Slipping Clutch?? What to replace

[bostonlawman2003]

Ok guys, I've been mostly a lurker here for the past 5 years or so, but have started to get my $12 out of the site over the past few weeks with all kinds of questions and good advice coming from you guys! So thanks for everything so far, and I'm hoping to get some more good advice now about my clutch.

 

Once a year in June I pull a pretty heavy trailer on a group camping trip, about 500 miles round trip. Last year as we were running out the Massachusetts Turnpike, we had just pulled out of a rest stop and merged into traffic on a pretty good uphill grade. When I kicked the bike into 4th gear and got on her a little bit it felt to me that the motor was winding up but the bike wasn't getting any of the power to the wheel. I am far from an expert, but I have put a lot of miles on several different bikes and have never had this sensation before. Was this my clutch slipping?

 

Rode for the rest of the season and never experienced this again. Didn't think to much of it, until the other day.

 

Got out with a buddy on his 30 year old new to him Goldwing 1200 and he decided to stretch her legs a little bit when a traffic light turned green. I didn't realize he was going to do this, and when I finally figured out what he was doing I got onto the throttle pretty hard, and had the same sensation as I had felt last year on the highway, only in third gear this time.

 

Having said all that, my June trip is coming up pretty quickly here, and if I'm right about what the problem is, I think I want to do the clutch upgrade before I leave. Can anyone offer some advice as to what I need to replace, I've read people doing all the plates and springs, others just doing the spring, and I'm not sure what I need to do to fix my problem. I really like the feel of the stock clutch, so if I can keep that and rectify my problem I'd love to.

 

Sorry to be so long winded, thanks in advance for your help again.

[Bert2006]

It looks like your clutch is slipping. I had the same simptoms on mine last year in 3rd to 5th gear. I upgraded to the Barnett spring conversion kit and it solved my problem. Its an easy job to do it. Look in the tech section as there is a writup there on how to do it. Also do a search on youtube using clutch and venture as key words. Someone has posted a video onhow its done. I will look and add links here when i find them.

[Bert2006]

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwijrt6b1q_MAhXlsIMKHYorCS4QtwIIKzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOk1TQ0beYOI&usg=AFQjCNGwk89u7Xob6aHL2wUrqqlTDznZmg&bvm=bv.120551593,d.amc

 

Link to video. It shows how to replace friction plates and do the barnett upgrade. In my case I only did the upgrade as the plates looked good.

[bongobobny]

There is an alternative quicker, easier, and cheaper solution as well! PCW racing makes a heavy duty pressure plate that does the job. You can buy one from Earl, Skydoc_17 as he sells a kit with a new cover gasket. Not that what Bert suggests is wrong, his suggestion is the best way to fix it! Doing the PCW spring also works though. Now, you did mention that you like the feel of the stock clutch, so consider this. The complete Barnett setup makes for a stronger feeling clutch with less travel of the clutch handle to engage, and it comes on strong and hard!

 

I am assuming you still have the original clutch in the bike. How many miles on it?? Now the issue you had when you were towing sounds like the plates got heated up resulting in the slippage you noticed. Once it had a chance to cool down it returned to normal. You may have scorched the discs and steel plates a little. Didn't kill them, but reduced their effectiveness I'm sure!

 

When I first triked my '09 within a year I pretty much killed my clutch due to the increased weight, towing a trailer, and slipping the clutch a little bit too much learning to drive the trike! I replaced my clutch plate with Yamaha's heavy duty full size clutch, and replaced the friction discs and steel plates with new ones (The old ones turned a pretty shade of bluish purple) and used the PCW spring. That was several years ago and the clutch still feels and acts fine regardless of towing, and hours blasting down the superslab at 80+ MPH! However, if my clutch goes out again, I will upgrade to the Barnett setup...

[bostonlawman2003]

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwijrt6b1q_MAhXlsIMKHYorCS4QtwIIKzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOk1TQ0beYOI&usg=AFQjCNGwk89u7Xob6aHL2wUrqqlTDznZmg&bvm=bv.120551593,d.amc

 

Link to video. It shows how to replace friction plates and do the barnett upgrade. In my case I only did the upgrade as the plates looked good.

 

This is great! I'm absolutely going to use this video! Thanks for the link

[bostonlawman2003]

There is an alternative quicker, easier, and cheaper solution as well! PCW racing makes a heavy duty pressure plate that does the job. You can buy one from Earl, Skydoc_17 as he sells a kit with a new cover gasket. Not that what Bert suggests is wrong, his suggestion is the best way to fix it! Doing the PCW spring also works though. Now, you did mention that you like the feel of the stock clutch, so consider this. The complete Barnett setup makes for a stronger feeling clutch with less travel of the clutch handle to engage, and it comes on strong and hard!

