Clutch Grabbing.

Anybody experienced "clutch grab" where sometimes you just cant ride away smoothly? I have to be very careful in traffic when i pull away  sometimes because its almost impossible to feed the power in without the engine revving like hell and then suddenly biting. Have cleaned slave cylinder, cleaned, greased and turned round the pushrod but no joy. Read somewhere about taking apart the clutch and cleaning the steel plates with 1200 wet and dry - problem solved. Bikes only done 26000 miles but hardly any these last four years except for me - 7000 since last June. Otherwise i will just put a new clutch in as am going to N Ireland in May and a European tour late June. Whats the best make clutch to get?

I've not had that problem--if anything, mine was sliping. I just installed new Barnett clutch...heard good things about them.

Check fluid level and bleed the lines. Also helps if you pun the lever after it sits a while.

It's none of the above.

To get rid of it temporarily, swap the plates and disks around so that they are going the opposite way and in different order.

Just make sure they still go plate, disk, plate, disk and so on.

This is caused by worn/glazed/old plates and sofetened springs.

Just replacing the springs will make it a bit better, I installed Barnnets + 10%.

If you have a 98/99, they have a friction spring and ring, a 00/01 is the same as a 02/04 and doesn't.

It can get to the stage that the clutch can be very violent when cold, they can also make an awfull sound like groaning.

An easy job that doesn't cost that much if you do it yourself.

Thats the answer I've been looking for. My fifth has 75k miles and I had decided that it was just a worn clutch basket fingers. I sanded them, along with all the steels 6 months ago and it didn't get any better. All the friction plates measure correct and the springs have correct length per the manual.

Exactly what I am going to do along with a new set of springs. If that doesn't work will put in a complete clutch. Can't understand why it's happened on a relatively low mileage bike. Previous owner abuse?

I too have experienced this - mostly in upper gears (4th I think, slipping it into gear with a slight stab of clutch).  Just this month I noticed it in 1st gear for the 1st time.  Curiously, this was after an oil change.  I always use Mobil 1 synthetic, and before the last change I put in Seafoam and ran it 100mi or so.  I then dumped old and put in new oil.  Probably had  1 or 2 rides before parked for 2 months winter storage.   2nd ride out this spring it happened when I had the bike pretty loaded down w/gear in panniers.  

VFROZ -- is the clutch maintainence operation you posted a fairly simple task?

I too have experienced this - mostly in upper gears (4th I think, slipping it into gear with a slight stab of clutch).  Just this month I noticed it in 1st gear for the 1st time.  Curiously, this was after an oil change.  I always use Mobil 1 synthetic, and before the last change I put in Seafoam and ran it 100mi or so.  I then dumped old and put in new oil.  Probably had  1 or 2 rides before parked for 2 months winter storage.   2nd ride out this spring it happened when I had the bike pretty loaded down w/gear in panniers.  

VFROZ -- is the clutch maintainence operation you posted a fairly simple task?

It's not too bad. About 3 beers.

Remove the clutch cover while bike is on side stand so no oil drips out.

Cover might need a hit with a rubber mallet, as the gasket can stick.

You can get a spare gasket before you start, or reuse the old one if it doesn't fall apart, I did even after it broke in too with no leaks.

Remove the 5 or 6 clutch bolts and pull clutch apart.

Check the bolts for strech, as they can break when you try to re torque.

I would suggest going to an auto spare shop, and buy some replacement high tensile ones, I cant remember the size, but they are very common.

Two of my original ones broke, and I've heard of other people having the same problem.

Remove the clutch rod and inspect, clean or polish if needed.

Rotate order and direction of plates and disks before you re assemble.

It might pay to give the plates and disks a light sand on a very flat surface with fine wet and dry to remove any glazing, if they are within tolerance.

I used Barnetts +10% replacement springs, they were only about $10 from memory.

When I finally rebuilt it, I used new plates, but reused the metal disks. Got the plates from Fleabay in Japan for around $40.

It has been like new with no problems for the past 18000k's.

oem clutch only is the best, its near a life time clutch unless something happens to it.  But in a case like yours, you may have to throw the baby out with the bath water and start over.

you must have some kind of warpage, or slave is not holding pressure correctly.

Took the clutch out today, dead easy. Worst job was getting the old gasket off the engine! Clutch  plates were well within tolerances, discs i just gave them a light sanding. BUT the new OEM springs were longer than the existing by a difference of 3mm. The ones in there were painted with a bit of orange and the new ones were a lime green paint. According to the manual the existing ones are for a 98-99 engine and are shorter than for a 2001 by approx 3mm. Also turned the pushrod round. Clutch basket fingers were fine.On the short ride back from workshop the clutch does feel better. Will give it a proper blast tomorrow on a quick ride into Wales for breakfast.

. Will give it a proper blast tomorrow on a quick ride into Wales for breakfast.

some say that Wales is just packed with Welsh people.............

[image: 003-3.jpg]

I love Wales . Great roads, beautiful scenery,40 min blast away and nice Welsh people! Only downside is it usually rains!

Worst thing about Wales is the rain.  But the Brains makes up for it.  Mmmmmmmm, Brrrraiiiiins.

If you wish 100,000 mile clutch life then you have to invest is some
good old sweat equity...

Deglazing clutch plates ain't nothing new... no sir... back in the 70s
it use to be part of every savvy rider's maintenance plan... and for
some reason that all change during the 90s... why fix what you can buy
new is the what you hear now a days... but if your interested in
making your clutch bite good as new then roll up your sleeves and read
on... if not get back on the couch...

Inspect the friction plates for glazing... make sure you have plenty
of material to work with... your shop manual states clutch thickness
in thousands of an inch or mm...

First removed the contaminants with Acetone... pick a hard surface to lay
over a 600 grit black dry emery paper... rotate the clutch plate in a
circle... you're just busting the glaze... don't get carried away
remove too much material... You should end up with a friction plate
looks dull like a new one as opposed to a shinny glazed one... recheck
thickness...




Next check the pressure plates for bluing caused by localized heat...
make sure they are not warped... consult the manual for a thickness
range... now removed the contaminants with Acetone and wire wheeled
them to erased the blue and also to generally scuff up the surface...
you should end up with a dull surface free of Blue marks...


 

I have well over 100,000 miles on vfr clutch no extra work required, other than don't use oils not designed for clutch plates.

I have well over 100,000 miles on vfr clutch no extra work required, other than don't use oils not designed for clutch plates.

130000 on mine and no clutch maintenance required either.

VFRs rock!

Well, i think i've cracked it! Took the bike for a good run today and clutch feels fine. To recap all i've done is:

Turned pushrod round, had previously cleaned and tested for trueness.

Deglazed clutch discs, no signs of blueing,

Changed clutch springs (OEM ones) for correct length ones. Previous ones were off a 98 - 99 engine and 3mm shorter.

Am now able to give it a good  handful when pulling away with no lurching or grabbing. So what was it?

I'd say it was when you turned the clutch rod around.  Short of clutch basket wear, I don't think glazed plates would cause the clutch to grab.   Jeff J

I vote for longer (proper length) springs. Not sure how the short ones got in there...

Springs are favourite, i had cleaned and checked the pushrod (but not turned round) late last year.Can't see why the springs were wrong, bought the bike last June with 19500 miles on it, now 25400. Had the previous owner changed the clutch, if so why, on a relatively low mileage bike. Or fitted wrong at the factory.