BURNT! clutch.. wow..

[1BigDog]

Hmmmm, based on these new lean angle theories, what would happen if we ride the bike on the other side of the earth, say in china? Would the oil then be pooled up in the heads?????

 

 

 

:rasberry:

[Seaking]

Hmmmm, based on these new lean angle theories, what would happen if we ride the bike on the other side of the earth, say in china? Would the oil then be pooled up in the heads?????

 

Now you know why the Aussies and Kiwis carry their bikes instead of riding them..

[BEER30]

I went to the PCW clutch kit at 18K+ as I ride 2 up and pull a trailer. Clutch started slipping some when I got hard on it in higher gears. So me thinking that getting the clutch kit would help. Now I had the VIP plan up to 2 oil changes ago. Be soon doing my 3rd here shortly using Rotella 15-40 Triple Protection. Keep in mind I do quite a few parades and stop-n- go's pulling the trailer as I mount my flags on Rolling Thunder events. Also to say I crack them 4-2-4 Baron's to get the parade crowd fired up. That itself does a lot of wear and tear on the clutches. I presently have over 62k on the scoot.

Recently this past fall my clutch started slipping again. RiderDuke helped me change my clutch fluid , but it wasn't the problem. I pulled my clutch and also noticed black steels and somewhat dark with gritty feel to the fibers. I cross-sanded with 400 grit and re-installed making sure installation was correct. Bike runs smoother now, but still back in my head , I think I may get more slippage sooner down the road. I called PCW and told them anything and everything of the history of my scoot and my riding habits. Their suggestions was that I am burning my clutch fibers as well, but believe I still have some life left in them. I also mic'd the fibers and steels and all within tolerance. Though they are still in tolerance, they are damaged and they suggest that I replace the fibers and bead blast the steels here in the near future. That I will be doing after M-Day.

Meanwhile , I have no apparent slippage at this time. Not to say I may have to get on it for evasive maneuvers , but I will keep a close eye on it.

 

BEER30

[Seaking]

I'm starting to think I might actually have an additional problem with my clutch, even though I had a shop bleed and flush the clutch fluid and I installed new steel and fiber plates.

 

the lever is now making squeaky noises when pulling in the clutch and, this is hard to explain, but feels like I'm not getting a consistent clutch lever movement to the friction zone..

 

Before changing the clutch parts out, my friction zone was so minimal it sucked.. After I installed the new plates on, it was back to what I felt was normal.. After some more riding, I feel as if the friction zone play on the lever is again reduced but a solid clutch..

 

But the squeaking in the clutch lever now has me nervous.. Has it always been there but I never heard it due to the radio? I hear it now because my radio died.. argh.. lol

 

I'll lube the lever hinge but dunno if that's the noise or if it's something else..

 

ergh

[fishrepair]

I HAD TROUBLE WITH MY CLUTCH SLIPPING ALSO. IT'S NOT THE OIL. THE CLUTCH SPRING LOSES TENSION AFTER SO MANY MILES.I HAVE A PARTS BIKE AND I REMOVED THE CLUTCH SPRING FROM THE PARTS BIKE AND DOUBLED UP ON THE CLUTCH SPRING ON THE WORKING BIKE. NO MORE CLUTCH SLIPPING AND THERE IS NOW LOADS OF TORQUE THAT I DID'NT HAVE BEFORE. THIS IS A EASY AND INEXPENSIVE FIX.

[Condor]

But the squeaking in the clutch lever now has me nervous.. Has it always been there but I never heard it due to the radio? I hear it now because my radio died.. argh.. lol

 

I'll lube the lever hinge but dunno if that's the noise or if it's something else..

 

ergh

 

What grade DOT fluid did you use to flush the master?? Sorry, had to ask...

[Seaking]

I HAD TROUBLE WITH MY CLUTCH SLIPPING ALSO. IT'S NOT THE OIL. THE CLUTCH SPRING LOSES TENSION AFTER SO MANY MILES.I HAVE A PARTS BIKE AND I REMOVED THE CLUTCH SPRING FROM THE PARTS BIKE AND DOUBLED UP ON THE CLUTCH SPRING ON THE WORKING BIKE. NO MORE CLUTCH SLIPPING AND THERE IS NOW LOADS OF TORQUE THAT I DID'NT HAVE BEFORE. THIS IS A EASY AND INEXPENSIVE FIX.

 

As mentioned before, I have the PCW spring in mine.. And you say you have TWO oem clutch spring plates in yours?? interesting.. I heard people doing that.. never seen it..

[Seaking]

What grade DOT fluid did you use to flush the master?? Sorry, had to ask...

