TT250 Clutch cover stuck on dowel pin..Ideas please

[Sullybiker]

First commute to work today since I changed it, so far, so good.

The clutch is operating as it should. I don't remember the last time I could smoothly pull away from a stop feathering the clutch all the way out, without getting the hard grab about halfway through. I had a slow steep hill crawl behind a bus at an intersection, a good test for the problem and there were no problems.

Neutral is the same as it ever was once the engine's warm, i.e. needs a little rock back and forth to pop in, but the clutch friction point behaviour is completely fixed.

I'll see if it stays that way, but for now I'm pretty pleased with it.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Sullybiker

First commute to work today since I changed it, so far, so good.

The clutch is operating as it should. I don't remember the last time I could smoothly pull away from a stop feathering the clutch all the way out, without getting the hard grab about halfway through. I had a slow steep hill crawl behind a bus at an intersection, a good test for the problem and there were no problems.

Neutral is the same as it ever was once the engine's warm, i.e. needs a little rock back and forth to pop in, but the clutch friction point behaviour is completely fixed.

I'll see if it stays that way, but for now I'm pretty pleased with it.

Good to here you solved the problem. Now I'll wait for the full writeup with pictures. The oil cooler pretty much solved the neutral issue on my bike. It has acted up a couple of times but that was while doing some heavy off road trail riding going at slow speed and steep hill climbs. I looked into installing fans on the coolers just for those types of trips.

[Sullybiker]

I'll get to the oil cooler eventually, I really like the aesthetic of your install, even if it amuses me you weren't happy with just the one. I expect it will be useful if you spend an August hill-climbing in Death Valley.

Where I'm a little curious is I don't remember this being an issue on the bike out of the crate. I got the bike at the height of winter and had no issues with the clutch, that only happened pretty much as soon as it got a little warmer, so fingers crossed this is a good fix.

Given the superficially good condition of the old pack I can only guess that the fibres were not properly treated, or the steels were warped, but to the naked eye they looked fine.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Sullybiker

I'll get to the oil cooler eventually, I really like the aesthetic of your install, even if it amuses me you weren't happy with just the one. I expect it will be useful if you spend an August hill-climbing in Death Valley.

Where I'm a little curious is I don't remember this being an issue on the bike out of the crate. I got the bike at the height of winter and had no issues with the clutch, that only happened pretty much as soon as it got a little warmer, so fingers crossed this is a good fix.

Given the superficially good condition of the old pack I can only guess that the fibres were not properly treated, or the steels were warped, but to the naked eye they looked fine.

The one cooler worked fine. Only reason I added the other one is because Megadan offered to me the extra one he had. If one worked two has to be better, Right? lol
It's only June 1st. The month of May we were in the mid to upper 90's. Hate to see what happens by July and August.
That's was just strange that you had issues with the old clutch. At least you have that resolved.

[Sullybiker]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

The one cooler worked fine. Only reason I added the
It's only June 1st. The month of May we were in the mid to upper 90's. Hate to see what happens by July and August.
That's was just strange that you had issues with the old clutch. At least you have that resolved.

Right, here in Western PA this May has been an absolute belter. We hit 90 a couple of times. For reference, last summer we reached 90 I think only once. Wheeling in WV (about 50 miles away) had their hottest May on record.



I'm really curious what summer is going to be like. The last two were very wet, even by our damp standards. We don't get rainfall in violent amounts like New Orleans, but a steady, steady fall putting us about level with Seattle and Portland; however the last couple of years it's been particularly rainy. I have a feeling that will not be the case this year.

[Megadan]

I wish we could stop being in the 90's...

It's been over 95 degrees here for almost 2 weeks straight and hit 100 twice now.

What's really odd is that it has been a very dry heat, unusual for this region. I am used to 90 degrees with 60-70% humidity. I almost feel like I am back in Arizona.

[Sullybiker]

My commute back was in the kind of conditions that would have me gritting my teeth and getting frustrated. Around 80 degrees, lots of traffic and uphill queues.

BUT NOT THIS TIME.

Clutch performed like a champ. Even when hot and slipping, not a hint of grab and judder, and I was trying to provoke it.

Whatever it was, the new disks work better. Maybe it was just soaking them in oil for a day?

[pete]

I have never soaked friction discs in oil... never had a issue..
never seen a factory manual that recomends it either while doing
a clutch replacement...

i would think your steel plates were warping when they got hot..

the reason why the steel plates warp is a disc has more steel on the
out side than the inside... so the out side can exspand more than the inside..
But the only way it can do this is to warp.. this is also the thinking behind wave rotors
on the brakes.. which use the wave shape to remove some of the steel from the out side edge making a gap for the steel to exspand in to...


.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pete

I have never soaked friction discs in oil... never had a issue..
never seen a factory manual that recomends it either while doing
a clutch replacement...

.

That is because most FSMs don't state to soak them for any length of time. at least not any bikes made in the last 30 or 40 years.

I have an FSM for 7 different bikes, and only one of them states to "bathe" the clutch discs in oil for any length of time, and it specifically states to do so for up to 30 minutes to an hour before installation with cork style friction material.

I am sure you guessed that it is the FSM for the oldest bike of the 7.

Almost all of the rest state to, as per my VFR1200F FSM:

"NOTE:
Replace the clutch discs/plates as an assembly.

coat the clutch discs and plates with clean engine oil

... "

I can only assume this method is still recommended for a couple of reasons.

1. People can't let go of the past methods because that is how it was done and passed on to them by the last generation, and the one before.

2. It is a "lost in translation" or misinterpretation of instructions that say to soak the clutch plates in oil before installing, but the term "soak" could be replaced with "heavily coat" or "Drench" the clutch discs when installing them.