Clutch replacement advice

[misterprofessionality]

Im getting up there on the Odometer so im thinking about those friction plates and their condition more and more often. As such, ive decided to start the research process to see if its the kind of surface level low risk stuff I can handle.

My cursory research tells me the basic process is to

get a new set of clutch plates and a gasket,

drain the motor oil,

remove the clutch cover,

clean the gasket surface meticulously,

undo the clutch spring bolts evenly,

remove all the plates and keep them in order,

soak the new plates in motor oil for a few hours,

put the new plates on in the same order,

torque the spring bolts on evenly and set them to the correct torque,

put the clutch cover/new gasket back on,

put the new oil in the motor and off you go.

So: has anybody replaced their clutch plates? What mileage?

Any special tools or procedures i should know about? Any anecdotes about parts of the process that gave you trouble?

Reccomendations on where to buy the plates? It looks like the set from EBC is the best option i can find.

Thanks for any input gang.

 

[Lord Popgun]

Just so ya know, there is no clutch cover gasket. You apply Three Bond 1207B or equiv. to the mating surfaces as shown in the manual and tighten the cover bolts in a chrisscross pattern in 2-3 steps.

 

[misterprofessionality]

ah. see i've never heard of Three Bond and I would have been deeply confused if i took the cover off and there was no Gasket. This is the kind of stuff i'm looking for. keep it coming.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

My advice- don't worry about the clutch. I can't possibly imagine it wearing out on this bike...ever.

 

[max]

Just for a reference my cb1100 has 60.000 km. and when i open the oil filler plug and look at the clutch pack the top pressure plate is flush with the little supports from the outer basket when i feel with my pinky finger.

I'm guessing that when the clutch material wears down that would change and be under the outer basket stubs, it may be worth checking how much lower your inner pack cover is worn below the basket stubs, it's an easy check with the oil filler plug removed.

I also use a small torch to have a look inside the opening and can see the plates moving when i operate the clutch handle and the inner pressure plate ends up 2 mm proud of the outer basket stubs.

 

[misterprofessionality]

My advice- don't worry about the clutch. I can't possibly imagine it wearing out on this bike...ever.

That's interesting. A lot of bikes need clutch help around 30k. many more around 50k (which i'm currently passing). On top of that i'm not exactly er...gentle with my throttle, and the engine brake is my favorite brake. You really think it would just carry on forever?

Just for a reference my cb1100 has 60.000 km. and when i open the oil filler plug and look at the clutch pack the top pressure plate is flush with the little supports from the outer basket when i feel with my pinky finger.

I'm guessing that when the clutch material wears down that would change and be under the outer basket stubs, it may be worth checking how much lower your inner pack cover is worn below the basket stubs, it's an easy check with the oil filler plug removed.

I also use a small torch to have a look inside the opening and can see the plates moving when i operate the clutch handle and the inner pressure plate ends up 2 mm proud of the outer basket stubs.

Any chance there's someplace i can find a picture of all these components on the net anywhere? I usually try to look it up on Partzilla when people use terminology that goes over my head, but I don't see any of those parts on the diagram for the clutch assembly. You have to remember when you're dealing with me and engine mechanicals it's not too dissimilar from teaching a cat to bake cookies.

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda/motorcycle/2014/cb1100-ac/clutch

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

This bike uses the exact same clutch plates that many other Honda bikes use- including many sport bikes with more power and rode harder. It also has a LOT of plates.

Don’t look for problems needlessly. You will waste time, money, effort, and could create other issues.

It’s not like the clutch will just ‘break’- you will know well in advance before it ever truly reaches end of life.


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[peterbaron]

This bike uses the exact same clutch plates that many other Honda bikes use- including many sport bikes with more power and rode harder. It also has a LOT of plates.

Don’t look for problems needlessly. You will waste time, money, effort, and could create other issues.

It’s not like the clutch will just ‘break’- you will know well in advance before it ever truly reaches end of life.


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^^ +1 ^^

 

[misterprofessionality]

This bike uses the exact same clutch plates that many other Honda bikes use- including many sport bikes with more power and rode harder. It also has a LOT of plates.

Don’t look for problems needlessly. You will waste time, money, effort, and could create other issues.

It’s not like the clutch will just ‘break’- you will know well in advance before it ever truly reaches end of life.