 

No kidding.. it crossed my mind to ask.. erk.. Imagine they used something 'other' than DOT4, ouch that would be not nice.. I'll have to ask them

[RossKean]

There is a little brass bushing in the clutch lever. This pushes the clutch actuator piston. A drop of oil on the bushing may help. I had to replace the bushing on mine because it was severely worn - don't think the previous owner ever lubed it. (Yes, it squeaked and made the clutch feel notchy). Part number is SKU: 3GM-26455-00-00;

cryptically identified as "BUSH" on the parts fiche.

 

Ross

 

I'm starting to think I might actually have an additional problem with my clutch, even though I had a shop bleed and flush the clutch fluid and I installed new steel and fiber plates.

 

the lever is now making squeaky noises when pulling in the clutch and, this is hard to explain, but feels like I'm not getting a consistent clutch lever movement to the friction zone..

 

Before changing the clutch parts out, my friction zone was so minimal it sucked.. After I installed the new plates on, it was back to what I felt was normal.. After some more riding, I feel as if the friction zone play on the lever is again reduced but a solid clutch..

 

But the squeaking in the clutch lever now has me nervous.. Has it always been there but I never heard it due to the radio? I hear it now because my radio died.. argh.. lol

 

I'll lube the lever hinge but dunno if that's the noise or if it's something else..

 

ergh

[Seaking]

There is a little brass bushing in the clutch lever. This pushes the clutch actuator piston. A drop of oil on the bushing may help. I had to replace the bushing on mine because it was severely worn - don't think the previous owner ever lubed it. (Yes, it squeaked and made the clutch feel notchy). Part number is SKU: 3GM-26455-00-00;

cryptically identified as "BUSH" on the parts fiche.

 

Ross

 

Thanks M8.. I lubed the clutch lever area this morning on my way to course and it stopped squeaking and felt a lot smooth.. good friction zone again..

 

Harsh riding in 40 kph winds, gusting 65 kph on the highway.. woof =)

[RossKean]

You might want to take off the lever (one bolt) and pop out the bushing (very easy) and give it a good clean and lube with lithium grease or something similar. Won't take you 10 minutes. Brass on aluminum makes a mess after a time; all kinds of black goo will likely come off it. I used a cotton swab and some varsol to really clean it up.

 

Ross

 

Thanks M8.. I lubed the clutch lever area this morning on my way to course and it stopped squeaking and felt a lot smooth.. good friction zone again..

 

Harsh riding in 40 kph winds, gusting 65 kph on the highway.. woof =)

[Seaking]

You might want to take off the lever (one bolt) and pop out the bushing (very easy) and give it a good clean and lube with lithium grease or something similar. Won't take you 10 minutes. Brass on aluminum makes a mess after a time; all kinds of black goo will likely come off it. I used a cotton swab and some varsol to really clean it up.

 

Ross

 

Many thanks for that tidbit M8... much appreciated!!

[mabeline]

Took an advanced riding course a little over a week ago. Eveything was fine on the way home from the course, but on the way to the course the second day the clutch started slipping if I got hard on the gas. I read a few of the threads on clutch problems and thought ok it's the spring, not a biggy! Ordered the spring, bolts, and gasket and told my dealer to ship it air freight as I'm leaving for holidays on July 4. Later I read some more threads ( Seaking taking the advanced course) and thought OH CRAP I hope I didn't burn the plates. So to add to my hair pulling the parts that I did order weren't showing up. My dealer tracked them down yesterday afternoon, they're in Calgary which is 2 1/2 hours from me. They're closed today for the holiday but open on Satuday morning. So I guess I'm making a trip. Tonight I shone a flashlight in the oil filler hole and the plates that I can see look a little tan colored. I really hope I didn't burn the $^&%$&** plates.

 

Mabeline

[ed280]

When you fry a clutch on a hydraulic system....make sure you bleed your clutch.....Chances are you boiled the fluid on the bottom end...Slow manuevers and parades are tough in the summer........

[Sylvester]

I have done the advanced rider course many times. I try to do it every 3 years at least. I have never had to overly slip the clutch or abuse the engine at all. I think there is another problem.

 

[midnightventure]

I got the Ride Like a Pro CD a few years ago and did the exercises. I thought then that if somebody rode like that a lot that there would be clutch problems in their future.

[Seaking]

I think I found what the problem was.. I had bought a new Barnetts Carbon Fiber plate stack up which I replaced this weekend and noticed that the bail (wire retainer that holds the last steel plate and half sized friction plate) wasn't seated all the way in.. though locked in place, it sat a little higher up above the clutch hub which might not have permitted the next friction plate to touch that steel plate properly.. When ever I pulled away, there was a slight last minute 'grab' as the plates finally locked up at the end of the friction zone.

