Dragging Clutch

[JasBass]

Hi all, new to the forum and new to BD but not new to bikes. I have my HDs that I do all my own work on. Picked up an 06 Mastiff with 8k miles. Bike is mint other than the clutch dragging a little. Figured it would be a clutch adjustment and call it a day…nope.
Been through the whole clutch and cable adjustment and I discovered the cable adjuster was busted from someone over tightening the jam nut and I couldn’t take out all of the slack. Surely that was it and a new cable would fix that right up…nope. She still drags a little with clutch lever in, but enough I can control with my legs or a little brake. Replaced fluids with fresh redline primary as well. Old fluid was full of grey clutch material.
Seller is legit and not a dirtbag. Continues to offer money back if the problem turns out to be bigger than expected. They had the clutch replaced not long ago by a very reputable shop here in SC. Going to call them tomorrow and see if I can get info on what clutch was installed. Definitely has the 12 plate ramp.
Before I go hunting in the primary, am I missing anything simple? Appreciate the time and help

 

[HMAN]

Welcome from Kansas. Clutch adj on Dogs is a bit different than HD's. The push rod should go in till lightly seated than back off 1/4 turn and tighten nut. Ya may have to tweak it a bit but that should get you close.

 

[JasBass]

Welcome from Kansas. Clutch adj on Dogs is a bit different than HD's. The push rod should go in till lightly seated than back off 1/4 turn and tighten nut. Ya may have to tweak it a bit but that should get you close.

Awesome, thank you. I’ll fiddle some more this weekend and see what I get. I adjusted the rod in until I felt it finger snug and then did a quarter/eighth out. Should I be seating more firm and still have some firmness on the quarter out?

 

[Mickmorris]

Awesome, thank you. I’ll fiddle some more this weekend and see what I get. I adjusted the rod in until I felt it finger snug and then did a quarter/eighth out. Should I be seating more firm and still have some firmness on the quarter out?

I advise not to use redline in your primary. My .02

 

[Chong]

Welcome from Michigan !!

 

[Mr. Wright]

Howdy, and welcome from Missouri.
Yeah it seems like every time I install a new clutch, it takes forever to get the adjustment right. Find out what primary fluid they used.

 

[dtmmil]

Search the group, there is a good writup on the procedure to do it, worked perfect for me

 

[Sven]

I'll assume you have the ramp all the way home, slack as homie wears his pants, made the 1/8-1/4 out, then pulled up the pants with the cable adjust to a hair trigger at the lever, meaning, no slack.

The pull is far out as it will go, still no joy finding N? Then it's outer primary off, clutch pack out of basket, all steels in the palm of the hand, stacked like pancakes, who shows the air gap, you twist the wrist around to look around the stack? That one air gap is the troublemaker.

Steels have a cut side being stamped out of sheet metal. Cut sides face the pressure plate. If you can see the frictions stacked with an air gap, replace that too. Frictions show a certain face of consistency, stack those in the same face direction.

Once out of the basket, inspect the fork tangs for indents so as the plates can no longer move over a flat surface, but are stuck in that groove the tangs make.

 

[JasBass]

I advise not to use redline in your primary. My .02

Just curious, what’s the beef with redline?

 

[Mickmorris]

Just curious, what’s the beef with redline?

Go on youtube & enter - bigdog motorcycle transmission problems. It’s a video by sandiegocustommotorcycles at Wildsteedworx in CA. Curtis explains why redline is not good for use in the ‘05 & up RSD transmissions. Worth watching. Curtis is a pretty trustworthy person to listen to for advice on these bikes.

 

[Coolbreezin]

18+ years & 85, 000 miles with this Ridgeback.
I use Trick Shift ATF for the primary and Royal Purple for the tranny. Same price & availability as all the other stuff out there.

 

[JasBass]

Go on youtube & enter - bigdog motorcycle transmission problems. It’s a video by sandiegocustommotorcycles at Wildsteedworx in CA. Curtis explains why redline is not good for use in the ‘05 & up RSD transmissions. Worth watching. Curtis is a pretty trustworthy person to listen to for advice on these bikes.

I actually saw that one. I thought the issue was the shockproof in the trans not their primary oil in the primary? I think the shockproof doesn’t lube the baker trans bearings right. Genuinely asking, not throwing spears.

 

[TreeGuru]

I actually saw that one. I thought the issue was the shockproof in the trans not their primary oil in the primary? I think the shockproof doesn’t lube the baker trans bearings right. Genuinely asking, not throwing spears.

