Clutch wouldnt return randomly.

heftynoma

Member
My cub with a 125 zongshen has 270 miles so far.
I went for a 30 minute drive and when I was approaching a stop sign I down shifted to 3rd and the transmission gears started grinding and the clutch wouldn't return. I revved it up and the clutch lever returned. This happened 5 minutes in to the drive and the bike was warmed to for 4 minutes. It happened 2 more times while down shifting in to 3rd. After that it was fine for 20 minutes.
Oil was changed at 50 miles and 150 miles.
Clutch is adjusted properly and works fine other then this scenario
Do I need to be concerned?1000001904.jpg
 

OLD CT

Well-Known Member
Sorry for being brutally honest. The clutches suck on ALL china engines, not Honda quality at all. This is why they are inexpensive at first. Sorry to hear you are having trouble with it. Have a look at the pushrod in the clutch cover, that round flat thingy.
 

kirrbby

Well-Known Member
Id start with the lever...then cable...then keep working my way into the engine looking for THE problem. Don't ride that thing till you find it. Something may be loose, hanging up, or out of place. Hopefully a easy fix right now...but could be worse if you keep running it.
 

heftynoma

Member
It happened again. This time it was in the garage and I was just sitting on it messing around with the controls.
I lubed the cable and it was still sticking. It ended up being this spring. It was binding up. I hit it with wd 40 and holy crap. This clutch feels completely different. Before it was stiff and sticky. Now a baby could pull the clutch it. Super smooth and way more predictable.
1000002133.jpg
 

dirtbkr188

Well-Known Member
There is supposed to be a jamnut on either side of the bracket where the cable goes through, not two on top of each other. Ideally, you leave the bottom jamnut off, pull up on the cable until it stops and then thread the top nut down to the bracket. Lastly, thread the bottom nut back on the cable and snug them both to the bracket. Make your fine-tune adjustment at the handlebar end with the knurled knob and knurled lock washer. There should only be about 2 to 3mm of freeplay on the lever before you feel it pulling on the cable.
 

heftynoma

Member
I had the nuts on either side of the bracket and it seemed so stupid because every time I went out even if it had a bucket of red thread locker on it, theyd losen up. I put them on top and jammed them together and it's never came loose. You definitely don't need a nut on the bottom. But my issues was fixed after lubing the spring on the clutch arm.
 
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