R65LS: Grabby Clutch

[seandaly]

My '82 R65LS has a grabby clutch. Upon doing some research, I'm starting to think it's excessive end play on the transmission input shaft. There's a slim chance it's something else (clutch, pushrod, input shaft needs lubing, ???). But I'm assuming worst case. My questions are:

1) What do you feel the likelihood that this grabby clutch is due to excessive end play? What else might it be?

2) How severe is this problem? Is it something that can carry on for a long time and I should just ride on and not worry about it? Or am I looking at an impending failure? How serious would a failure be? (I'm assuming worst case is a bearing seizes, locks up transmission, and I'm skidding on my rear wheel...or am I getting over concerned?)

Thanks for any help!

[jdiaz]

Lemme guess, you read Duane Ausherman's webpage. :) My wife's /5 had the same grabby clutch, and she was ready to yank the trans and have it reshimmed for a second time by a different mechanic.

And then we lubed the clutch splines, which fixed things right up.

[seandaly]

Thanks, Jon! I'm hoping that's all it is! :)

[sgborgstrom]

As long as you are in there lubing the splines... the 20 year old friction material in your clutch may be the problem. Back when my wife's /6 was going on 20 it had similar grabbiness solved with a new clutch.
Steve Borgstrom