Article [13] ST1300 - Clutch Fluid Replacement

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Thanks for this info!! I started my bike after a long winters nap and I found that I had no clutch.. Looked it up here and a quick trip the the auto parts store. I have completed the fluid change and everything seems to be working.. THANKS!
 

Mountain Mike

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Wow, great easy to follow writeup. I just did my brakes and found great tips to make it easier next time. Now to do my clutch!
 
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Re: ST1300 Clutch fluid replacement

So bleeding my clutch and cannot get all the air out. Not my first time doing and have lost of experience wrenching on many types of vehicles. Using a manual mityvac as well as trying hand bleeding. removed bleeder valve and teflon taped as well. have run over 32oz of brakefluid and still basically unlimited are big bubbles. Any ideas what to try?
 
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Yes I am I have bleed literally hundreds of clutches and brakes but this actually seems to have a leak somewhere but no fluid seems to be escaping. I am hoping not to have to take all the tupperware off and look.
 

Mellow

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You're always going to get bubbles with the mighty vac, there's so much suction that it pulls air from the hose/bleeder area but it's all going INTO the direction of the suction - the mighty vac. If you're worried about it, just do it the manual way with just a hose off the mighty vac, very easy w/a clutch bleed.
 
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Yes the mityvac will all ways pull some bubbles but I can not get any tension on the clutch lever. When I manual bleed I will get to the point of not getting any air but still no tension on clutch lever. Starting bike on center stand and putting in gear with clutch pulled still drives rear wheel like clutch is not pulled in at all. Go back to manual bleed and get a bunch of big bubbles. Have done this a dozen times at least. It seems like air is getting into system some how.
 
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hamilton Il.
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Thanks this is a great write up and spot on accurate. This was my first time bleeding the clutch I was done in under a hour.. Thanks for your effort and time.
 
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GallantRider

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Thanks so much for this article, like everyone else this was my first fluid change and it worked a treat!
Steve
 

pumper316

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Great article and thanks for the step-by-step walk-through. One thing that I always do after flushing the fluid on my clutch line, I pull the clutch lever in and leave it zip-tied overnight. Never had to deal with manual bleeding when I do this.
 
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Orlando Florida
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Nice documentation of clutch fluid change. I used the hand held Mighty Vac but its better to put hose onto bleed nipple than use the adaptor as it leaks air in my opinion. You really don't need the Mighty Vac unless you have no resistance at all on lever. Big difference with new fluid, overtime hydraulic fluid attracts water at least that is what I have read which was my problem.
 
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I'll be doing this along with a few other necessary maintenance items over the winter. Nice write up.
 
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Great write-up, and really appreciate all the pictures. I have many things on my to-do list, this being one of them. I will be tackling this soon!
 
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Went to change the clutch fluid recently, but the clutch bleed valve is immovable! After multiple applications of penetrating oil over the last week, still no success is getting it loose. I'm very concerned that if I apply too much torque in my effort to open the valve, I could snap it off. That would be VERY BAD news!

Anyone have a similar experience? Solutions? Are there any other feasible ways to bleed the clutch system without using this valve? Thanks.
 

Andrew Shadow

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If you are really stuck and have exhausted all other options and have absolutely no other alternative, short of removing the slave cylinder to work on it, heat will loosen it but a propane torch won't cut it. You will need an acetylene torch with a pencil tip. With that set up you will be able to get the bleeder very hot very fast without heating up the surrounding slave cylinder very much. This of course assumes that there is sufficient room to get in there with a torch safely- I don't know if that is the case or not. I also do not know if there is enough room between where the bleeder is and where the seal is located to prevent seal damage. Some of the guys here who have changed the slave cylinder (Pete) might be able to offer an opinion on that. It will usually come out quite easily once heated. You will want to replace the bleeder screw of course and flush all the fluid out. I have had to do this on brake calipers before and have never damaged any calipers or seals doing this but I have experience with acetylene torches and seized fasteners. You might want to loosen the fluid line before as well just as a pressure relief valve in case you heat to much and overheat the fluid if you are uncertain of the process. Do not remove it however- you want fluid in there to absorb the heat to protect the seal. If you decide to attempt this and have never used an acetylene torch before you might want to have someone who has experience with them to do it for you- 6, 000 deg. F can do a lot of damage very quickly. Again. this is a last resort of course only to try avoiding removing the slave cylinder. I am assuming that you have tried all of the usual methods such as the penetrating fluids, tapping it with a hammer, rocking it back and forth if there is any movement at all, etc., etc.. Another trick that I have heard of is quick freezing it with one of those cans of quick-freeze which I assume is nitrogen. I have never tried this so I can't offer an opinion on its efficacy.
 
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Minneapolis, mn
Since it's been a month, I'm sure you figured your bleed valve issue.... As I went for my first ride today, I fired the 'ol girl up, dropped it into 1st and it immediately lurched forward and stalled out.... Long story short I needed to bleed my clutch.... Mine didn't want to loosen either so a shot of penetrating oil, then the silver bullet, a needle nose vise grip to grab the tube the bleed screw goes into, then instead of a steady turn of the 10mm wrench a quick snap/turn and she was free...
 
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