Thunderbird clutch

[bullrush]

Can I fit lighter springs to my 57 Thunderbird clutch to make it easier to use ...old feller with no strength in his hands

[33d6]

You're probably better off making sure the standard beastie is absolutely spot on. That the tangs on the clutch plates aren't burred, that the slots in the clutch body they move in aren't worn. That all adjustments are as exactly the factory advise and that the clutch cable doesn't have sharp bends and is properly lubricated. Etc, etc, etc.

You get the picture. Even the clutch lever pivot on the handlebar being worn can make a difference.

Once you have everything perfect and then find you still have a problem it is time to think of modifications. Generally speaking I find with bikes of that age there is a tiny bit of wear in every part which doesn't look much but adds up to make problems for those of us who are starting to creak and groan a bit.

As someone with the same sort of problems (new hip next month) I find that getting fussy about how the controls work makes life a lot easier plus makes the bike so much sweeter to ride.

Cheers,

[mark2]

this sounds like good advice as I have a 57 swing arm thunderbird and the clutch is very nice , not heavy when compared to my t140 

[bikerbob]

Good advice I have a BSA A65 and was experiencing a stiff clutch operation  and after trying to adjust the clutch numerous times and make sure that the cable did not have any tight bends in it the problem turned out to be the nipple in the handlebar lever was binding slightly a few drops of oil and the clutch is now very light and easy to use.

[wink]

I never had a Triumph that didnīt clunk into gear but making sure that the lever isnīt touching the handlebar grip is the 1st thing to check.
Iīve got polymyalgic arthritis so Iīve not ridden for 3 years on real bikes. To help me squeeze the levers I alter the ratio of fulcrum to pull distance by  moving the nipple hole nearer to the pivot hole and bending the lever away from the handlebar. It looks silly but by hooking my fingers over the lever and pulling my hand back to the bars I can manage.

[mark2]

have you a pic of this alteration , my friend is having the same problem

[wink]

Sorry, camera battery died, Youīll need a gas welder to warm the lever and bend it outwards about an inch from the nipple hole or cut it and bend it and weld it back up. weld up the pivot hole and redrill it about 1/4 of the distance between them. Grind the lever back to where the original hole was to  clear the bit on the handlebars. Then youīll see that the cable slot has to be cut down further and the adjuster is at the wrong angle and itīs a lot of work for nowt but father never  did work out the big picture before he started a job.
SO to look even more silly weld the lever 4 inches longer and move it nearer the middle of the handle bar.
Longer lever gives more leverage and I never did worry about looks if something functioned better.
How about a foot clutch like the WD harley or even like a car!  OR try to sell the bloody lot like Iīm doing and lay in the sun.  Mobility scooters, itīs the future.

[Revband]

Some very good advice so far, one other thing with the Thunderbird clutch is that over the years the handlebar lever gets replaced and sometimes with the wrong one, the Thunderbird lever should measure 7/8 inch between the pivot bolt centre and the nipple hole centre, if yours measures 1 1/8 inch which is the more common lever change it to the correct one the difference is vast.

[wink]

Once youīre moving you have the slickshift on a Triumph.
Father put a Norton 16H clutch lever on his Lambretta to get more pull.
Mind you, itīs got a 350 Bullet in it.

[bullrush]

Thanks for your info. the 7/8 between pivots has made a big difference. Great advice

[Boo]

Try to ind yourself a nylon lined cable. I put one on my harley years ago, what a difference!