Problems: Clutch Push Rod... Bearing?!

[rafanomenon]

So during the tear down process, I remove the left chain/clutch cover from the engine. A few days later I notice a ball bearing on the floor and think nothing of it, as there is always odds and ends that end up in the trash.

Today, I was in the process of routing the clutch cable, and noticed there is way too much play in the lever before the clutch is engaged. Checked the routing, cable lube and adjustment screw at the perch. All good. Then thought there was no way that the cable magically stretched from when I tore it down to when I put it back together.

After searching a few forums, I found out that on the XS650, there is a little 5/16" ball bearing that sits inside the worm gear:

So I looked at a XS400 blowout, and noticed that our bikes also have the 5/16" ball bearing (#14), but the diagram shows it BEHIND the push rod, and not sitting in the worm gear.

I didn't take the push rod out when I tore the bike down, and now I'm thinking that ball bearing I tossed belonged inside the worm gear. Shit.

Can someone please confirm?!

 

[226dark]

need new pushrod asy part

 

[xschris]

There should be a ball in there as well.

 

[rafanomenon]

I'm worred because the diagram doesn't show a ball bearing inside the worm gear, and I haven't removed the clutch push rod before. How do I tell if there's already a bearing in there? Don't want two of em!

 

[drewpy]

you would need to take the clutch off as that's the only way it'll come out.

either that or the ball bearing would fall into the gearbox

my money is on the worm gear

 

[rafanomenon]

you would need to take the clutch off as that's the only way it'll come out.

either that or the ball bearing would fall into the gearbox

my money is on the worm gear

That's what I'm thinking... I noticed the "mysterious" ball bearing on the floor shortly after taking the clutch cover off. Push rod has not been removed, so I'm thinking there was a bearing sitting in the worm gear. Especially since the clutch was perfect before I took it off, and now mysteriously there is about 7mm of extra play before it engages.

 

[xschris]

The ball should be pressed and not come out but after many years of use and lack of grease can fall out it has happened to me. I have extra worm gears and bearings in you need one

 

[Liamthedevastator]

there is also a single steel ball inside the primary drive pinion (i think) that is loose and comes out when you're taking the clutch basket off. It's the size of a bearing ball and in the Haynes for the xs400 1975 on it says "Remove the clutch operating thrust piece and the clutch operating push rod. Note that a small steel ball is fitted between these components. It rolls out pretty easily so maybe that's what it was? I don't think you even got that far into the clutch assembly but that's something I just removed today so maybe that could be it?

 

[rafanomenon]

I literally just removed the clutch cover, noticed the ball bearing on the garage floor a couple days after, didn't think anything of it, put the clutch cover back on and noticed the clutch was acting funny, even after adjusting at the perch. Didn't take any cases off, or the basket out or anything. I'm thinking the ball bearing that fell out was pressed into the worm gear.

My whole thing is, that the blow out diagram doesn't show there being one there?!

 

[xschris]

It was not a separate part. The worm gear should have one in it(unless it falls out)

 

[Liamthedevastator]

You don't have to take the clutch basket off to get at the bearing i'm talking about. In your diagram, part #14 is a bearing that sits between the clutch pushrod and part #12. Part #12 just kinda falls out (as it did on my engine, freaked me out!) and the bearing (#14) just kinda rolls with gravity.

But this is just speculation based on where i am with my tear down and i'm no pro, so i'm just throwing out my 0.02

 

[xschris]

When you put the rod in the cover with the bearing in it, it should only go in a little ways. Without the bearing in the worm gear you loose the with of the bearing in the cable. You need both to make it work right.

 

[226dark]

Didn't mean to add to confusion if never taken clutch rod out. You refer to the clutch cover but you mean on the left side of the motor called the crankcase cover where the clutch cable enters.

The diagram doesn't show the ball because the part is the "push lever assembly" and the picture doesn't show a blow up of the "assembly" part. It is part 1L9-16340 and is mostly obsolete. Entering that part number into ebay there is one new (2 available )for $32.19
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XS360-XS400-76-82-CLUTCH-PUSH-LEVER-ASSY-OEM-/370123560015?hash=item562d15544f&item=370123560015&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr#ht_718wt_918

 

[frwinks]

and to confirm from rafanomenon's other post, the push lever assembly has two balls inside it on all SOHC models? looks like I'm a missin' some balls

 

[DanMach]

DOHC here, I just was working on the assembly last night.

It had 1 ball in it.

 

[rafanomenon]

Mine had one ball in it - before I found out it needed two.

If you look deep inside the worm gear, you'll see the ball bearing sitting there. The extra slack in my clutch cable after putting the cover back on was from the second ball falling out. Not sure if this is on all bikes, but I can see it being a common problem with a lot of covers being taken off, so one is put there to get rid of the slack.

Once I bought a 5/16" ball bearing and sat it ON TOP of the one in the worm gear (I used grease to make sure it stayed put), my clutch was back to where it was before I took the cover off.

 

[sly409]

Mine had one ball in it - before I found out it needed two.

If you look deep inside the worm gear, you'll see the ball bearing sitting there. The extra slack in my clutch cable after putting the cover back on was from the second ball falling out. Not sure if this is on all bikes, but I can see it being a common problem with a lot of covers being taken off, so one is put there to get rid of the slack.

Once I bought a 5/16" ball bearing and sat it ON TOP of the one in the worm gear (I used grease to make sure it stayed put), my clutch was back to where it was before I took the cover off.

I was reassembling my bike and I noticed my clutch wasnt working. There was no resistance at all so I pulled the sprocket cover off and noticed the worm gear on the cover wasnt connecting to the push rod. Came on here and realized I was missing 1 of the ball bearings. It has 1 set deep inside the worm gear assembly and I thought was was odd but didnt think much of it. Now to find a replacement bearing. Where do you buy yours?

 

[xschris]

I have one $4.25 shipped paypal only

 

[16VGTIDave]

DOHC here, I just was working on the assembly last night.

It had 1 ball in it.

I'll second that DOHC only has one ball bearing. I just checked mine and there is no way a bearing has gone missing unless it rusted small enough to fall out. And that isn't likely to have happened with all the chain oil in there. The pushrod has also been machined to fit into the release mechanism, so I'm rather confident in this conclusion.

On another note, I've just lubed and adjusted my clutch cable and release mechanism.

Dave

 

[226dark]

I have one $4.25 shipped paypal only

I've discovered the past year where to go for parts