Clutch slip

[xschop]

Hi all

I have been using the Castrol 20-50 off the shelf because I have seen it posted on the site here forever. As you all know I now have Taller gearing and I am feeling slippage now in 4th and 5th gears when I get on it. Before the taller gearing I sometimes felt slippage in 3rd and 4th gears. I have never torn apart the clutch and will this winter on the "Blue Streak". I have a NEW set of "Heavy Duty" springs and now I don't know if I should try T.C.'s Extra plate Mod or just install these springs/ Or both...What to do?

[81xsproject]

If you have read my above problems, I suggest doing it all the very first time and not having to tear it down several times. Sand the metal plates, add an extra, replace the frictions, add hd springs, and a properly adjusted, freshly lubed, new cable. Cost is low and beats the hell out of doing it over and over again.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Chop,

Aside from wear and tear of the steels which is minimal, there is also wear and tear on the main pressure plates....aluminum! Also some stretching of the 6 shafts that the clutch bolts screw into may also be contributing to the overall slackness? The extra steel helps take up that slack, so the new springs are under a little more compression tension than without the extra steel. With new frictions, lots of gripping force available.

I also wonder if the newer oils now available vs. the ones we had in the 70's and early 80's, are more refined, have less impurities, and are therefore a bit more slippery than the same grade of 30 years ago!?!?

When I did that tech tip work, my plates spec'd out just .05 less than full OEM spec thickness, well within spec, but I was having slippage in high gear under strong throttle action! The extra steel fixed that along with new fibers and springs! I probably could have just put the extra steel in and used the old fibers, but I had them on hand, so I went ahead and put them in!! I was also surprised to find that the old springs which were NEW HD type that I had installed just 5 years, less than 10K miles earlier were already SPRUNG, and less than spec!
T.C.

[xschop]

Thanks Xs and T.C.

I am Going to follow the tech tip and install the new springs. My question is, who has the best friction plates and should I put in the new plates and install the extra steel? I only want to tear the STREAK down once....I have extra clutch assemblies to scrounge off of for the parts....

[TopCatGr58]

Best vs. economical

Many folks say that Barnett's is the best, their kevlar type, but I've also heard problems with them gripping too much, a persistent creep with the clutch lever pulled all the way in!?

The ones on PNM I believe are VESRAH, don't know if EBC makes any. With the extra steel, super grabbing frictions aren't necessary, and the PNM ones are only $5.00 ea, you'll pay up to or over $100 for the Barnett's for a set of 8. But, yes, I would put the extra steel in WITH the new plates and springs! JMHO!
T.C.

[pggg]

I know I'm getting over 100 HP at the tyre, my clutch is packed tight with stiffer 6 coil springs(standard springs are 7 coil) and double thickness steel in the middle, when the springs are new you feel the extra heavyness at the lever, no hint of slipping with that same setup TC shows, but the springs lose their strength alright, a hotted motor at full throttle deals to them eventually, I buy 2 sets of springs at a time, it's simple to throw new ones in every year or so, or when needed.