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I wasn't necessarily looking for problems, just trying to be prepared well in advance for something that could be either complicated or expensive to deal with. I in particular need to be prepared because I don't want my CB to be out of commission and I can't just quickly deal with problems on that level.

I'm interested in that last statement though, I've had a lot of bikes in my life but this is now the one i've had the longest and for the most miles. I've never actually felt a clutch reach the end of its life. What does that feel like when it starts happening?

 

[Cormanus]

Mine has started to grab a bit. When I put the bike in gear with the clutch pulled in, I can feel it wanting to creep forward. When the engine is hot, it is much harder to get the bike to go into neutral.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

Like any other clutch- it slips a bit on high load / hard accel. But unlike a car that has 1 friction disk in a dry hot environment- the is a stack of numerous layers of disks lubricated by the engine oil.


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Mine has started to grab a bit. When I put the bike in gear with the clutch pulled in, I can feel it wanting to creep forward. When the engine is hot, it is much harder to get the bike to go into neutral.

Your basket fingers could be worn. I don’t envision you to be hard on the clutch so doubt the metal disks are overheated and warped.


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[misterprofessionality]

Ah, so when you refer to slipping youre talking about what feels like a dip in pulling power under hard accelleration.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

You won’t notice a dip in accel- you will hear the revs go faster than normal in relation to your rate of accel.

Think of driving in snow- accelerate smoothly and all is well. Then put your foot in it a bit too much and the tires loose grip, spin faster than they should and the revs climb. Back out of the throttle a bit and they regain traction. Clutch slip is pretty much exactly the same.

My wife’s car is well known to have a clutch that is ‘just enough’ for a stock car. That being said- I’ve upped the boost pressure on her turbo because she doesn’t drive hard at all. No launches, no shifts during hard accel- so for her it’s fine:

if I drive it and roll into the throttle at highway speed to overtake, say about 3,000 rpm and half throttle or more- the clutch will slip, revs climb and I remember to back out of the gas, clutch grabs, and I continue at less throttle trying to remember not to do that.


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[mattmcuomo1_imp]

Mine has started to grab a bit. When I put the bike in gear with the clutch pulled in, I can feel it wanting to creep forward. When the engine is hot, it is much harder to get the bike to go into neutral.

Mine does that too ..... I've got over 104,000 miles on it. Yes, original clutch.

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[GoldOxide_imp]

Welcome to the Forum mattmcuomo1.

= = =

I have been aggressive on some past [Yamaha] clutches to get them past 65000 kms before noticing some excessive slippage. That is the "early indicator" Dubs is likely referring to. You will have plenty of opportunity to replace the subassembly and be on your way again Mr. P.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

Quote:Mine does that too ..... I've got over 104,000 miles on it. Yes, original clutch.

That’s good miles. How many times have you changed the clutch fluid and bled the slave cylinder?


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[misterprofessionality]

Well at least all that info helps me to understand what to look out for. That sounds like a pretty odd feeling that would be hard to miss. Cant say ive ever felt a bike do that. Even a properly ancient one.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

In terms of excessive clutch "grab", I have experienced that, but not due to clutch plate wear, but because of an overheated clutch/hydraulic system - due to engine overheating. The Honda engine was air-cooled and just wasn't getting what it needed on a still-air, profuse humid summer evening in Toronto during a Caribbean Carnival. Once the engine had a chance to cool down (~30 minutes), the clutch resumed normal behaviour.

To be honest, in this particular case the "early warning" was quick - in terms of minutes.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

Funny story- in my youth my friend had an old well used and abused dirt bike from the 70’s.

He had it out on the road, and was dropping the clutch to break the rear tire loose for burning rubber. Then I see / hear him doing it over and over again- then looking at the bike like something was wrong. I walked over- thinking he smoked the clutch- nope- the front sprocket teeth were completely worn away and the chain was just spinning on the remains.

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[GoldOxide_imp]

Funny story- in my youth my friend had an old well used and abused dirt bike from the 70’s.

He had it out on the road, and was dropping the clutch to break the rear tire loose for burning rubber. Then I see / hear him doing it over and over again- then looking at the bike like something was wrong. I walked over- thinking he smoked the clutch- nope- the front sprocket teeth were completely worn away and the chain was just spinning on the remains.

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lol - on an ADV forum I have seen a few "proud" images of that.

They seem to pride themselves replacing sprockets often (front and rear).