Harley Davidson V-Rod Forum banner

clutch engagement on 2011 vrscf

977 views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  stever975 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Don't see a question but all VRSC models and years have essentially the same clutch actuation setup. Clutch engagement is always near the end of lever travel. The VRSC hydraulic clutch mechanism, like most others, is self adjusting so clutch engagement will occur at the same lever position as long as everything is working properly.

If there's air in the system, slave piston motion is reduced and the clutch may not fully release when the lever is squeezed. This results in shifting difficulties, especially when stopped and also results in clutch engagement with very little lever motion from the fully squeezed position.

Over time as the friction plates wear, the clutch springs expand, moving the release button out. This moves the resting position of the slave cylinder piston inward, forcing fluid back into the MC reservoir. You won’t notice this unless:
  1. You have over filled the reservoir and the fluid has no place to go; this will result in clutch slip because it can’t fully engage and the excess fluid will leak out of the MC vent hole.
  2. The friction plates have worn out; this will result in clutch slip because the slave piston bottoms out in the cylinder bore before the clutch has fully engaged.
BTW, I agree with HogWild’s comments in the thread you linked to.
 
#6 ·
You can machine the release button down to make the clutch engage sooner. ...
That won't change were the clutch engages or releases.

The clutch operation is determined by the ratio of MC and slave piston areas. IOW, when the clutch lever is squeezed in, the slave piston moves out the same distance as long as this ratio stays the same. Shortening the button just makes the slave piston move out of the cylinder more before it touches the button. After the first actuation this gap is removed (that's how the system self adjusts). The only benefit to machining the button is that it will allow more clutch wear before the piston bottoms out in the slave cylinder bore (see item "2" in Post #2).

as the plates wear it takes less movement to disengage the clutch as the plates get all the high spots worn off..
Agree. The larger the piston ratio (slave/MC) the more noticeable this will be.
 
#7 ·
That won't change were the clutch engages or releases.
Yes it did on my 03,and it worked on many other V-Rods.
Do a search for the "button mod" and you will see that it has,and does work.The only problem I ran into was not all buttons are the same height,so when machining them,you need to do a finish measurement.Don't just assume a specific amount can be removed to obtain the desired height.
The slave cylinder can be shimmed away from the housing for the same result.
 
#8 ·
Yes it did on my 03,and it worked on many other V-Rods.
Do a search for the "button mod" and you will see that it has,and does work.The only problem I ran into was not all buttons are the same height,so when machining them,you need to do a finish measurement.Don't just assume a specific amount can be removed to obtain the desired height.
The slave cylinder can be shimmed away from the housing for the same result.
I've read all those posts (some of that discussion is included in the thread link in Post #1 above).

As I mentioned, the button mod does give a little more use of the friction plates before the slave piston bottoms out, but it can't change where release or engagement occurs. This can only change by changing the diameter of the pistons (in the MC and/or the actuator) or the gradual change over time as the friction plates wear (mentioned in Post #4).

In a hydraulic clutch setup with a coaxial actuator assembly as used in the VRSC, the actuator piston motion is always =

(motion of MC piston) X (MC area) / (actuator piston area)

Shortening the button or any other linear adjustment at the actuator will reset the static position of the actuator piston but it does nothing to the way the lever behaves.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top