more clutch woes

[beechfront]

i had been having clutch slipping problems, and replaced the plates/springs with factory.

now ~9,000 miles later it is beginning to slip again.

someone at the bozeman rally told me this would happen. they said to add an extra metal plate.

i just don't see how it can be that simple. to me it doesn't seem like there is enough room to fit an extra plate.

if so, where would i want to position the extra plate?



i have decided against buying a new(er) bike - and instead am going to spend probalby another $500 - $1000 on my XS before the next riding season.

scheduled maintenance in order:

clutch
exhaust
coils
big bore kit?
paint
misc

[jetmechmarty]

Can you upgrade the springs? Are you possibly very hard on the clutch and you wore it out already?

[beechfront]

no way i wore the clutch out already. i put those miles all on last month and they were 99% highway usually under 70mph.

also - the clutch plates that i took out were all within spec. it has got to be something else.

i replaced the springs with factory. they should be fine.

these parts have not been in the bike for more than 2 months, 9000 miles.

adjustment at the handlebar is fine - i have not checked the other - but given the parts i took out were all still within spec, something else has to be wrong.

i first started to notice the clutch slippage with about 4000 miles on the oil. i changed oil (not filter) and it seemed better, then another 4,000 miles later it started getting much worse. i realize the oil is probably pretty thin by then, but i don't think it should cause slippage. maybe i'm wrong?

[chevy45412001]

extra plate

i actualy went the extra plate route myself. like you i was having slip probs with brand new clutches also. i read that thread and went with it. works great so far been bout 2 years since i did it.I wonder if some of the aluminum parts inside don't stretch or something.go figure.

[beechfront]

where did you add the xtra plate at?

did you end up with two metal plates next to each other?

[pgg]

Beech, don't forget the large alloy pressure plate will be worn down a couple of mm. You can always grind a couple of mm off the spring 'stalks'.

[Winterhawk]

You might try bead blasting the metal plates then soaking the new fiber plates in motorcycle oil before installing them. Could be the initial clutch adjustment as it wants to tighten up. I'd run it in to a light seat and back it out 1/4 turn or so. There should be no steel to steel plates together I think.

[pgg]

Extra steel to steel is fine. they don't move.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Beechfront,

I agree with Winterhawk, you should first do the engine case clutch adjustment again. I did mine on the road just 1 year after I had done my rebuild. But yes the pressure plates can also wear some of their surface off! I had just checked the cycle-parts.com site the other day for the #2 pressure plate....the one in the bottom of the basket with the 6 shafts that the star bolts to, and it was still available for about $25.00 or so!?

As for placement, I think you put the extra steel down in the middle of the pack, cause they won't spin against each other, the extra one just takes up space, which puts more pressure against the other fibers next to them! You used OEM springs!! I would suggest since you're going to break it down, invest in some HD springs, they aren't but about $10.00 a set, and they don't make actuating the clutch really anymore difficult than the standard OEM's, but are supposedly a bit stiffer, providing more pressure!
T.C.

[chevy45412001]

??

was i wrong for putting in the extra steel?I don't feel comfortable grinding parts in the clutch area. That star thingy has to be right or we all know what happens if its not right! Snap goes the weesle.I had just read it in a thread and tried it . I'm just currious,cause i put 70 dollar clutches in and that did nothing for me i was at a loss,still am i guess.by the way i also tied the hd springs before i put the extra plate in,still no dice.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Chevy,

I don't think you were wrong in adding the extra steel, as mentioned above, it doesn't slide against the other steel! They are grabbed by the fibers, and the fibers are spun by the basket/primary gear assembly. The Steels spin the inner clutch boss which spins the shaft that then feeds the torque to the tranny. So, no grinding should occur. The steels will slide past the fibers, but not past/against each other! It could be that your #2 pressure plate is too worn?!

I put in the cheap JCW clutch plates, but no extra steel, and mine have worked for 4 years now, but not that many thousands of miles!?
T.C.

[pgg]

Chev, like you, I've run an extra plate for years. I think I wrote here once before - in NZ it's a common practice on older bikes. Probably coz we don't like dishing out big bucks for new parts! (which down here are never available anyway) Topcat says they can get a new thrust plate for $25. I wish!

[Geezer]

Clutch plates that are within spec will still slip if they're glazed. Try and open it up without wasting the gasket and clean the plates with a can of car cleaner spray and a copper pot scruber.

Another advantage of adding an extra steel (assuming there is room for it) is that it will move the stack to a less worn section of the clutch hub making disengagment easier.

Geezer

[chevy45412001]

wow

feel better now...lol. Sorry for bumpin your post beech,hope this helps you too.

[xs1100yam]

I'm sorry, but I don't agree...

1- This clutch have been designed to handle 95 HP (and sometimes more !...) longer than 1 mounth or 9000 m
2- This clutch never been designed to use one more plate and H D springs.

So, IMHO, the problem come from somewhere else; using 1 more plate and HD springs will just "hide" the problem, not fix it

I've experienced same problem with a XV 1100 Virago : clutch was slipping (5 th gear) just because PO used "car engine oil"