First Time Hodaka Restoration--Need help

[Steve C]

Hello:

I'm new to this forum and to Hodaka's in general. I have a model 99 Road Toad that is my first long term restoration project. I'm using it as a learning opportunity in addition to eventually returning the bike to running condition.

I have a question regarding remounting the clutch assembly. After I installed the Kick Pinion Gear, needle bearings, Clutch Pinion Gear and Clutch Rotor Gear, I attempted to mount the clutch assembly. When I get the clutch pack installed, I can't get the left hand threaded nut onto the end of the shaft. The clutch pack is down as far as it will go on the shaft.

When I took the clutch apart for cleaning (it had never been touched) I noticed it was very difficult to separate the clutch hub from the clutch cage. Reassembling the pieces was also very hard. I'm thinking the parts aren't close enough together and are preventing the nut and clutch disc assembly from being installed.

Should I file the sides of the notches in the clutch cage to allow the hub to fit more smoothly? It binds on the notches when I put the two together.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[hodakamax]

Hi Steve--I'll stall until the old real experts get out of bed. That sounds like a lot of space to make up to get the LH nut on. Check and see if the rotor gear and the pinion gear are engaged. (My guess). Also the clutch plates need to be put together wet. There's an article on fine tuning the clutch somewhere on the Strictly Hodaka site you might check out. Hopefully the real experts will be up before noon--Hold up on the file until we get another opinion!
later
Maxie

[Zyx]

Could be the rotor gear is hung up on one of the plates not letting the gear fully seat inside the clutch pack. When you reassembled the clutch, did you insert the rotor into the pack before tightening the screws? All the plates have line up just so or the rotor won't go in.

If this the issue, you will have to loosen the screws until the pack is slack, and wiggle things around until the rotor fully seats, then you can relighting and rewire the screws.

[BrianZ]

The Hodaka clutch plates, hub and basket always seem to fit together pretty tight. This is normal and I wouldn't file any of the parts. The key to assembling the clutch is to tighten the screws evenly. Make sure the rotor gear is fully seated into the clutch. I just installed the clutch in my Toad and as Max has already posted, it's sometimes difficult to get the rotor gear and pinion gear to engage. Try tapping the clutch lightly while rotating the pinion gear and it should go together.

Brian

[Zyx]

I use the rotor and pinion together, assembled, to use as a build guide when assembling the clutch disc stack. Then tighten the screws evenly until the screws just barely pull things into contact. Then wiggle the pinion/rotor around just a bit until you can remove and reinsert the rotor without trouble. Then leaving the rotor/pinion in place in the pack, gradually tighten the screws evenly until the housing seats. Check again that the rotor will slip in and out without trouble. Then tighten evenly until snug. At this point you have an assembled clutch, not yet wired, and the rotor will slip in and out freely. Now when you put things together, everything seats without fuss. Trying to wiggle rotor or discs under pressure, even slight pressure, from the screws is next to impossible, and you should never have to force these parts. They will go together.

I would also counsel against filing on the steel teeth. Taking metal away from the engagement edges just makes the pack all the more likely to shift and wear unevenly and prematurely. If the aluminum cage is so notched that the plates hang, it is time for a new aluminum clutch cage.

There is, however, an instruction guide on the SH website on how to blueprint the discs so they won't hang on the screws, which involves filing the sharp V valley into a rounded profile on only those notches which coincide with the screws. There are seven places to file. Follow the guideline. This won't make or break putting the clutch together, and so is not your problem at this point, but following the guideline helps make the assembled pack more likely to be smooth and positive once placed in use.

Building a clutch is not an art form. It just takes patience in putting the pieces together so that they are well aligned before putting screw pressure on the pack, and the cage and cover have to be well and squarely seated before cranking down on the screws or you can warp the cover.

If yours won't go fully down on the end of the crank, allowing the nut to seat with full thread contact, take the clutch out, and take it apart, and start over. Something is misaligned.

[Bullfrog]

If you are not a Hodaka Club member, now would be a good time to join. Members have access to back issues of the Resonator . . . and there is an article about how to make your clutch work as the engineers intended (which is to say, not the way they worked right out of the factory).

There is some filing involved, but you need to know where and how to do the filing. NONE of the filing is intended to create increased clearance . . . so please don't take it upon yourself to file teeth for increased clearance. No. That would not be good.

Ed

[hodakamax]

Hey Ed--Do you remember which issue? That's a lot of material to sort through (All excellent of course!) I also recommend joining the Hodaka Club, the Resonator is great and full of useful articles and history. I still haven't got through all of the back issues! Also don't forget Paul at Strictly Hodaka offers discounts on some items to club members. I think I recouped all my spendings on the last project!

Maxie

[socalhodaka]

Hey Ed--Do you remember which issue? That's a lot of material to sort through (All excellent of course!) I also recommend joining the Hodaka Club, the Resonator is great and full of useful articles and history. I still haven't got through all of the back issues! Also don't forget Paul at Strictly Hodaka offers discounts on some items to club members. I think I recouped all my spendings on the last project!

Maxie

Volume 1 issue #4

[Zyx]

Instructions on blue printing brake discs is also located on the Strictly Hodaka website under Frequently Asked Questions/Tech Tips.

[hodakamax]

Thanks Ed and Kelly for the info! I just finished clutch article in the Resonator Issue 1-4. Very informative and well done. Sounds like a snowy day project--Hmmm---It is snowing!

Snowbound--
Max

[Steve C]

Thanks to the nine persons who stepped up with very helpful tips. You folks really cleared things up for me.
I would like to verify two more things.

1. How much of an interference fit is acceptable between the clutch hub and the cage? Right now, mine is so
tight I have to tap it apart with a small plastic head hammer.

2. I'm guessing the pressure plate has to fit flush with the clutch cover? (Sorry if the question is a "duh" type).

This clutch pack had never been apart since the day it left the factory. I took it apart on the advice of a person familiar with bike restorations who said it was wise to inspect and clean each individual piece. Every thing looks really clean.

Thanks Again.

[Zyx]

Inspection is a good thing. Now you know it is clean. Interference fit is probably normal. I have to tap on mine or very carefully use the screws to draw down to make it fit. Even with no innards, the cover and cage fit really close. You should be good. Proof is in the running. Have fun.

[Bullfrog]

Close fit is OK - but burrs on teeth must be GONE for smooth operation and that applies to hub and steel plates.

Usually, when the burrs are gone and things are well aligned, the cage will move over the hub smoothly (no small hammer tapping).

Ed