 

I am assuming you still have the original clutch in the bike. How many miles on it?? Now the issue you had when you were towing sounds like the plates got heated up resulting in the slippage you noticed. Once it had a chance to cool down it returned to normal. You may have scorched the discs and steel plates a little. Didn't kill them, but reduced their effectiveness I'm sure!

 

When I first triked my '09 within a year I pretty much killed my clutch due to the increased weight, towing a trailer, and slipping the clutch a little bit too much learning to drive the trike! I replaced my clutch plate with Yamaha's heavy duty full size clutch, and replaced the friction discs and steel plates with new ones (The old ones turned a pretty shade of bluish purple) and used the PCW spring. That was several years ago and the clutch still feels and acts fine regardless of towing, and hours blasting down the superslab at 80+ MPH! However, if my clutch goes out again, I will upgrade to the Barnett setup...

 

Thanks for the help! I just ordered the full upgrade kit from Earl. Hopefully it will get here soon and I can get it all taken care of before I head off in June.

 

Does his kit eliminate the need for that little wire in there or will I have to replace that?

 

You mentioned I may have scorched the discs and steel plates a little....should I consider ordering a new set of steel plates too or will the new discs be ok?? The steel plates are relatively cheap, so if you guys think it's in my best interest to replace them, I'd just assume do it all now instead of having to pull it all apart again in a few months.

 

Thanks again everyone!

[GeorgeS]

Question: ? Are you using Motorcycle Oil ?? NOT Car engine oil---

 

If you use the car oil, it has extra lubricants in it, that will cause the clutch to slip.

 

If so, change to " Motorcycle " oil . I have the Barnett clutch, and it was starting to slip again using Mobil One.

My mistake, switched to " Motorcycle Oil " and now not slipping

[bostonlawman2003]

Question: ? Are you using Motorcycle Oil ?? NOT Car engine oil---

 

If you use the car oil, it has extra lubricants in it, that will cause the clutch to slip.

 

If so, change to " Motorcycle " oil . I have the Barnett clutch, and it was starting to slip again using Mobil One.

My mistake, switched to " Motorcycle Oil " and now not slipping

 

Thanks for the idea, but yes, I've used the Rotella T-6 synthetic oil in her since I got her.

 

She's got just under 35,000 miles on her and really hasn't given me any trouble at all.

[bongobobny]

Hmmm, as far as the steel spacers, it depends on just how much you scorched and/or glazed them. You are right, they are cheap enough to buy new, or you can flat lap each side on a piece of sandpaper to restore them (use around 320 grit) but that takes a loooong time and is a lot of work!

 

If you bought the HD wider clutch plate in the kit then no, you no longer use the wire... Ask Earl which clutch plate he sold you.

[GeorgeS]

As to the type of oil to use: Before you go to the expense of replaceing the Clutch Parts.

 

Do an oil change, use a Motorcycle Oil, with API Services, SJ/ SG/ SF, JASO MA2.

 

I switched to Valvoline, Motorcycle Oil, 4T Stroke Full Synthetic 10W - 40. About 2 months ago. and my

clutch STOPPED !! slipping.

 

The important thing here is NOT the brand, or weight, its the API Service Rateing !!!

I bought this Oil, at my local , Autozone, I was shopping for the " Rateing " not the brand.

 

Again, I was using , Mobil One, Car, Oil. and it was slipping, even with a Barnett Pressure Plate Installed.

After the oil change, the slipping stopped.

 

Give it a try, or go to a motorcycle dealer, and try Any brand of motorcycle oil, this might solve your problem !!

A lot cheaper then replaceing the clutch

[bongobobny]

Yah! George is spot on! Absolutely do NOT use any oil with friction inhibitors in it!! Myself I use non synthetic diesel oil, usually Rotella...

[bostonlawman2003]

Ok, I think you guys convinced me, I'm going to switch to the Valvoline Motorcycle Oil 4T Stroke Full Synthetic 10W-40

 

I already ordered the clutch, so I may just go ahead and change it out when it arrives as well. I'll have to think about this now.

[bongobobny]

Yah!! From what you described with the incident while towing, you probably did some damage to the plates and discs so you might as well make like new, and this time protect the clutch with the right oil...

[garyS-NJ]

Talk about oil!! Nah, I'm just getting some miles on my bike after resurrecting her from a seized motor state and I've noticed clutch slip on highway uphill downshift 5-4 & heavy ish throttle. From what ice read this is almost to be expected ( smooth but not strong stock clutch..). So I'm figuring a spring upgrade and will continue see the plates when I get there (gotta learn about that fat disc thing..). But point here is I've been using the Rotella diesel oil (10w-30 or 40) in my bikes (for the extra zinc lubrication and its inexpensive) & good to here it should be no problem with the clutch (was worried about that but haven't snooped all the oil/clutch threads).