Clutch Plates Replacement and Extra Steel

[TopCatGr58]

Clutch Plates Replacement: (Extra Steel-NOW NOT RECOMMENDED!!)
A Pictorial Walkthru by TopCat
Part 1

Hey there folks. I had rebuilt my clutch with new friction plates and springs about 5 years but only about 5K miles ago, however it started presenting with symptoms of slippage in 5th gear under hard acceleration! So, I decided to tear into it and find out what was wrong, worn or burnt friction plates, burnt steel plates, compressed springs, etc.? While I was at it, due to the total age of the clutch basket and wear of the primary and secondary pressure plates, decided to add an extra steel plate to the basket to act like putting shims under the springs! So, I took my digital camera along and snapped some shots so I could post this little "walkthru" to possibly help others perform this repair without the aid of a manual!

It has been stated that you don't necessarily need to drain the oil, just put it on the side stand or lay it down!? I prefered to drain the oil since it was time for a filter/oil change anyways! Plus, I don't like putting wrenching pressures on the engine using just the side stand! After draining oil, remove the 2 screws to the clutch adjuster access plate. Next, pry up the little retainer prong that keeps the end of the clutch cable in it's holder,us a large flat blade screwdriver to pry up the clutch lever to create slack to take the end out. I also loosened and removed the right foot peg nut/bolt and peg to allow easier access to all of the clutch case bolts and to facilitate it's removal and installation!

**Addendum** This tip was written many years ago prior to our realizing that not all heavy duty clutch springs are the same! Aside from the good info below regarding the process of disassembling and reassembling the clutch basket, inspecting and cleaning the steels/frictions, we NOW HIGHLY SUGGEST that you install BARNETT Heavy Duty Springs instead of adding the extra steel plate. The Barnett springs are much better/stiffer and hold up much longer than oem type HD springs. They will make the lever pull a little tougher, but with properly lubricated cable and greased throwout parts, it's really not much harder than the OEMs.

Place the bike in an upper gear, 2nd or higher, and then you can wedge a piece of wood between the rear spokes and frame to prevent it from turning when you are trying to loosen the main clutch hub nut!!




Next, using a 12mm box end wrench and phillips screwdriver, unlock the clutch adjuster lock nut, and then turn the throwout rod a full turn or two CCW/out from where it is, and gently relock the nut. This it to allow room when reinstalling the clutch case, since the starplate and bearing will be sticking out further from the engine after the new friction and steel plates are placed!
WARNING Don't rotate the clutch lever after this, the bearings on the inside are held in place, but can fall out if you move the lever arm!!




This shows that little clutch boss retaining wire sticking out thru a hole,DON'T REMOVE or CUT THIS WIRE!!




Next, loosen the 6 StarPlate bolts, giving them a good full turn on each bolt walking around the star to evenly loosen it!




Once the StarPlate is removed, you can get the springs out, and now you have access to the MAIN CLUTCH HUB NUT!




Now, with a caliper, you can check the length of the springs, they should be UNCOMPRESSED and should measure 41.8mm or longer! You can see by the readout that this spring in UNDER SPEC!




And here is a new spring, just OVER SPEC!




Next, take a stout screwdriver and gently tap and bend out flat the bent up edges of the lock washer from around the main nut!




Use one of the StarPLate bolts and springs, and put them back on with a few turns to slightly compress the spring, this helps keep the pressure plate and clutch boss and basket together while you loosen the main nut!
After you have loosened the main nut, either with a torque wrench using a 27mm socket, or an IMPACT WRENCH , you can remove the lock washer, and the thick washer from underneath! Look at the clutch shaft, and notice how much of a depression there is between the splines and the outer edge of the clutch boss, this will help you to tell if you've got the clutch assembly back on the shaft and all the way in when you are putting it back together!




Now you can pull the clutch basket off of the shaft. It might take some wiggling, rotating to help it become disengaged from the oil pump gear(vertical Red arrows), and the primary drive gear(vertical Green Arrows). You will want to put the bike back into neutral to fascilitate rotating the basket! Just spin the rear tire to help shift the gears! Behind the basket, you'll find a large thick collar sleeve/washer that fits into the basket, along with the large thick thrust washer. Just leave the thrust washer and sleeve on the shaft for now.




