So I bought a 2006 CRF450R last year as a winter project. I wanted it as a supermotard for track days and maybe even do some dirt riding with it. The valves couldn't be adjusted any more, so the head had to come off and new valve put in (common issue with these). The previous owner had already bought the intake valves and a new piston and rings for it. So I pulled the top end apart and decided to do a cam chain and tensioner while I was at it. I found .0035" play in the crank though so decided it needed new crank bearings. Everything I read said just do the crank too while the cases are split. So I ended up with all of the bearings and seals in the crankcase along with a new crank. The exhaust valves ended up needing replaced too, so the entire engine has been rebuilt.
Long story short, it looks like the clutch basket is beat to shit too. At this point I am almost thinking of just filing the fingers down flat and putting it back in to get this thing up and running. I've already dumped a bunch more money into it that I planned and want to make sure everything runs with no issues. It was just supposed to be a top end rebuild and ended up into a complete engine rebuild.
Has anyone ever filed down the clutch basket fingers? How much more life do you get out of them if you do it? I know at some point it will require a whole new clutch, but at this point that is another $500 minimum.
File all you want but the bigger problem is not the ridges between plates but the gap between pates and the basket. Larger the gap more pounding the basket takes, the faster it wears.
Very common issue on Ducati dry clutches, I've ridden them till the rattle is unbearable, but most old Ducs have steel baskets and plates, they just get hammered and rounded, with aluminim plates and basket I would be worried about fingers cracking off and ... let's not explore worst case "what if"
Okay, thanks for the feedback. I think I will give it a try. At this point I just want to make sure the thing runs when I put it back together. I will save for new clutch parts and do it in a couple of months.........or sell it. LOL At least the engine doesn't have to come back out to do it later on. It is a pretty simple Saturday morning job. Looks like a minimum of $500 though and could be as much as $1000 if I want the really good racing parts in there. Shoot, that is almost what the thing was worth when I bought the bike.
what the heck dude. they have a racing clutch baskets on ebay for $175 bucks....
just where do you shop?? :unsure:
I've seen some baskets for less than $200. The racing kit is a basket, clutch discs (metal & fiber), pressure plate, and the center hub.
My center hub is beat too, and I don't see me replacing those two hard parts without throwing clutch plates in it too. I'm not the type to do it half assed if I'm doing it. That includes crashing too. LOL