Donate!
Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register :: View Members
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches? (Read 164 times)
SGT Rock
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 20
Blount County Tennessee
Gender: male
Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
04/14/14 at 15:30:24
 
My fife has small hands, and getting her hand around and over the leavers doesn't leave her much finger room, she has to do it with her finger tips. Now I know on a Harley, they sell reduced reach levers, but so far I haven't found a solution using googls. And I haven't found a thread on here that exactly addresses the solution.

I've seen some "universal" 1" perches that have adjustable leavers, but I don't know that they would work for an S40. What I have read so far seems to indicate you need all the clutch lever throw that the S40 OEM ones provide, so this mat not be an option.

Opinions, experiences, ideas?
Back to top
 
 

No Sniveling!
WWW   IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18099
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #1 - 04/14/14 at 18:00:15
 
The Savage is low production, and there are not many aftermarket options.  You may have to take the stock levers and bend them yourself.  Wipe some bar soap on them, heat with a torch until the soap turns black, then quickly do some mild bending.  You can't go too far or their will not be enough travel to fully disengage the clutch or get adequate squeeze on the brake lever before it hits the grip.  You might make a drawing before hand to approximate how much you want to bend it.
Back to top
 
 

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
SGT Rock
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 20
Blount County Tennessee
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #2 - 04/14/14 at 18:21:01
 
Thanks
Back to top
 
 

No Sniveling!
WWW   IP Logged
1st2know
Senior Member
****
Offline

Currently between
Savages

Posts: 295
Seattle, WA
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #3 - 04/14/14 at 19:34:13
 
I'm missing fingers on my left hand(index and middle), so I keep extra freeplay in the clutch lever. The lever still sits as far out as normal, but when I cover the clutch, I run my hand from the inside to the end of the lever, which tightens up the freeplay, by the time my hand gets to the end, it's just right, and a short squeeze to disengage.

I've also played around with different sized actuator rods, I'm using the one size larger than stock - that gives me the right mechanical advantage with the shorter lever travel.
Back to top
 
 

Kaw VN1700, V-Strom 650, Coal powered Chevy Spark.
  IP Logged
SGT Rock
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 20
Blount County Tennessee
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #4 - 04/15/14 at 12:39:18
 
Yesterday I went out and looked at the lever and watched the clutch arm as the lever was actuated. It looks to me that except for a little bit of adjustment for the standard free-play a clutch cable should have, that it needed about every millimeter of the throw. However, I had not considered that you could change the length of that arm. I think I recall reading here that you can get longer arms that are supposed to be used as the clutch wears some. Is that right?

If so, it seems that I could possibly get her a longer clutch arm and do the same thing you are doing 1st2know. Maybe even make a spacer or shim that makes the rest position of the lever a little further back so there isn't too much slack in the cable at the rest position.

Does that sound feasible?
Back to top
 
 

No Sniveling!
WWW   IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18099
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #5 - 04/15/14 at 13:06:58
 
When I did my Cafe' conversion I tried to use a smaller lever from a Honda CRF motocross bike.  The lever looked great - but the lever did not pull enough cable to fully disengage the clutch.  The Savage requires a long cable pull.  Changing only the actuating rod will not change the length of the travel that is required to disengage the clutch.  Changing the lentgh of the actuating arm that is visible outside the case is a possiblity - but it would require moving the cable mount as well and will require a more athletic grip.  The different length rods only account for clutch wear and will not change the length of the lever movement.  If you look at the clutch cover on the right side of the engine you will see an upper and lower marker cast into the cover where the clutch arm swings.  The lever need to be between those two marks when it operates, and the different actuating rod lengths are made to keep the actuating arm between those marks.

Loosen the clutch cable so that there a lot of play, and see how much slack you can get and still put the bike in gear and not have any clutch drag.  This will help you decide if you can get away with a clutch lever that is closer to the grip.

I know a lot of the sport bikes have levers with little dials to adjust the reach from the grip....it sure would be nice if you could find a pair of those that work with the Savage clutch perch and Master Cylinder.

Everything you wanted to know about the Savage Clutch but were afraid to ask:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1270678838/0#0
Back to top
 
 

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
1st2know
Senior Member
****
Offline

Currently between
Savages

Posts: 295
Seattle, WA
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #6 - 04/15/14 at 16:35:48
 
Look at the image half way down:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1339053467/7
"Clutch push rod".
I think there are 3 sizes. They should be listed on the parts fiche.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the longer one will give a shorter throw. What I did was replaced the clutch discs and put in the longer push rod.
Back to top
 
 

Kaw VN1700, V-Strom 650, Coal powered Chevy Spark.
  IP Logged
SGT Rock
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 20
Blount County Tennessee
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #7 - 04/15/14 at 16:39:46
 
Thanks for that real world experience. It just seems intuitive that a longer arm would require a longer cable pull to move the end of the arm. Maybe I'm not picturing this in my hear right? On the lengthened clutch thing what part is longer?
Back to top
 
 

No Sniveling!
WWW   IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18099
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #8 - 04/15/14 at 17:21:49
 
1st2know wrote on 04/15/14 at 16:35:48:
Look at the image half way down:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1339053467/7
"Clutch push rod".
I think there are 3 sizes. They should be listed on the parts fiche.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the longer one will give a shorter throw. What I did was replaced the clutch discs and put in the longer push rod.


There are not any longer "arms"...only three different lengths of push rods.  As the clutch plates wear, you can install different length push rods to compensate for the wear and keep the clutch arm within the limited range of travel that it has.
Back to top
 
 

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
WD
Serious Thumper
2005 No Login
*****
Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #9 - 04/15/14 at 18:09:58
 
First generation Suzuki Marauder 800 had a cable clutch. The levers will in fact direct swap with Savage levers... and you CAN find adjustable reach for the Marauder. Or wide blade levers. Or black levers. Or ball end, pointy end, etc... Look up Emgo lever sets on the internet, find the part number, and google it to find the best price.

My 2003 runs stock levers and such. My 1998 runs Vincent replica perches and levers for its cable operated clutch and front drum.  

Back to top
 
 

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom
  IP Logged
SGT Rock
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 20
Blount County Tennessee
Gender: male
Re: Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?
Reply #10 - 04/16/14 at 08:25:53
 
Good to know, thanks everyone.
Back to top
 
 

No Sniveling!
WWW   IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print


« Home

 
« Home
SuzukiSavage.com
09/29/24 at 12:30:24



General CategoryRubber Side Down! › Clutch/brake levers and maybe perches?


SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2!
YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved.