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Clutch question
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A quick question about clutches.
My bike was hard to find neutral. I understand that I can file the
clutch basket fingers, because they are grooved and the plates sticks.
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Filing is one option. But:
I had the very same problem, my WR450F's clutch would drag like
a LC4 620SC of old, neutral nowhere to be found.
I got me _all_ plates, steel and friction complete with that torsion
dish spring at the inside, and upon taking apart the clutch i found
a very distinctive groove on the surface of one of those _steel_ plates.
I've no idea how a tiny, hard particle (abrasion?) managed to get
trapped between clutch plates but that definitely was the cause.
I didn't bother to file them clutch basket fingers, i just replaced
all the plates and the clutch was perfect ever since.
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I've heard this happen on the new 150cc honda engines. Engines with
less than 10,000km with destroyed clutch, steel plates, fiber plates,
clutch covers, bottom of basket, all parts grooved and damaged beyond
believable. I don't know, but I suspect dirt is getting through the
engine case vents, that's the only way I see such a damage happen...
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Does the 150 have an oil filter, or it is like the 80 and 100 w/o one?
With no filter, this sort of thing wouldn't be all too suprising.
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Neutral is easier now on my bike, not perfect, because I have not filed
a lot, just a little bit. I should have filed more, because it is a lot
of work to remove the clutch to do it again...
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I just disassembled clutch. The grooves are minimal. I just filed them.
So, I grabed the service manual and a caliper and started measuring
things. Plates are ok, spacers are ok, everything in spec. Except for
the clutch springs. The service manual (OEM) calls for 44.7mm. I got
measures ranging from 34.9mm to 35.5mm. I am right to assume that my
neutral problem is due to worn and tired springs? My clutch does not
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That seems like a HUGE amount for spring fatigue... an unbelievable amount.
My first instincts are measurement error, wrong springs added in the past,
or bad data in the manual. Fatigue isn't on my list but maybe it's
possible?
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Measure is correct, triple checked. The springs are the one that Honda
installed back in 2002 when they produced the bike. I do believe that
the manual should read 34.7, but it reads 44.7... I am thinking on
taking the caliper to a parts store, order one spring and measure it.
If it measures more than 44.7, I buy 4 right away, but I am inclined to
believe they are going to be on the range 35~40mm...
If I had almost one centimeter of wear on the springs, wouldn't my
clutch slip like mad? Weird it that the clutch is not slipping (just a
very little bit) and the original factory plates are within specs,
almost on the limit, but still within specs.
What are the springs behind the clutch basked for? There isn't even a
picture or a drawing of them on the service manual.
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Those springs might provide some give in the drivetrain, similar to
what a cushion-hub is used for. (I'm picturing a set of springs
arranged in a circle inside a gear or the back of the clutch basket)
Is this a dualsport bike (street-legal)?
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slip a lot, just a little bit, what I believe it is normal, since the
plates are have 3.2mm and the manual says limit is 2.7mm, so, the
little slipping I got is due to being half milimeter to reach limit?
Well, it does not end here. Riveted to the alluminium clutch basket,
there is a heavy steel gear, that has six springs that I don't see a
way to remove them. They are loose, five out of the six springs are
really loose and I found where comes a rattling noise when I pull
clutch in. This loosenes is a serious problem? The clutch basket is
almost brand new, I'd hate to buy a new part if all the springs do is
avoid clutch rattle. I can live with clutch rattle if nothing else will
be damaged.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Tiago
-- With dirt fingernails
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