Clutch Pucks upgraded anyone?

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mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
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Central Area of Texas
Well, I haven't been on here in a while so I may be asking a question that has been answered a 1000+ times already and if so I appoligize in advance for it!

Last year sometime if I remember correctly someone was going to experiment with making some clutch pucks from brake shoe material and or try to find something that would grip better and last longer than the stock pucks that come in these engines.

I rebuilt one of my engines and milled the head enough to get the compression way up on it and it's solid heck on the stock pucks when starting it up because the engine is so much harder to turn over now.

So, have I missed out on a good fix or replacement for this problem since I been away the last few months?

If anyone has a known good replacement material for making the pucks or know someone who is making replacements, please share .........!

Thanks

.flg.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
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The only thing that I ever recall reading about was someone had made their own friction pucks using a worn out car tire as friction material. It locked up much more securely but did not last long at all.
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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living the dream in southern california
the stock pucks are the same material as the rag joint, which is basically a recycled tire.

at least on all my Grubees they are.

what i did to make my clutch work was:

sanded the pucks so they "float" instead of stick into their holes.

drilled holes and roughed up the surface of the outer plate.

took off the "flywheel" gear(for lack of a better term) and roughed up the surface of the inner disc with a grinding bit, like giving a non-directional surface on a brake rotor after it's been turned.

drilled holes in the lower front and back of the teardrop cover plate, in hopes some airflow will keep the pucks from heating up and glazing.

pulled out the clutch adjuster bolt and adjusted the inner spring tension.

out of all of these experiments, i think roughing up the inner plate surface helped the most.

i don't expect the stock pucks to last too long with this set-up. i haven't checked, but it's been a few weeks and it seems like the clutch cable may need to be adjusted again, due to the pucks wearing.

i figure just getting some real friction material pucks will solve all of this, and nobody needs to go to the extremes i have.

i'll call the guy tomorrow and see what the deal is. if i can make a bunch (and it works) i'll sell upgrade kits, hopefully for cheap. depends on what it costs me.
 
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Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
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I was under the impression our clutch pucks were originally made from recycled tires. Mabbe they are not now? But I seam to remember folks saying they found tiny shards of evidence to wire liken to radio ply tires . as if they had been somehow ground up and remade into our pucks?
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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living the dream in southern california
(edited my post above with more info)

there's no wire in mine, but nylon threads. if anything, it's a bias ply tire.

and i've examined them pretty well, and it's the exact same as the rag joint. so if you have any old rag joints around, you could cut out new pucks from them. they're even the same thickness.

but they'll still suck.:)
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
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I had not considered cutting up all my unused rag joints yet I got a bunch of those as I won't use them on any of my wheels.:)
Early reports when this forum first began is where I got the reports of tiny shards of wire. From like 4 years ago?
 

streetstrip80

New Member
Oct 12, 2008
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Littleton, CO
When I was looking, I could only find replacements for the round ones. The engine I needed them for used the more square ones, so I made some out of an old brake pad (a new one may be too thick). They have been working great ever since. They grip well, and there is no worry of hurting them if I slip the clutch a bit.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
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When I was looking, I could only find replacements for the round ones. The engine I needed them for used the more square ones, so I made some out of an old brake pad (a new one may be too thick). They have been working great ever since. They grip well, and there is no worry of hurting them if I slip the clutch a bit.
What sorta brake pad did you use?
 

msrfan

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
1,808
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Southern California
I purchased friction material from McMaster Carr. It came off a roll. I bought 2 feet of it and used it on a brake band I made for a garden tractor. It worked well. They offer low medium and high friction rates with all the specs. Very reasonably priced. Just Google and search brake and clutch lining.
 

zachattack

New Member
Dec 2, 2010
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missouri
i have a parts or spare engine laying around and the cluch pucks in it look nothing like in my other engine im using they almost look like some sort of compressed paper or somthing
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
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Central Area of Texas
i have the same problem. i'm waiting to hear back from a custom clutch maker with some samples of real friction material to try out. hopefully it'll be soon.

i'll keep you posted...
Thank you sir, one of my engines is just so dang high in compression that it's real hard on the pucks, unless they are A-1 perfect they will slip when I go to start the engine and my cltch pressure is set pretty tight also, my stock engine is on it's second set at over 800 miles and the original ones weren't really that bad I just wanted to change them before a long ride I made on it.

Yes please keep me posted on what you find out, I'm for sure interested.

Shan
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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living the dream in southern california
i'm still waiting on the guy to get back to me. seems like he's in no big hurry to help. probably doesn't see any money in it. which i can understand, since a custom clutch disc for a car is a coupla hundred bucks, and i just want some free scraps.

i'll email him again and see what happens...
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
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Central Area of Texas
Guys I,m about to be working on what might be a good replacement for the stock pucks....I am getting some things together that may or may not work.....I'm not gonna give any details here because it is still up in the air and I dont have what I'm wanting to get yet.

So......I will be trying something here real soon and if it works like I hope it will, I will be posting my result as soon as I know something for sure.

There are several materials out there that are potentialy usable for the pucks but the only way we will ever know if any will work is for someone to try it and this is my plan in a week or so if all goes according to plan.

wish me luck guys and we'll see what I can or can not do on this puck upgrade subject.

Peace
 

LS614

Active Member
Dec 22, 2009
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CT and MA
Guys, dean at pipelyne sells a set of high performance metal impregnated pads that grip great and last practically forever. They cost $20 for a set. If you do not have a clutch with round pads you will need to get the one the BGF sells on ebay for $17. Altogether it is a $40-$45 upgrade, but I think well worth it. Call Dean at 408.279.2307 he's a really nice guy and he'll help you out :)
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
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Central Area of Texas
I plan to be making these pucks in the square and the round pucks if all goes according to what I have planned, but I cant say 100% yet the material I have is also metalic impregnated and is designed for use on industrial clutches, it's not cheap but I think I can make pucks to sell for under $20 per set, shipping in the lower 48 might put them in that price range but if they last 3-4 time or more langer than the stock pucks we are already money ahead, just need a little more R&D before I know for sure, but I will be posting something ASAP, and will likely randomly PM someone on the forum to test a set or two so we can get some concrete results on how they work and how durable the material is, ,when I get the first set made on put them in my latest build I will know something pretty quick I hope, because the engine is modified with much higher compression and this kills the stock pucks real quick, and it is very hard to get it started becuase the stock ones slip when I pop the clutch.

Stay tuned in guys I plan to have something done in the next few days if all goes well.

Sorry if I broke any forum rules by anything I said in this post, I dont think I did but if so I appoligize.

Shan