RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

I fitted one of these Factory Racing clutch slaves due to my original one leaking. The lever action is much lighter but now it doesn't quite disengage properly, even with the span adjuster as wide as possible.

1st and 2nd gears are slightly harder to engage, neutral is even more impossible to find and if put in to 1st with the engine off it takes a very hard shove to get it to freewheel with the clutch in.

I bled it using a vacuum bleeder and put several reservoirs worth of fluid through. I also left it overnight with the clutch lever tied back and the reservoir cover off.

I don't know if these symptoms mean there is still air in the line somewhere or if this is the price to pay for a lighter lever action?

Not sure, but I know they're a pig to bleed. When griff fitted mine he somehow managed it after about 15 minutes, when I tried it I pumped it so many times my master cylinder has sprung a leak. Although better to find out in the dead of winter rather than the middle of nowhere.

When I put it back together I shall be putting a bleed nipple on the master cylinder so I can bleed the system, then pop the air out the top of the system via the new bleed screw.

No, that is definitely not normal.

As Wayno hinted to, a bleed nipple at the top of the master cylinder is an absolute must if you don't want to spend hours and hours bleeding it all up. Obviously, the air rises and sits at the top of the system, the amount of fluid you push through is almost irreverent - the air will always be at the top.

Leaving the master cylinder uncovered for a period of time is not a good idea, bits of dust, and more importantly moisture can then get into the system and make it all worse. Especially at this time a year when everything is damp.

You'll want one of these (or similar, with washers and nipple cover if you don't have them seperately):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Banjo-Bolt-Bl ... 2a47423edf

If it's not disengaging properly, it's possibly because it's not being driven far enough (subject to checking for air of course). IIRC, when I took the brass spigot out of my old levers, it wasn't screwed in all the way - so I did the same on the new levers when I got them. If you've screwed it in all the way, might simply be that the spigot isn't driving the cylinder far enough. I believe there is a trade off, leave it too far out and can damage the cylinders.

Mine was fairly easy to bleed (Oberon one, but they're much the same I believe) - I filled the slave up with fluid prior to fitting the banjo, which removed the need to try and fill the slave from the handelbar resevoir. 15 minutes sounds about what it took me, no additional bits of kit. Maybe I just struck lucky...

Leaving it uncovered will create water in the fluid, brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air (that's why you should really buy a small bottle of fluid and bin the rest (in an environmentally friendly way). Overnight should be alright though (irrelevant as it looks like you'll be re-bleeding it anyway :( )

Those bleed nipples listed do not come with crush washers by the way so make sure you order a couple (can't remember if they have a cover)

Firestarter has a good point, when I fitted my stubby levers it took about 4 attempts at setting the clutch lever push rod spigot awkward bastard thingy,
When you are sure i'ts bled up OK look there next, few mil of turn out at a time

erm

you are bleeding it correctly?

as in with the slave away from the bike and you activating it at the right angle??

before you start pissing around with anything else - follow the hydraulics bleeding guide - it in our aprilia tech section or the workshop manual - a large air bubble in the top of the slave will give you that set of symptoms....

hmmm.. I did read that guide before buying the new slave and then promptly forgot about it..

:)

well, try that and then see