Clutch Ball park life

[tony h]

'87

I know it all depends on riding habits but I have 58K miles on the bike with original clutch. Do you all have more miles with original clutch, I'm very easy on it. to give you an idea, I have two cars with 300K miles on their original clutches.

 

I was bogging a bit in 5th gear and accelerated and I thought I heard the engine rev a bit. I didn't reinact it to see what would happen so I'm not sure if I sensed something that wasn't there.

[funrider]

My clutch started to slip last fall, had about 39,000 miles on it. This spring, because of a lack of money I did a cheap fix. I bought a new flex plat and just put it in leaving the old one in there also. The clutch lever pulls harder but the clutch has not slipped now in over 5000 miles of riding this year. The cost of the flex plat and new gasket was less than $60.00.

[Gearhead]

From my reading here and also personal experience, Yamaha clutches commonly start to slip in this mileage neighborhood. Both my 87 Virago and 87 VR did. In both cases I replaced only the friction discs and the problem was solved. The VR is now pushing 70k miles, no big deal (new Yammy factory discs). But the Virago has 135K miles, and I haven't had to touch the clutch since that one time in the 50k range (EBC aftermarket discs).

 

The weird part is that they don't wear out. In both cases, my old friction discs measured right on the spec for NEW plates! So why did they slip? Dunno... Both bikes were purchased with 40-some K miles on them. Maybe PO's had added Slick 50 in both cases, or some "energy conserving" grade of oil with "friction modifiers".

 

Jeremy

[tony h]

From my reading here and also personal experience, Yamaha clutches commonly start to slip in this mileage neighborhood. Both my 87 Virago and 87 VR did. In both cases I replaced only the friction discs and the problem was solved. The VR is now pushing 70k miles, no big deal (new Yammy factory discs). But the Virago has 135K miles, and I haven't had to touch the clutch since that one time in the 50k range (EBC aftermarket discs).

 

The weird part is that they don't wear out. In both cases, my old friction discs measured right on the spec for NEW plates! So why did they slip? Dunno... Both bikes were purchased with 40-some K miles on them. Maybe PO's had added Slick 50 in both cases, or some "energy conserving" grade of oil with "friction modifiers".

 

Jeremy

Good to know. Yeah, the wet clutches seem to last forever it seems. I wonder if just replacing the 'Bird cage' would solve it.

Odd you say you just replaced the discs and funrider just replaced the Pressure plate ( birdcage). Hmmmm.

At least I know I'm due to do something. I bought the bike 13+ years ago with under 4K on it. so The P.O. didn't have time to screw with it.

[cmiles3]

I'm closing in on 82,000 miles. I'm the 3rd owner; put about 40,000 miles of my own on it. Had a little slipping in 4th revving up on the acceleration lane of the expressway, but it went away when I change the oil. Haven't had it come back.

 

I don't pop the clutch, but I don't take it easy either. No red line starts, but a lot of acceleration after the clutch engages. I use the friction zone to manage low speeds in parking lots and such.

[Gearhead]

Odd you say you just replaced the discs and funrider just replaced the Pressure plate ( birdcage).

 

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think funrider is referring to the pressure plate, but rather the diaphragm spring. He stacked two springs, doubling the pressure on the clutch.

 

Jeremy

[GeorgeS]

Well, just floor board it in 2nd gear, if its going to slip, that where it will show up.

 

Or, down shift to 3rd or 4th at highway speed, and floor board it. Thats where mine let go, doing about 65.

 

Cheap fix, is a new set of Springs, and a new gasket for the cover.

 

Some have said the V-Max Stock springs are stronger, but not sure on that.

 

Or the Barnett Pressure plate, to replace the Stock unit.

[rhncue]

Well, just floor board it in 2nd gear, if its going to slip, that where it will show up.

 

Or, down shift to 3rd or 4th at highway speed, and floor board it. Thats where mine let go, doing about 65.

 

Cheap fix, is a new set of Springs, and a new gasket for the cover.

 

Some have said the V-Max Stock springs are stronger, but not sure on that.

 

Or the Barnett Pressure plate, to replace the Stock unit.

 

I bought my 83 in 2000 with 22,000 miles. At around 28 to 30,000 miles the clutch started slipping. The 83 has 6 coil springs. The discs looked good so I just changed these springs to what an after market dealer called heavy duty springs. It has not slipped since and now has 69,000 miles.

 

Dick

[greg_in_london]

I have a suspicion that some of the oil doom mongers may be right for a change on the VR. I have always used a good quality car oil - the best available at a reasonable price and recently put in a good fully synthetic modern oil.

 

Now ever since I've had my VR it has had a slipping clutch on wide/full throttle at around 3000 revs (peak torque). Although I bought HD springs I never got around to fitting them as the clutch never got worse. I seldom wound it to full thottle and if I wanted max acceleration I just backed it off as I went through middle revs.

 

Then I fitted a sidecar and began pulling a trailer and still the clutch has become no worse 20,000 miles later. At the oil change the clutch has worsened slightly again, but without causing a problem. While touring, I suppose that climbing through the mountains could lead to a problem, but probably in a place where overheating would be a problem if I didn't slow down.

 

I'm not going to recommend anything except a good synthetic (well other oils are good enough, but I think sythetic is better), but possibly the friction enhancers upset the VR clutch - some other posters recommend a diesel oil (as apparently they don't have them ??).

[TRnCO]

68,000 miles on original clutch on my 86, no slipping that I can feel. I do run 15w40 Rotella T oil, and have for the last 10,000 miles or so.

[wild hair 39]

my 89vr had 154,000 on the oem clutch,at about 80,000 put a v-max spring i,have a set of disc,that can with the spring,old ones miced better then the new one,so,the old ones went back in,had the clutch open 3 or 4 times,used the same gasket,

just did the voyager[110,000] clutch,new springs old disc,the voyager clutch disc are directional,i'm using 4W 40 sgn

unless they are burnt,they are more likely ok

[hig4s]

I was under the impression the "clutch ball" would last as long as the bike remained parked !!

 

[greg_in_london]

Ho ho...

[Big Daddy]

When I did my 83 I purchased a set of heavy duty springs (along with friction discs) from Barrnett. Turns out (oddly enough) they are springs originally for an old sportster. A little more lever effort but not a problem to me and the clutch never slips no matter what hooliganism I try.