Fitting a new Clutch

So some of you maybe following the thread regarding Crash’s up and coming condo 750 ride and it was mentioned that once the bike was sorted and rubber fitted it was found the clutch was slipping. All the normal things checked out, clutch had free play at the arm etc. Crash with no time to muck around ordered new friction plates, steel plates and pressure springs.

This morning I grabbed his bike on the trailer over to my place. I already had the clutch parts as I picked them up the day before, the friction plates I had soaking in engine oil ready to go.

Firstly threw the bike on its side (bike had no problem with that spends a fair bit of ride time there :laugh: )

By doing this I dont need to drain the gearbox / engine oil and prevents any dripping mess

Undo the 7 Bolts around clutch cover, thankfully Honda run a rubber “o” ring so its reusable

Cover off, now undo the 4 bolts that retain and the springs that clamp the clutch plates to provide drive, when you pull the clutch in you pull against the springs unclamping the plates

Weak springs here reduce the pressure the plates are clamped together with which can cause the clutch to slip, to stiff a springs makes the clutch harder to pull in need a balance

Pressure off the springs and 3 of the bolts removed

Now to measure the springs and compare them against the new ones

Old 47.30mm

New 48.57mm

So about 1.2 mm difference and well within spec of 45.40mm

I then pulled the clutch pack out 1 plate and steel spacer plate at a time to inspect them all and keep them in order for easy reassembly. First thing I noticed was how burnt the clutch facing material was and the steel spacer plates had been blued. Crash does use a fair bit of clutch slipping you have to on a XR650 in some of the tight going, also on his last wet ride the clutch may have been slipping a bit and being wet he may not have noticed. When the clutch slips it generates huge amounts of heat, thus the bluing you see in the photos

Once into a nice stack and sorted there are no other dramas the clutch baskets fingers are inspected these are ok

The plates soaking in oil waiting assembly

I used some of the quailty Muc-Off disc brake cleaner to clean the packaging goo of the steel plates

Reassembling via the old stack if in doubt, steel plate

Last fibre plate

Pressure plate bolted back on with new springs

Finished

For this job I used a “Y” brace 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. 1/2 litre of engine oil, clean tin to soak the plates, a rag and the Muc-off disc cleaner. The verniers you could do without.
The job took 15mins including taking the photos and is very simple. If in doubt lay it out go step by step

The test ride confirmed the repair, third and fourth gear wheelies Crash no slip

Now to write the invoice and the job is done

TB