Clutch from bad to worse

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Lorax,

No, the tech tip and consensus is only the extra steel, they are placed next to each other in the middle of the pack. There's barely enough room in the pack with the extra steel, I'm surprised there was room for the extra friction as well?
T.C.

[Ljay40]

The manual states 8 friction plates and only 7 steel plates
So when you add the extra steel in the middle you will have 8 of each, just make sure you have fiber on the outsides of the basket
Unlike I did

[pggg]

No room for another friction, so just double up on 2 steels together, steels don't spin, only the frictions do - or is it the other way round, can't quite remember, I tried one steel and one friction added to the outside, they packed in OK, but no room for the plunger to work properly, clutch lever won't pull right in, a double steel and good springs is all you need, springs eventually get weak, just slam in new springs whenever needed, I slam in new springs every year or two, have used an extra steel plate for years on my hotted XS, works a treat.

[The Lorax]

They all fit because they were all well under tolerance. as I was removing them, the friction discs were losing their lining in chunks. it was a little beyond bazaar. I set it up as stock when I put it back together, but I actually had 9 and 8 instead of 8 and 7....go figure, nothing about this machine has been even remotely normal. I guess its kind of like our respective other halves, we love them not inspite of but because of their imperfections. anyway, I believe I'm hooked on this beast

[79XS11F]

Is the adding of this extra steel plate in the middle just to account for wear on the entire set of steel and fiber plates? Or ... is this something that increases the clutches performance and can be done even if the clutch plates are new?
Rob

[TopCatGr58]

Rob,

Partly for older baskets that may have seen some wear on the Pressure Plates, but I did it with new frictions, and new springs, the steels were old, but not really worn, could still easily see the dimple pattern on the surface, the frictions are what really wear down. Provides a very strong "bite" for those high revs.
T.C.

[79XS11F]

OK both my clutches have steel plates with good well defined dimple patterns so I will guess that I'm good to go with my current steel plates.
Rob