R60/5 [Archive]

20774

06-17-2009, 06:11 AM

The /5 and /4 adjustments should be the same. Sounds like you don't have any free play in the lever at the back of the tranny. The lever should move about 2-3mm before you begin to feel any resistance from the clutch pressure spring. This adjustment is made through the bolt and lock nut on the lever arm at the back of the tranny. The knurled adjuster at the handlebar lever is used to adjust the free play of the lever...you want about 4-5mm of movement there before you begin to feel resistance. That's the way I've always adjusted my bikes.

Here's is Tom Cutter's adjustment instructions that I've taken from his postings on the Airheads list:

"Perhaps you would benefit from adjusting the free-play in your
clutch lever. If the adjustment is completely taken up with the
adjuster scew at the lever, more adjustment can be made at
the lever mounted to the transmission (this is the same lever
that the clutch cable is connected to).

There is a locknut and adjustment screw (bolt). Loosen
the locknut (12 or 13 mm, I forget which). Then adjust
the inner screw (10mm bolt). Re-tighten the locknut.

I personally like to have about 3 to 5 mm of free-play
in the clutch lever (at the handlebar). I measure the gap
between the lever and its mount to determine free-play
gap. I set it based more on personal feel and preference
than a hard and fast measurement.

There is a VERY specific procedure for adjusting the Airhead clutch play. It
is NOT a "as you like it" deal.

Do a complete, "from scratch" cable adjustment after replacement. To do this:

1) Replace cable, both ends now disconnected.

2) Loosen locknut at transmission lever, slacken adjuster screw several
turns out.

3) Insert top end of cable through adjuster, into the lever slot, pushing it
WAY in to the lever. Slip the greased barrel up onto the cable, and pull the
cable back to engage the barrel on the cable. Clean and examine all parts to
see that the barrel only goes in one way.

4) If the cable is routed properly, and the top barrel seated correctly, you
should be able to hook the barrel on the lower end into the forked clutch
arm at the transmission.

5) The first adjustment is made with the large threaded adjuster at the top,
lever end of the cable. You need to measure the cable dimension at the LOWER
end, and make the adjustment at the TOP end. The dimension should be EXACTLY
201 mm from the rear face of the transmission where the cable comes through,
to the near edge of the cable barrel. You may need to turn the top adjuster
out quite a ways to obtain that dimension. Squeeze the clutch lever and
remeasure, as that will seat everything.
The easy way to measure the 201 mm is to cut a piece of coathanger to the
exact length and use it as a guage. Put a piece of duct tape on the middle like
a flag, write "BMW Clutch Adjustment 201mm" and you got a free BMW Special
Tool.

6) The second adjustment is made at the rear of the transmission, using the
adjuster screw and locknut on the clutch arm. Turn the adjuster bolt in
until
there is NO free play on the cable, determined by lightly pulling the lever
with one finger and looking at the gap at the hand lever where the cable
passes through. Once you have removed all free play, back out the adjuster
just
enough to give 2-4 mm freeplay at the hand lever. To hold the adjustment
while
securing the locknut, just pull and hold the clutch in with your left hand
while snugging the locknut with your right hand.

Test ride the bike, and recheck the two dimensions after the bike cools off.
You will note that the freeplay will change slightly when the bike heats up.
Don't readjust when hot. If you have the cold play adjusted correctly, there
will be adequate freeplay to accommodate the change when hot.

This works with all airheads after 1970. The factory first defined this
procedure with the introduction of the 1981 models with the new
clutch/transmission design, but the procedure was well known to BMW dealers for years before.
I learned it in Service School in 1973."