Replacing the clutch lever - how do I get this part off!

[budoist]

Ok,

So apparently Aprilia and I have a very different idea of what constitutes a clutch "lever", and I now know why some people are not fans of this whole hydrolic clutch thing. So I've removed the (remnants of the) broken clutch lever:



The only problem is that it came with the... I dunno. Hydrolic actuator? I tried looking at the fiche on AF1's site and apparently Aprilia considers this huge mechanism to be the "clutch lever" that include the actual lever and several additional parts. But that's beside the point. Right now all I need to do is get this part out so that I can get the new lever on. It's got what appears to be a flat head screw:



I can get it to turn maybe a half-turn in either direction, but that's not doing me much good. How do I get this off of the broken lever and onto the new one?

[kzmille]

There is a small set screw in the end of the barrel that locks the rod. Remove with a small hex key. Use heat as thread locking compound was used on installation. make sure there is adequate free-play between the rod and MC piston while assembling.

[Nooj]

Can confirm that, there's a tiny grub screw to undo that holds the plunger in place.

[budoist]

I was afraid you'd say that. I saw it last night and in my hex set I have one that just a touch too small, and one that's a touch too big. I'll see if anyone in IT has one that'll fit.

[anthonyk]

If not, I've got one in the garage. Let me know. It's a 1.5mm.

[budoist]

Ok, really Aprilia? You couldn't have just kept it to whole numbers? What's a guy got to do?!? I used to think I had more tools than I needed at one time.

<sigh>

Someone remind me what the benefits of a hydrolic clutch are again?

[D-Rider]

I was afraid you'd say that. I saw it last night and in my hex set I have one that just a touch too small, and one that's a touch too big. I'll see if anyone in IT has one that'll fit.

Yeah - I attacked mine with an allen key, didn't want to move and I succeeded in destroying the allen socket .... rendering it unadjustable ....

Fortunately I've now got hold of another one to put on there and I can keep my unadjustable one as an emergency spare.

Just take care with it - certainly heed the advice to use some heat.

[budoist]

So hold under a hair dryer for say... 30 seconds to a minute, then attempt to remove?

[kzmille]

A heat gun would be better but if that's all you have it won't hurt.

[SoulDaddy]

I heated mine up by holding a soldering gun on it for about 30 seconds.


At least with a hydraulic clutch you get a little warning that it needs your attention as opposed to a cable snapping on you when you least expect it. That's all I could think of.

[Firebolter]

Ok, really Aprilia? You couldn't have just kept it to whole numbers? What's a guy got to do?!? I used to think I had more tools than I needed at one time.

<sigh>

Someone remind me what the benefits of a hydrolic clutch are again?

Always a constant feel and no cable to stretch and break. Never needd adjustment. I love them. Even my KTM dirtbikes have them........And it is Mr. Brembo or Magura (can't remember which) that made them with the 1.5mm allen key, not Mr. Aprilia!

[Nooj]

1.5mm? Sounds reasonable. Don't forget that Europe went metric in the last century

[budoist]

FB, ok then. Mr Bloody freaking Brembo. I dunno about never needing adjusting. Have to bleed the system and monitor the fluid levels. Dunno how much more/less intensive that is compared to clutch cable maintenance.

Am I hijacking my own thread? Maybe, but it's midnight. What else am i supposed to do. I've watched all the porn on the Internet already.