 

When I installed the new plates in the weekend, I made sure that the bail was properly installed and flush with it's groove, and that took away the last minute grab feeling and thus made slow riding more positive on the clutch. I most likely burnt out the previous clutch with too high a rev on the engine to keep the bike stable. Now that I have the Barnett plates and spring installed, and the bail properly seated, the Iron Cross is SO much easier etc. all at much lower revs than I remembered on the previous course.

 

I flush the clutch fluid 2 or 3 times a year (simple and easy to do) and use DOT4 synthetic.. Makes a world of difference.

[mabeline]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'll bleed the clutch fluid tomorrow. I'm hoping it is just the spring, and it was just dumb luck it started going bad the same time I took the course. I said in my last post that the courier company said that my parts were in Calgary, and they were going to be closed on Friday for Canada Day but will be open on saturday 8 to noon. Got up a little after 5am to do the 2 1/2 hour trip into Calgary and be kicking in the door a 8. I got there a little after 8 and guess what? Big sign on the door said THEY HAVEN'T BEEN OPEN ON SATUDAY SINCE MAY 4!!!! So after kicking stones in the parking lot for an hour, I thought what the heck I'm half way to my folks place. So I called mom and told her to put the coffee on and I got a 1000 km ride to boot. Sad part I have to go back to Calgary on monday again for my parts.

[Seaking]

Sorry but you complaining or bragging about a long ride on the RSV? Wasn't sure

[mabeline]

Sorry but you complaining or bragging about a long ride on the RSV? Wasn't sure

 

 

I guess I was bragging. I figured no use staying mad, if life gives you lemons might as well make lemonade!!

[GG54172]

This story seems familiar:

 

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=59668

 

I do a lot of low speed stuff on my bike too. When I took the clutch apart I noticed there is a lot of mass around the clutch and not much more than oil for cooling. I was doing the iron cross a couple of weekends ago and put the bike all the way down onto the crash bar. Just about lost it. rode on the crash bar about 15 ft. Need to bend the crash bar back now. ooops.

 

I don't think it's the oil, I think the clutches just got hot, and the heat sticks around.

 

Still fun to do the 20' box with my venture though, makes the students less apprehensive about turning around on a TW200.

[Seaking]

I'm figuring that the reason I kept killing the clutch is due to too high revs and dragging the rear brake in those slow maneuvers..

 

I just put in the Barnett carbon fiber plate kit and wow, what a world of different.. Tightening up the throttle cables (better throttle response) and keeping the revs low make this one heck of a nice handling bike in the tight corners and curves. A world of difference now. I always had that feeling of being on the verge of locking up the steering but now it's like I can turn the bars right to the stops and still maneuver the bike with ease. NICE!

 

But for me the trick on the course is to do an exercise once or twice and then pulling off to let the bike cool down.. It really sucked when the clutch gave up the ghost in the small circle and it was like taking the throttle completely off.. boom.. down it went. Luckily was going SO slow it just stopped as it dropped on the guards.. no scrape no drag

 

yeah, I'm REALLY liking my carbon fiber clutch kit and spring kit.

[dunsonaventure]

Speaking of clutches. My 99 started slipping alittle after returning from gatlinburg trip. Hard hard riding ... When I removed the resevoir cover the fluid was down very low. filled it pumped it back up and fine ever since. where did that fluid go????

[Seaking]

Evaporated, most likely.. that fluid gets hot when the clutch is worked hard..

 

To keep things 'fresh' when topping up the fluid I'll use a turkey baster to suck out the fluid from the reservoir and top it up with the fresh stuff in between flush periods. When on a recent road trip we got stuck doing 10 mph in stop and go traffic on an interstate highway for a couple of hours on a hot hot day.. tough on the left hand I might add. A stop at Wally Mart to get a baster and a bottle of DOT4 and refreshed the fluids for the rest of the ride..

 

Might sound excessive but it works for me and doesn't cost me.. easy preventive maintenance you can do on the road...

 

But that's just me.

[mabeline]

Well my parts finally showed up. Put the new spring in and gave it road test, helped 98% but if I got on the gas real hard I could feel it lerch. Pulled the clutch plates and ya they're burnt, maybe not as bad as Seakings but enough to cause a problem.Wish I would have read Seakings thread before I ordered parts. But there is a happy ending, friend of mine in town here is on vacation with his family and told me to steal his from his 07. So I get to leave on holidays tomorrow and Kevin will have a new clutch this time next week. Thanks Kevin I can't say it enough! As for slow speed manuvers I have to put into practice what has been said earlier.