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How To lube the Clutch Lever Pivot
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The ferret Offline
Forum Moderator

Ohio
Posts: 31,282
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #1
How To lube the Clutch Lever Pivot
Upon accumulating so many miles or due to the passage of time, you may feel some creakiness or hear some squeaking when you pull in your clutch. Almost sounds and feels like a dry clutch cable from years ago, although our bikes no longer have cables and now work hydraulically. This is an indication that the pivot needs some fresh lube.

At 15,000 miles I was starting to notice this on mine. I recognized the noise and feeling since it also occurs on my other hydraulic clutch operated bikes. Luckily the fix is super simple and can really be done by the owner at home in a matter of minutes. You don't need to be a trained mechanic to fix this one.

Tools needed:
10 mm wrench
Large flat blade screw driver
bath towel or moving pad
shop rag
contact or brake cleaner
some good grease (I use wheel bearing grease)

Procedure:

Pop bike up on centerstand and straighten the bars. Place a towel or moving pad over gas tank just for good measure.

Using 10 mm wrench remove the nut from bottom of clutch pivot bolt, turning the wrench counter clockwise as seen looking straight up from below

İmage

Next take the large flat blade screwdriver and remove the shouldered clutch pivot screw turning counter clockwise as seen from above

İmage

Set them aside

İmage

Clutch pivot will now look like this

İmage

Go ahead and slide lever out. nothing should fall out. There is a pin that goes into a barrel in the lever upon reassembly (both seen to the right in this pic) but it will not fall out. Neither should the barrel, but if it does just slide it back in the hole in the lever.

İmage

Seen from the end you can see the hole in the barrel that the pin slides in. Simple straightforward... pin goes in hole in barrel upon reassembly.

İmage

Take some brake or contact cleaner and clean off all the old grease. I remove the barrel too and clean it, as well as the shouldered screw we removed in step 2. I also wipe the old grease off the perch or bracket that holds the lever.

İmage

Once all the old grease is cleaned off , take your finger and smear new grease in the pivot hole, on the barrel, on the body of the shouldered pivot screw, and on the bracket or perch where the lever will be pivoting

İmage

Ok go ahead and slide the lever into the bracket making sure the pin goes into the barrel at the rear and the hole lines up for the shouldered pivot screw. Stick the shouldered pivot screw in the hole and using the flat blade screwdriver, turn it clockwise run it in until it stops (it is a shouldered screw so make sure it is all the way in and your threads are lined up before screwing it in)

İmage

wipe any grease off the threads of the shouldered pivot screw where the nut is going to go, and reinstall the nut with the 10 mm wrench, turning the wrench clockwise as seen looking straight up from below. It just has to be snug.

İmage

Try pulling in the lever several times. It should be smooth as butter and totally silent.

İmage

wipe off any really excess grease from the lever or assy, but leave it in critical pivot areas.

That's it. DONE!

Another easy home maintenance job that will make your bike perform better and give you a bit of pride knowing you are taking good care of your baby

.
Defender of the Realm
2014 DLX (the pleasure horse)
2021 NC750X DCT (Angry Bird)
(This post was last modified: 06-12-2017 07:45 AM by The ferret.)
08-19-2015 08:30 AM
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Inhouse Bob Offline
Road Warrior

NoVA
Posts: 1,955
Joined: Jun 2015
Post: #2
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
I thought RLETs prevented this sort of nonsense maintenance requirement. Next thing, you are going to tell me I have to change the engine oil! Angel

Nice tutorial, Ferret. You are a mensch.
08-19-2015 08:56 AM
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Jim21680 Offline
Running Like a Top

Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 375
Joined: Jul 2013
Post: #3
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Well that looks easier than a coolant flush.

Thanks Ferret, my bike needs this as well....a good job for a Sunday morning pre-ride.
08-21-2015 05:09 PM
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Inhouse Bob Offline
Road Warrior

NoVA
Posts: 1,955
Joined: Jun 2015
Post: #4
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
(08-21-2015 05:09 PM)Jim21680 Wrote:  Well that looks easier than a coolant flush.

Oh crap! What's the interval for coolant flushes?? Celebrate
08-21-2015 07:03 PM
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OndaCB1100 Offline
Break-In Period

England
Posts: 5
Joined: Aug 2015
Post: #5
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Good job. I do this on every new bike as more often than not those special fasteners are too dry or dry. Handlebar levers don't last long as a result neither do those pivot screws. It is worth checking everything metal-metal that moves where you'd expect to find lube. Clevis pins connecting rear brake levers to slave cylinders are a favourite. Sometimes aerosol chain grease all around the item is a good policy. Something with more substance than WD anyway.
(This post was last modified: 08-25-2015 04:40 AM by OndaCB1100.)
08-25-2015 04:35 AM
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Flynrider Offline
Been There

Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,233
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #6
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Great post, Ferret. Mine started doing this last month (12.5K miles) and for a minute I thought I was riding my cable clutched CB750.

I took the lazy man's route and shot some silicone lube into the gap. Probably won't last long, so I'll bite the bullet and invest a few minutes doing it the right way Thumbs Up

Phoenix, AZ
2013 CB1100 - Big Red
1993 CB750 Nighthawk - Tahitian Blue
08-25-2015 04:37 PM
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The ferret Offline
Forum Moderator

Ohio
Posts: 31,282
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #7
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
(08-25-2015 04:37 PM)Flynrider Wrote:  Great post, Ferret. Mine started doing this last month (12.5K miles) and for a minute I thought I was riding my cable clutched CB750.

I took the lazy man's route and shot some silicone lube into the gap. Probably won't last long, so I'll bite the bullet and invest a few minutes doing it the right way Thumbs Up

yea I used to do that and 30 days later it would need to be done again. grease will last a year or more.

.
Defender of the Realm
2014 DLX (the pleasure horse)
2021 NC750X DCT (Angry Bird)
08-25-2015 04:39 PM
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TINK Offline
Running Like a Top

So Cal
Posts: 610
Joined: Aug 2013
Post: #8
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Nice job, ferret!

2017 WR250R (Dual Sport)
2014 CB1100 Deluxe
2009 ST1300 (Iron Butt)
2000 VFRF800Fi (5th Gen)
1979 BMW R100S "The Ultimate Motorcycle"

[url=http://www.photosbytink.com/]photosbytink.com[/url]
08-25-2015 05:09 PM
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LongRanger Offline
Been There

Evergreen, CO
Posts: 4,220
Joined: Aug 2015
Post: #9
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Glad I found this, thanks! My new-to-me '14 has a very creaky clutch lever, and yes, it feels exactly like it's pulling on an old dried up clutch cable. Looking forward to getting this resolved asap!

Ride more. Worry less. Tongue
‘12 BMW R1200R Classic
'15 BMW R1200RT
(This post was last modified: 08-30-2015 08:40 PM by LongRanger.)
08-30-2015 08:39 PM
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ingobohn Offline
Running Like a Top

Germany
Posts: 294
Joined: Oct 2013
Post: #10
RE: Lubing the Clutch Lever Pivot
Thx ferret - had the same issue with my clutch lever the other day but the dealer fixed it when I brought him my CB for 12.000 km service recently. Let's see whether he did it your way or Flynrider's way. Wink
08-30-2015 11:35 PM
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