Stiff clutch lever

[Guy Wilson]

Just how stiff is acceptable for a clutch?
My '53 Golden Flash has a later 4 spring clutch. The amount of strength required to pull the clutch in seems excessive and the clutch doesn't snap back when released.....Its ridable and the clutch engages and disengages as it should, although my left hand feels like its at the gym....
The cable is good and there's no resistance or frayed wires etc.  I've replaced the clutch rod as the previously one was marginally  tight in the tube. The replacement has no resistance between the activating lever and the clutch but makes no difference to the action.  The resistance seems to be in the springs on the clutch housing. Its possible I have the wrong springs, but they seem to be original although the bike came to me originally in bits and the clutch is from a later A10.
Has anyone else had  similar issues?  My Triumph TR6 by comparison has a very light clutch..
Many thanks
Guy
Kenya

[duTch]

 Does the hand lever pivot easily without the cable attached? Maybe the screw/bolt  lock-nut is too tight ?

[a101960]

Yes, I agree with duTch, first thing to check is the handle bar lever. It is probably binding at the pivot point because it is to tight.

[Guy Wilson]

I'll check the lever although the resistance appears to be at the clutch end.. stay tuned...
Guy

[JulianS]

Check clutch cable condition, run and lubrication.

is your bike a very early swinging arm model or has the later 4 spring clutch been adapted to fit a plunger model?

[t20racerman]

Agree with JulianS - amazing how much difference a correctly routed, good condition cable makes. My 4 spring clutch was a light two-finger only job.

Other checks - bent push rod, and adjustment of the cable so that the lever arm on the gearbox acts across a small range at 90 degrees to the cable.

[muskrat]

Also check the adjuster inside under the oval cover is working at 90 degrees to the pushrod and the ball is still in it.
Cheers

[Guy Wilson]

thank you all..lots  to check in the morning!
Guy

[Guy Wilson]

Its an early swinging arm model with a later 4 spring clutch

[JulianS]

Most 4 spring conversions use the 6 plain and 5 bonded plate item which takes spring cups 1 3/8 inch long.

There is also a 4 spring clutch used on dynamo 500 Triumph which took 1 less of each plate and used shorter spring cups and  inner drum. Cups were about 1 inch I think.

I would check the length of the cups is right for the number of plates in your clutch.

[Guy Wilson]

that's worth looking at..the lever, cable, activator, rod all move freely..
Guy

[duTch]

 So there's smome confusion here;

 

My '53 Golden Flash has a later 4 spring clutch. T

,

 but;
 

Its an early swinging arm model with a later 4 spring clutch

 ...so unless I missed something else, it can't be a '53, as the S/A's didn't happen until '54 ; which doesn't really matter much because the clutch is having issues whatever it is

[JulianS]

The first swinging arm A10s left the factory in November and December 1953.

[Peter in Aus]

Try cutting the clutch push rod in half and adding a ball bearing in the middle you will have to harden the cut ends and shorten the rod by the size of the ball I think it is 1/4 or 3/16 cant remember but it dose make it easier.
Peter

[Guy Wilson]

So once again...thank you all and especially JulianS for making me look at something I thought was ok.. you were quite correct in diagnosing a badly routed and badly lubricated cable. It wasn't until I took the cable off that it that there was a kink despite it appearing fine on the bike.. Its now a two finger pull...
Also, if the magneto is correct, I have a March, 1955 Golden Flash and not 53 as previously stated..
I would have been stretching my head in frustration for days, possibly weeks without your help.. It again proves the tremendous worth of this website!
Many thanks
Guy