End Part 1

[TopCatGr58]

Clutch Plates Replacement and Extra Steel pt.II


Clutch Plates Replacement and Extra Steel
A Pictorial Walkthru by TopCat
Part 2

Once you have the basket out, you can lay it down, remove the StarPlate bolt and spring, and then remove the Clutch Boss. There is another Thrust Washer between the Clutch Boss and the bottom of the Basket, just leave it down in the basket, although it might stick to the Boss when you lift it up!




Now, after wiping off the oil, you can measure the friction plates for wear. IF less than 2.80mm thick, they need to be replaced. You can see this one was just slightly under maximum 3.0 Spec!! I had a spare set of NEW friction plates, so I replaced them anyways, I'll use these slightly worn ones on another bike I'll be rebuilding!




Put your new plates into an oil bath to soak about an hour, which should give you enough time to cut out a new gasket using a sheet of gasket material you can get at the auto store, instead of buying a ready made one. Just trace around the old one IF still intact, or you can use the clutch case cover to trace one out! Then use an exacto knife to cut out the inner edge, scissors to cut out the outer edge, and a single hole punch to make the bolt holes!







Here's the replacement steel plate from BikeBandit! Only about $8.00




You'll notice the discoloration of the steels on the left, they got a little overheated apparently. I used some fine emory cloth to scrub them down a bit. This will also work on baked on varnish, you can also try a soak in carb/parts cleaner first! You'll want to check for flatness or warpage by laying them out on a piece of glass, should touch all around, if they rock, then they have gotten warped and should be replaced!




Here's the clutch pack with all of the plates back in it starting with a friction plate on the bottom, and then alternating steel and friction, but when you get to the 4th steel, then stack the EXTRA STEEL plate next to it, then continue the friction/steel sandwich! I used a screwdriver to help align the notches together to make putting the clutch boss back in easier!




Once you have replaced the clutch boss WITH THE THRUST WASHER, then put a StarPlate bolt and spring back on to help keep it together, then turn it up side down and check to make sure you can see the clutch boss directly in contact with the inner thrust washer. Now pull that thick sleeve bearing off of the clutch shaft and put it inside the clutch basket!




Now gently slide the clutch basket onto the shaft, aligning the grooves on the shaft with the clutch boss's grooved center, you may have to do some rotating, wiggling, and gentle tapping to get it to slide back onto the shaft, getting past that inner thrust washer. Then carefully rotate the basket as you slide it up against the oil pump and main drive sprockets, you can reach your hand behind the basket and feel how they are meshing. You may need to loosen that StarPlate bolt that's holding the basket of plates together to allow them to slide past each other as you spin the basket to engage the oil/drive gears!! Once you are sure you have the basket fully installed and engaging the gear, and you've rotated the basket and there is NO BINDING, then you can retighten that starplate bolt/spring. And now you can replace the washer, lock washer, and main clutch nut, and then tighten it to 51 ft lbs of torque. Put the bike back into gear, and rewedge the rear tire for this. Then rebend the clutch nut lock washer up against the main nut!




Now it's time to reinstall the StarPlate! Put in the springs, and then position the StarPlate over the pressure plate posts, and start the 6 bolts. Using a 10mm socket on a long extension like a screw driver, NO WRENCH attached,slowly walk the star turning the bolts in 1/2 turn each following the points in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Using just your hand, occasionally push in on the star in the beginning to help better center it and align the notches over the ends of the shaft so as not to catch a lip as seen in this photo.




Then continue this process hand turning the bolts until the star plate is fully recessed, and the bolts seat, you won't be able to turn them by hand anymore. Once you've reached this point, you can now get out your LOW SCALE/Inch Pound torque wrench, and tighten the bolts in a cross hatch pattern to 7 ft/lbs....PHEW, that's the most scariest part!!!!







Now it's time to put the clutch case cover back on. I put some fresh oil on the StarPlate's bearing center and recessed area, and also on the end of the throwout lever rod! Use the desired method of sealing and then tighten the case bolts, again ensuring that you DO NOT move the clutch throwout lever!! Now you can readjust the clutch throwout rod by unlocking the locknut, and rotating the rod with the phillips screwdriver CCW until it's loose, then back in until it just touches, then back out a 1/4 turn and lock it in place! Then reattach your clutch cable, put the clutch adjuster cover back on, refill with oil, and put it back into neutral, and you're ready to fire it up!

Happy SlipFree riding!