clutch issue.....

[aaronrkelly]

I just put my XS back together after a new top end.....and swapped out the 5th gear for Mikes overdrive unit.

Bikes running great....starts easy.....everything OK DOKEY but....

In the first 20 miles I had the clutch slip on me about 4 times

Doesnt slip when taking off.....in fact it only "slips" when Im going down the highway.

I will be rolling down the road in 5th gear.....all the sudden it feels like the clutch is pulled in.....revs up....a let off the throttle a titch and were back in business.

I backed off the adjuster on the left side of the case a little.

Then proceeded to flog the living piss out of the poor girl on a 4 hour, 200 mile blast across the state - had to get there. Thought I had the problem fixed......but 45 mins in it did it once......then 2 more times before the trip was over.

You cant MAKE it do it.....I figured if it was the clutch worn out I could lug it in 5th and get it to slip.....nope.....5th gear, 45 mph up a steep hill.....full throttle.....chugged along just fine.

Drop a gear and wail on it.....no problems.

Then just randomly going down the highway.......WAAAAAAAA (thats my best imitation of revving engine sounds....sorry its late and Im tired).

Admittedly I was in a hurry to get on the road.....I NEED to do the adjustment right. Start all over and back the adjuster all the way off at the bars.

Other than a "proper" adjustment any other advice.

I checked the plates with a caliper when I had it apart - they all checked out within spec.

Im running Rotella T15w40.

Its a 79 if that matters.

 

[itrguy]

Mine was doing the same thing last year, changed the clutch springs and she was all good!!

 

[5twins]

Yes, most of these need heavy duty springs. The originals are "tired" after 30 years, lol. Don't get the "no-names" from Mike's, they're not very good. Get one of the well known brand names from 650Central.

 

[XSLeo]

The clutch slips when the torque of the engine exceeds the grip of the clutch. This is most noticable in the higher gears at high rpms first. The higher gears increase the torque between the engine and tranny, higher rpms increase the torque of the engine.
Your test by lugging the engine in 5th gear won't get the torque to exceed the clutch grip.
When my clutch started to slip it only did it when the rpms exceeded 6500 rpms in 5th gear. As it got worse it started to slip at lower rpms.
When you take the clutch apart to put in new springs, inspect your steel plates. The way theyu are made is they stamp them out of sheets of steel. As the machine stamps out the plate the die stretches the steel as it cuts it. This leaves one edge slightly rounded and the other edge sharp.
Use some sandpaper to remove this sharp edge, This lets the plates slide bettet on the clutch hub. Sanding the flat sides of the plates to remove any discoloration and to rough up the plates abit. This improves the grip of the clutch.
If you inspect the clutch basket you may find grooves worn into the edges of the slots the fiber plate ride in. You can smooth the grooves out a bit but if it takes much metal to do then you will get too much play between the basket and plates. Replace the basket if this happens.
On the fiber plates, they stamp them out too, before appling the fiber. Removing the sharp edge on the part that engages the basket will let the plates slide in the basket better.
With out the sharp edges removed from both the steel and fiber plates can bind up enough to make the clutch not work as well as it should.
Doing all this and your stock spings may hold well enough, on mine it helped but still slipped a bit. I got a set of Kibble White 70 lb springs and a set of Forodo fiber plates. My clutch don't slip now.
Leo

 

[JP50515]

That's interesting. The fact that they would sell a set of clutch plates or floaters with a burr big enough to actually cause a noticeable difference makes me question the quality of the plates....not saying that they're cheap....just wonder why the manufacturer wouldn't deburr a part with such importance.

Good information there though. I was not aware that they didn't deburr the clutch plates and I just got mine out for the first time this season yesterday and had the exact same issue so i'll be taking a look into that once it warms up and I can get out there to change the oil.

 

[JP50515]

On the same topic, someone once mentioned using 650 central springs over the mikes ones but there are multiple brands, each claiming a different strength. What are the benefits of one over the other on a stock engine?

 

[5twins]

Ideleted

 

[aaronrkelly]

After thinking about it.....I ordered some springs.

They will be here Thursday - thats the most likely......and if Im going to drain the oil and open it up.....might as well put something new in there.

I will re-check all my friction and steels.....and see whats happens.

Thanks

 

[angus67]

I dont think a chaep clutch kit has any effect on that burr on the plates. I replaced my entire clutch pack with a barnett's set, (friction/drives) and they too had the stamping burr.

 

[itrguy]

aaronkelly, Was your problem ever resolved???

 

[XSLeo]

To remove the burrs on the plates would take a lot of hand work, this cost money. With sharp tools used when they are stamped out the burrs are not as severe. Worn tools the burrs get bigger.
Cheaper to just install the plates with the burred edge on the out side. This way the burr won't effect clutch action quite as much. The burrs only dig in on the opening of the clutch, not the closing.
This digging in is part of what cause the wear on the hub and basket. By removing the burrs you don't have to install the plates just so. It also stops, well maybe not stop by slows the wear to very near stoppped on the hub and basket.
By removing the burrs the plates the rounded edges will slide on the hub and basket easier.
This can and will improve the feel of the clutch. I think this is part of the reason my clutch works as well as it does.
On any metal to metal contact removing as much friction as you can helps it work better.
Leo

 

[aaronrkelly]

aaronkelly, Was your problem ever resolved???

Nope.....see this thread:

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?p=269479#post269479

....bikes back apart again.