Clutch dragging - replacement advice please
 

I believe one or more of my clutch plates has warped and the clutch drags even with the lever down to the bar.

This meant I failed to get off the line first kick at a race this sunday and also I was stalling 15-20 times in the race - not good. The bike idles fine in neutral but stalling in gear with the clutch pulled.

So my questions - has this happened to you - what was your fix?

Is it common to warp plates?

Should a new clutch mean there is no drag at all in gear with the clutch pulled?

A while ago it was dragging a little and I thought I could tell one plate was a bit warped by laying it on a bench - is this a good or reliable method? The others looked flat.

I was using 10w40 petrol engine oil - could this have contributed to them warping? The advice I get off everyone who runs this says it's fine...

I will probably end up with a DP replacement clutch - are these good?

The plates must be checked on a surface that is very VERY flat. Like a thick machined metal plate or a piece of glass. A work bench won't do. Warping is usually caused by abusive overheating.
Normal petrol engine oil should be fine, but some oils can cause clutch plates to swell or cause slipping so check the oil threads to see if you are using something other than what the rest are using. I and lots of others here use it (I use a synthetic or semi-syth)

I assume you have addressed the following if you're down to blaming clutch plates but I'll throw it out there anyway.

Are you sure you are getting full throw/travel out of the clutch slave and master cyl?

Air in the line?

Correct freeplay in the lever?

I guess I'd make sure all that stuff was up to snuff before I started looking for warped plates.

I bled the clutch and that made no difference to the drag so took the clutch out and looked at the plates on a mirror and most were warped you could see without too much difficulty so I will get a new clutch.

I think I may have to revise my riding style as the same thing happened on my KTM200 maybe I like to use too high a gear and slip the clutch coming out of corners etc but I expected the clutch to take more abuse...

The GasGas clutch is one of the best OEM clutches out there if not the best. If your warping clutch plates you are a clutch absuser. Like rpduc suggested double check your hydraulic system and make sure the lever is adjusted so that the master cyl. can fully return. The only clutch issue I ever had was slight dragging on my '03 caused by a burr on one friction plate finger causing it to hang up in the basket, but that was from brand new and eaisly corrected. The same clutch is still in the bike today working well for the new owner.

When I replaced the fiber plates on my 03 FSE, I took the time to file and smooth all the fingers on the clutch basket, and even dry fit the plates to make sure there were no hangups.
Result, no dragging at all. I can pop it out of gear easily while the motor is running.

Mike.

My Y2K 300 has had clutch drag from day one, right out of the crate. It was annoying and still is now that I am not used to it. My '05 300 has zero clutch drag. The Y2K clutch is the original and still within spec. It hooks up great and never fades or squeels. The '05 300 protest with some squeeeling if I abuse it too much. I improved the Y2K by filing the the edges of the clutch plate tangs. Oil made little to no difference in the dragging on my bike.

Yes I abuse the clutch when I race but i'm not that fast however it's more because I like to lug gears in the woods and I don't like to rev the bike unless I need the power. I will have to change my (lazy) riding style and get on top of the gear changes more as now I know it hurts the clutch....

I had the same problems on my KTM200 and ended up with a new clutch on that. You can see some of the steel plates are tinged blue and purple a bit - I assume from the heat.

It makes you wonder how the recluse can stand the same abuse since it has less plates and encourages people to leave it in a high gear....

Even with a Rekluse you need to ride in the proper gear or you'll burn out the clutch.

Just a thought but what transmission oil are you using?

This is how bombproof the gasser clutch packs should be....I can remember getting my '06 EC-200 so stuck in deep mud at a race that I got so desperate I even tried dropping the clutch several times from WOT in 1st gear and the clag still stalled the bike.... over and over again....didn't hurt that clutch at all....I was gobsmacked:eek:...had to dig the EC though!

I have always used a top spec' full synthetic oil, Rock or Plutoline oil usually, when I drain the tranny down even after 3 races (yes I know!) I never see any ali' from the clutch plates...using a normal gear oil I would see a little silver floating on the oil.

hope this helps


PS I tend to lug my own bike quite a bit, but then the clutch isn't slipping so this will not make any differance to you.....are you sure there is so LITTLE play in the clutch lever it isn't slipping a little all the time...had this on WR-250 POS