Recently, while working on my Clutch Bike, I encountered a peculiar issue. Upon disassembling the clutch to inspect for common problems like ridges or steps caused by worn clutch discs, I decided to remove the clutch basket for a closer look. Although I couldn’t find any noticeable wear marks, there was some sticky residue present.
After thoroughly cleaning the clutch basket in a solvent tank and cleaning the clutch discs and plates, I reassembled everything, ensuring to lubricate all components generously with 10W-40 motorcycle oil. However, when fully assembled, I noticed the clutch pack was tight, with no free play. This indicated that the clutch discs were likely not fully releasing due to the pressure on the pedestals.
Troubleshooting further, I disassembled the clutch again and began a closer inspection. I observed that the clutch basket was making slight contact with the aluminum clutch assembly. It struck me that there might be a missing spacer or shim intended to create separation between these parts and provide the necessary clearance. To confirm my suspicion, I turned to my parts bike and disassembled its clutch assembly. Sure enough, I discovered the presence of a spacer that was missing from my original bike. It became clear that during a previous engine rebuild, this crucial spacer had been inadvertently left out.
With the components meticulously cleaned, properly lubricated, and now reassembled with the essential spacer in place, I tested the clutch again. While there was a noticeable improvement, with reduced creeping, the clutch drag wasn’t entirely eliminated. Specifically, shifting into neutral with my foot while idling in first gear remained challenging, although shifting performance during riding was significantly better.
This improvement, despite not being a complete fix, suggests that the persistent clutch drag might be related to the condition of the clutch discs themselves. It’s possible that they are burnt or warped from prolonged dragging, causing them to remain sticky. To address this, I plan to order a new set of clutch discs. Hopefully, replacing the discs will finally resolve the remaining clutch drag issue and restore optimal clutch performance to my bike.
