1979 kz1300 clutch cable connection and operation

The ball ramp clutch actuators are one of the more misunderstood assemblies and probably misadjusted constantly. In order to get the most effective clutch disengagement, the balls on the race need to sit in the ball pockets as deep as possible. If the sequence of adjusting the actuator and then the cables is not followed, it's possible to end up with an adjusted assembly and no effective clutch disengagement when the cable is pulled.

My preference for adjusting is to start by screwing in the clutch cables adjusters so that you can't mistake the feel when adjusting the actuator.
Next, loosen off the actuator adjuster locking nut.
Rotate the adjusting screw on the actuator in until you feel the balls on the actuator ball race sit in the pockets on the fixed ball ramp in the case and the ball race in the actuator shaft. It will feel like the assembly is locked up. The actuator arm should be past 90 degrees by maybe 10 degrees to the clutch cable This needs a light touch on the screwdriver.
Now back off the adjuster screw a 1/4 turn. This allows for clutch plate wear. If this is not done, as the clutch plates wear, the actuator will start holding pressure on the clutch rod all the way through to the clutch pack and clutch slippage can occur. This is one of the downfalls of this type of actuator. The other downfall is that if and when clutch slipping is noticed, backing off the cable has no effect since the actuator has a backstop due to the ball pockets. (Hope I haven't lost you here)

Next, I prefer to adjust the top cable adjuster first leaving it somewhat in the middle of the adjustment, to allow adjustment if needed by hand.
Then adjust the lower cable adjuster and take out the remaining slack.

I had written:
Given the previous suggestions and your assurances that all the parts are there - there's clearly something amiss. In the second video you pull out the push-rod but did not remove it entirely. In the manuals Clutch diagram (H84) there's one "ball" (#12) that hasn't been mentioned. It's possible that if the push rod was removed previously, this ball has rolled out and is hiding somewhere on your floor !

Then saw that stan had already mentioned this.

that there was the first time i had pulled out the rod and even then as the video showed, only partly.........it was never touched before this or since.
so i think its all intact in there....

kawboy, so you are adjusting in a sense before you position the cover on the bike...?

No. The cover needs to be on the bike. But if you still have the cover off, you may want to look at the movement of the actuator, ball race and the fixed plate in the cover just to get your head wrapped around how it works. It will all make sense then. The balls of the ball race need to sit in the pockets of both the fixed plate in the cover and the actuator. At that point you can reference the actuator arm to see where it should sit when the clutch is engaged before pulling the cable.. Then put the cover on and have a go at doing the adjustment.

just snapped the cable.
....ohh this bike....!!!!
i suppose its better here and now than on the road in the outback somewhere....
i will return as soon as i get the cable.