Your Red Line for the Primary is synthetic, right. Synthetics in the primary are known for clutch slippage.

 

[JasBass]

Your Red Line for the Primary is synthetic, right. Synthetics in the primary are known for clutch slippage.

It is synthetic, but I’m having the opposite effect of dragging not slipping. Hooks just fine, for now… Had a recommendation to check the basket nut. Bike had a clutch replacement by a shop that does HD and Indian bikes. Prob used Harley torque specs and not the baker 150 and the nut worked itself loose

 

[Mickmorris]

I actually saw that one. I thought the issue was the shockproof in the trans not their primary oil in the primary? I think the shockproof doesn’t lube the baker trans bearings right. Genuinely asking, not throwing spears.

Yup. Your right. Most people mention redline and it’s for transmission use not primary.

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Awesome, thank you. I’ll fiddle some more this weekend and see what I get. I adjusted the rod in until I felt it finger snug and then did a quarter/eighth out. Should I be seating more firm and still have some firmness on the quarter out?

You don't want finger snug -- you want to find that point where it makes contact not snug.I've seen a suggestion of doing it with primary cover off so you can see the movement when the rod makes contact.
Out of curiousity what shop did you use for this in SC. Not aware of a lot of BDM people down here anymore, although American Biker in Ladson used to be a BDM dealer and is still listed by BigDogisback as a dealer but AMericanBiker doesn't mention anything about BDM on their site.
All that to say, you might want o check there and see if they still have someone in house who was there when they weredoing BDM's

 

[JasBass]

You don't want finger snug -- you want to find that point where it makes contact not snug.I've seen a suggestion of doing it with primary cover off so you can see the movement when the rod makes contact.
Out of curiousity what shop did you use for this in SC. Not aware of a lot of BDM people down here anymore, although American Biker in Ladson used to be a BDM dealer and is still listed by BigDogisback as a dealer but AMericanBiker doesn't mention anything about BDM on their site.
All that to say, you might want o check there and see if they still have someone in house who was there when they weredoing BDM's

Previous owner was the one that had it serviced there at American Biker. I got tied up yesterday and didn’t get a chance to call them and see if they have the records/knowledge on the bike. I’m up in Sumter so the ride down there isn’t bad at all. Going to pull the cover and check the basket nut. From what I’ve read here and seen online, looks like it’s common not to torque them down enough and they wiggle out and stuff will drag

 

[Mr. Wright]

It is synthetic, but I’m having the opposite effect of dragging not slipping. Hooks just fine, for now… Had a recommendation to check the basket nut. Bike had a clutch replacement by a shop that does HD and Indian bikes. Prob used Harley torque specs and not the baker 150 and the nut worked itself loose

Any of the HD primary fluids work great. I use their Formula + in all the bikes going through my shop.

 

[Mikeinjersey]

It is synthetic, but I’m having the opposite effect of dragging not slipping. Hooks just fine, for now… Had a recommendation to check the basket nut. Bike had a clutch replacement by a shop that does HD and Indian bikes. Prob used Harley torque specs and not the baker 150 and the nut worked itself loose

No solid opinion on fluids. I use HD and works fine. Here are a couple of files I saved from the site that may be of help to you on the adjustment. Worked for me. Keep in mind the adj is a little tough to dial in. If you follow the instructions correctly you will get it. A lot has to do with the initial push rod placement. Just touches, lightly touches, 1/8 out-1/4 out are subjective and each guy has a different feel. Basically, after I make the adj, if it still drags I turn in and if it slips I turn out.
Good policy to grease the push rod, lube the clutch cable and fresh fluids in the primary before you begin.

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Previous owner was the one that had it serviced there at American Biker. I got tied up yesterday and didn’t get a chance to call them and see if they have the records/knowledge on the bike. I’m up in Sumter so the ride down there isn’t bad at all. Going to pull the cover and check the basket nut. From what I’ve read here and seen online, looks like it’s common not to torque them down enough and they wiggle out and stuff will drag

Checking the hub nut is always a good thing.
But I think you have the rod just a hair too tight if you are using finger snug, you are really after just contact. We are not talking about a large amount of movement between snug and touch but it is enough in my experience to add drag.
Remember the clutch hub nut is left hand thread.
Hey, if you don't have it fixed by next weekend andits nice maybe I'll take a run up to Sumter and see if I can give you a hand -- I'm in Murrells Inlet --105 miles to Swan Lake and Iris Gardens (made that run several times).