LEVER HOLDER, BLACK

PAINTED BLACK LM4 ALUMINIUM ALLOY CLUTCH LEVER HOLDER. THE EXTENSION MOVES THE PIVOT POINT AWAY FROM THE HAND INCREASING THE LEVERAGE BY ABOUT 40% GIVING A
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

that extended clutch lever will help , as well as the fulcrum pivot distance ......
 
I tried the pinky pull with the Magura lever, Venhill cable, and a Commando belt clutch via a TTi gearbox. Nope, too much of a wimp at 7 plus decades.

When I had the AMC gearbox in there I used the old actuating lever and an RGM actuating lever. I actually couldn't tell the difference using all my fingers.

Aside from being a ridiculously unnatural reach with a Magura lever using my pinky for the clutch, two fingers were required. I doubt my clutch would hold very well if I could pull the lever to the bar with my pinky finger. Plus, I'd have to cut my other fingers off cuz they would get in the way. :)
 

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