Clutch Slave Removal

[Bri178]

Hi to all,

I want to have a look at my front pulley, as I have some belt noise. To remove the clutch slave cylinder, the manual say to take off the outer cover, then:

"Remove the clutch slave cylinder with the pipe installed." What Pipe?
"Push the piston into the cylinder as far as it will go" OK.
"Apply the clutch lever slowly and apply a band" Huh?
"Holding the clutch lever keeps the piston from coming out" When you squeeze the clutch handle, it puts the line under pressure, thus pushing out the piston. No? Every system I've worked on does.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks
Bri178

[gv550]

Originally Posted by Bri178

Hi to all,

I want to have a look at my front pulley, as I have some belt noise. To remove the clutch slave cylinder, the manual say to take off the outer cover, then:

"Remove the clutch slave cylinder with the pipe installed." What Pipe?
"Push the piston into the cylinder as far as it will go" OK.
"Apply the clutch lever slowly and apply a band" Huh?
"Holding the clutch lever keeps the piston from coming out" When you squeeze the clutch handle, it puts the line under pressure, thus pushing out the piston. No? Every system I've worked on does.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks
Bri178

The pipe is the hydraulic hose going to the slave cylinder, leave it connected as the hose is flexible enough to move the cylinder out of the way to get the pulley cover off.
Use a zip-tie (band) to hold the clutch lever to the hand grip.
Holding the lever in blocks off the fluid supply port in the master cylinder so no brake fluid can leave the reservoir. With the lever out the supply port is open and the spring inside the slave cylinder will push the piston out and you will have fluid leaking and the reservoir will drain empty.

[jjg3]

remove outer cover




Slave with pipe




Slave (with pipe) removed. You'll see the piston, exactly like a disk brake puck.





Slave on mine locks up every now and again. When I get this far I hit it with some lube until the piston loosens up. Have not disassembled it for overhaul yet.

[Bri178]

Thank you both. The pipe makes sense now.

gv550 - "Holding the lever in blocks off the fluid supply port in the master cylinder so no brake fluid can leave the reservoir. With the lever out the supply port is open and the spring inside the slave cylinder will push the piston out and you will have fluid leaking and the reservoir will drain empty."

Ok, I get that I'd be blocking off the fluid path, but will pulling the clutch handle in initially not force the piston out ?

Maybe it won't push out very much. Maybe I'm keying in on this for nothing.

Just don't want to push the piston right out and have to rebuild the slave. I'm relating it to disc brakes. If you apply them when the callipers are off, you'll push the pistons right out, or at least past their seals.

Sorry about not quite understanding.

[gv550]

Yes, pulling the lever forces the piston out, but only enough to release the clutch and nowhere near the point of where the piston comes out of the slave cylinder.
I tie the lever back before removing the cylinder, just loosen each screw a bit at a time so the cylinder doesn't cock in the bore. The piston will be out no further than it always is when the lever is against the grip, and no need to push the piston back at all.
The manual says to remove the slave, push the piston in, then tie the lever. You will be pushing the piston back way further than its normal travel so pulling the lever won't push the piston all the way out. It is best to do this, then you can clean all the dirt from the exposed bore.
This system differs from disc brakes due to the spring behind the slave piston wanting to push the piston out when it's not being held back by the clutch. That's why you need to create the hydraulic lock.

[Bri178]

Thank you gv550.

Totally makes sense now.

[Bri178]

Took it apart last night. Super simple as you explained.

Thanks again.