The Hodaka Club Forum

Last month I started my '72 Wombat (94) and got a surprise when I pulled the clutch lever in, a whirling and grinding sort of noise emitted from the clutch cover. After some successful searching on this very forum, I found I was in the market for a new clutch bushing. Well, I finally found time this last weekend to complete the task and as always happens it wasn't as straight forward as hoped. Though I had to resort to force to get the old bush out it was plain to see it was shot as was the bore of clutch gear.

Presently my family and I are in the process of relocating to Northern California, so I don't have all my tools. With that in mind and little to hand I made a poor mans hone of sorts to clean up the high spots in the clutch gears bore. My solution came from a 14mm deep socket, elect tape and some lightly used 400 grit sandpaper that I luckily dropped in my toolbox sometime in the past and surprisingly it worked.

To start, I wrapped the sandpaper around the socket and spun that in the bore a few times to knock the high spots down. After that I would add a strip electrical tape to increase the sockets diameter and keep the paper cutting the high spots. Took about 30, careful, minutes and worked out better than I could have hoped. Now the new bush is a nice sliding fit. Once cleaned and together all was well. Well, until I found the water filled mag cover, a gift from the downpours from the pilgrimage up here. But that's another story.

Anyone else have some shadetree wisdom they'd like to share?

Do you mind if I crib this post and the pix to use as a "Tech Tip" in the next Resonator? If you have any additional comments you'd like to add, please email them directly to me at : [email protected] .
Bob
(Always on the search for clever ideas)

Of course, Bob. Unfortunately, I didn't take any other photos while I was working on the Wombat. I just sent you an email including the above and the following.

I think the only other comment I could add would be that you can increase the diameter in smaller increments by placing the strip(s) of tape on the socket from one end to the other, rather than wrapping it around the diameter, which would increase it by a greater measure.

- Beven

Nice tip! Something I'll bookmark in the dark recesses of my mind for future use! Thanks! ; D Victor