New clutch cable too tight Breva 750

[MotoGuzzi750]

Hi,

I just finished replacing broken clutch cable of 2004 Breva 750, but there is not enough room left to adjust the clutch lever play even after adjuster screw at the clutch level side is fully turned in. The clutch lever is way out to the max. So I have to stretch my fingers way outside than was the case with old clutch cable ( and I had gotten used to that free play of about 4-6mm )

My understanding is that ( and I would like to ) adjust the cable such that there is some free play when I pull in clutch lever.
This was the case with my old clutch cable i.e., there was some free play.

Could the new cable short in length than the old cable ? ( I did not measure cable length before install )
How do I adjust clutch without having to un-install and re-install ( Install was very difficult for me doing it alone )

Thanks.

[Muzz]

There is an adjustment at the end of the gearbox, with the bike on the sidestand and doing mental and physical gymnastics you will just be able to see the little adjustment knob and the locknut.  On mine the adjuster actually binds up in the locknut.  I made a spanner for it with a slitting disk on my 5" grinder and a piece of flat steel.  Back off the adjuster, lock it up and you will have free play to burn.

[malik]

Whenever I get around to adjusting the cable at the gearbox end, I remove the rear wheel, at least. Otherwise, my hands just do not fit. To adjust at the gearbox end, the cable MUST be completely free at the handlebar. If, after carefully re-routing the cable again, you are finding it too short still, you can remove the lever from its perch & slot the nipple into its recess & re-attach. (I will often do this - don't drop the top-hat spacer). Or you could loosen the perch at the handlebar clamp (2x8mm bolts) to give you an extra inch or so. Then put it all back & tighten it up before winding the adjuster out for the final adjustment. Should be about 2mm free play - the width of a coin. Then the clutch should engage & release when the lever is further out from the handlebar. Like most things, it gets easier the more you do it. (By which time, like me, you might have buggered up a few of the component bits every now & again - have a drink & get in some spares for next time).

[Muzz]

I remove the rear wheel, at least. Otherwise, my hands just do not fit.

With my homebuilt "spanner" Mal, I actually found it quite easy to reach.  The hardest part was maneuvering my old body in to a position so I could actually see what I was doing.  I actually cut two slots in my "spanner" on differing angles to give me wider a wider adjustment range on the adjuster.

[MotoGuzzi750]

There is an adjustment at the end of the gearbox, with the bike on the sidestand and doing mental and physical gymnastics you will just be able to see the little adjustment knob and the locknut.  On mine the adjuster actually binds up in the locknut.  I made a spanner for it with a slitting disk on my 5" grinder and a piece of flat steel.  Back off the adjuster, lock it up and you will have free play to burn.

Thank you very much for this info. I will try this. ( never knew this adjuster existed / tried to find this adjuster ).
I am thinking in the worst case, somehow I will try to lean-and-support the bike at extreme angle, hoping to access adjuster from below the bike.
But this is my backup plan, if I cannot access adjuster with bike on normal side-stand/kickstand position. 

[Muzz]

Thank you very much for this info. I will try this. ( never knew this adjuster existed / tried to find this adjuster ).
I am thinking in the worst case, somehow I will try to lean-and-support the bike at extreme angle, hoping to access adjuster from below the bike.
But this is my backup plan, if I cannot access adjuster with bike on normal side-stand/kickstand position.

Working from the sidestand is just fine.

[barry.b]

Ignore all the talk of making a "Special tool". The head of the adjustment grub screw on the arm behind the clutch is rectangular, not square.

Far easier to slip the split-pin out holding the pivot pin for that arm. Careful with that arm: it's made of aluminum, so the thread for the grub screw is easily stripped, and the two little prongs that hold the end of the clutch cable could - with bad luck - be bent.

This would have to be the most useless way of replacing a clutch cable. It's a right royal pain to get to anything because it's infront of the swingarm.

I had to undo the bracket for the RHS footpegs/muffler so I could get my fingers into the top of that aluminum arm, while reaching underneath the engine (where the factory centre stand impedes access) to keep the arm in place, lest the spring "sproings" out and a way.,

[Tkelly]

Sounds like a fun job by the side of the road if you happened to carry a spare cable.

[John A]

New cables can be troublesome all right. It’s imperative that there is a mm or two freeplay or bad things will happen. Don’t tie it down but try to get it to lay naturally with as straight as possible runs. If you need to adjust the lever on the back of the transmission, get comfortable laying down if you don’t have a lift. There is a 13 mm or 10 mm jam nut on the peg you will adjust. There is a flat milled on the end of the adjustment screw, there is a tool for that , used to be in the tool kit but you can get by without it.

[Guzzistajohn]

I'll sell you a cable stretcher 

[MattP]

first try take out  pivot bolt clutch leaver  screw in adjuster allway put barell in clutch leaver and you should be able to leaver back inplace and replace bolt. very simple very easy.