Clutch Issue

[Ernest T]

I killed the bike leaving a stop sign twice yesterday.  I've been riding a long time and know the friction zone well so I was surprised that it happened not once, but twice.  I was going to check the clutch after I got home, but events conspired against me and I didn't get the chance.  I rode the bike to work today and paid close attention to the operation of the clutch and I think I have an engagement issue.  The first half of lever travel does nothing and feels very loose, land it wasn't that way before.  All the engagement and disengagement occurs when the lever is within about an inch or so of the grip.  Let it out just a little and the clutch is almost fully engaged, hence my issue with killing the bike.  It was definitely not this way before.  I'm not even sure it was like that when I started home because I didn't notice anything amiss at the start of the trip.

I thought I might have a clutch slave cylinder issue like john348, but it's been my experience that a hydraulic actuator like the clutch uses either works or it doesn't.  john348 said the lever came right back to the grip and did nothing and that's not what mine is doing. 

Now I hope I can get it home without too much drama and look into the situation this evening.  In the meantime, does anyone have any ideas where to look?

[Ernest T]

I just checked the reservoir and it's almost empty so I definitely have a clutch slave cylinder issue.  At least I can put some hydraulic fluid in the reservoir and get it home.

[Ernest T]

john348, can you give me a link to the place you got your seal?

[john348]

Email address attached smanufacturing @ freenetname . co . uk

spaces added to try and stop robots

or http://www.triumphparts.gbr.cc/

If there is a problem shipping let me know??? I can always forward it on.  It is the standard seal kit for any 3 or 4 cylinder Triumph that is what is says on his web site.

I have nothing to do with them apart from buying bits.

Looks like I might have been a pioneer????  at least an easy job even bled easily.

John

[Ernest T]

Originally Posted by john348

Email address attached smanufacturing @ freenetname . co . uk

spaces added to try and stop robots

or http://www.triumphparts.gbr.cc/

If there is a problem shipping let me know??? I can always forward it on.  It is the standard seal kit for any 3 or 4 cylinder Triumph that is what is says on his web site.

I have nothing to do with them apart from buying bits.

Looks like I might have been a pioneer????  at least an easy job even bled easily.

John

Thanks John,

It does look like an easy job, especially for a fully faired bike like the Trophy. 

It's aggravating though as I've ridden literally a couple hundred thousand miles on bikes with hydraulic clutches without any issues until now.

[john348]

Mine definitely was a manufacturing issue as the bit of clutch seal was still in the slave cylinder.  I have not heard of anyone else with an issue and as it seems like it is the same slave on all Triumphs.  SO you would have thought it would have been a big reported problem.   

I take it we are just 'lucky'.

[Ernest T]

I went ahead and ordered the whole slave cylinder assembly as I had reward discounts available at my dealer which made the prices a wash. It was $109 for the slave cylinder, gasket and two new sealing washers for the hydraulic hose before applying my customer rewards dollars.

Assuming the parts are available in the US, which is a big assumption, they should be here next Wednesday.

[Bashafoc]

Bike is in France awaiting repatriation! Clutch failed out of the blue, after 4000 mile trip! Not being technical, it was not the resovoir on the bars, though had lost fluid, but the mechanism inside. Replaced fluid to no avail Needed new part. Bike has done 14000 miles plus without a hint of trouble