clutch not engaging.

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Dan

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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After about 80 miles, my Grubee clutch is no longer engaging. It is making contact but not turning the wheel. All keys are in good order, the clutch is just sliding. It gets hot enough to smoke but no out put to the rear ratcheting 11T sprocket. The 11T is fine and does not get even slightly warm and is not spinning. Litium grease had been dabbed on the gears only.

Any thoughts? Aside from the dabs of lithium, it has been run dry only.
 
HoughMade

HoughMade

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Apr 15, 2008
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Something in that gearbox has to be siezed up. Intermediate clutch drum? Can you spin it with your hand? Intermediate gear? Final gear? Take it apart and see what moves and what does not.
 
Dan

Dan

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Yeppers. Not a thing, not spinning freely by hand. Looks and moves perfect. Just won't turn under even the slightest strain. At half to 1/4 throttle it just starts to pull, then starts sliding and making heat. Has been apart and reassembled 3 times today. Also opened the clutch by hand and all 3 portions travel. I am stumped. At a gocart web page they suggested any kind of oil would render a clutch useless, but that ain't right as they can be run wet. Really dunno....
 
B

bobdirt

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Apr 12, 2009
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Is there a possibility the clutch shoes are glazed? Running with dabs of grease will make the gearbox run hot and could of lead to glazing. I grease the crap out of my grubees. Make sure to grease the bushing at the clutch. I drill a hole in the gearbox cover, drill and tap then whenever the bushing starts to grab a squirt of oil of grease.
 
Dan

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Wow Bob, 2Door just asked the same thing. I really think that might be the answer. Well, cause. I am going to tear down the clutch, spring and all and see if it is just not opening freely then if that fails, try and clean the pads. (I really should have gone with heavy flow ones)

I was thunking that the lithium saturated the bell housing but you guy's thought makes more sense. (if not the travel of the 3 sections of clutch)

Just checked the travel and took pics. Every thing works save the clutch turning the wheel.
 

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Dan

Dan

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New clutch arrived from Bicycle-engines.com. really well packaged with a lil ty note inside. Put it on and fired her up and it just spun. Every thing in/on the GB is working. Engine sounds really good, too good. Can a woodruff be partially broken but intact enough to pull start?
 
jacliny

jacliny

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Oct 20, 2008
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Dan i just got back to it and can't figure out how to get the clutch off! the rtetaining bolt came out but the clutch is on solid! any ideas? Told you these four strokes werent worth it! lol
 
jacliny

jacliny

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well i got it off, was almost welded to the spaceer bushing(poor design) cleaned and lubed it good, seems to run much better now, at least it will idle!lol
I dont think the woodruff key on the clutch side would have anything to do with starting.
The flywheel key should take care of that.If the flywheel key is partialy sheared it will cause a shift in timing, that may be the reason it runs "Too Good"!! I know years ago it was a problem with some outboard motors, a new key would cure it but eventually a new flywheel would be in order. Is the clutch working well now? (did you remember to put it in gear? SNORK!)I dont like these gear boxes! but the alternatives as of now are to rich for my blood./
 
Dan

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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is a bear to get off,eh? Mine is still in parts on the floor. Thinking (well, Hough suggested) it might be not engaging do to oddly enough, the engager. I had it permanently engaged with a spring. No handle. So dang POed at it. Really have to fab a better GB. Put the BGF back on a moon dog and went for a ride yesterday. Was a great ride and good break. Looking forward to Sat!
 

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Dan

Dan

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Wanted to ask you if you had any experience with Grubee GBs, Jay. Gonna bring it to rally . Dunno, getting tired of it.
 
jbcruisin

jbcruisin

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Oct 10, 2008
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Hate to say it but you guys should get an EZMotorbike kit. Mine runs great & is so simple to work on. Come to Dan's rally in Connecticut this weekend & see it. I think 2 other guys from this forum are bringing their EZ's too. Can you guess who they are??
 

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jbcruisin

jbcruisin

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Oct 10, 2008
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Dan, I built the whole bike. Bought frame, hubs, spokes, front end, etc. & put it all together & installed the EZ kit. And no, I have no experience with a Grubee. Sounds like I don't want to. Maybe I can help you out with it at the rally. See you there.
 
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Dan

Dan

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Today I threw the GB back together. Bike got evicted from the garage and I had a 2 smoker to ride so I just reassembled it. Lit her off and rode her out back. On the way it had torque. So I rode her up hill and she had pull. She pulled her self! I rode her around the yard and the good Mrs was laughing at my yells. (I really love my bikes, even more when they work) OK! sorry, The only thing changed was on the inboard side. I reversed the washer. It had become concaved. In no way could this have an effect. But it is the only thing changed and I put a few more mile on her today! GB is screaming loud (no grease) But working! The only thing I changed was the inboard washer on the middle gear got reversed. Makes no, not a bit sence but did not work and now it does.
__________________
 
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Dan

Dan

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May 25, 2008
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Now ya tell me Joe!!!! snork, I needed this information!! hate the thought of this and the flying MB. Could really hurt. (not for long but hey)
 
glacknoid

glacknoid

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Oct 22, 2008
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Dan: When I first put my grubee together I put grease and oil in just like the insructions said and mine slipped a lot too it took forever to take hold and get me moveing. The clutch pads just arent designed to get oil on them even though it's a wet gear box because it's capable of being liquid tight they failed to design clutch pads that could bit in oil. I would just pack it good with greese except up towards the clutch bell to dampen the sound if some grease makes it's way onto the clutch it will burn off quicker than the oil but I pulled the clutch bell and pads off and cleaned with brake cleaner then put it back together. BD does have some web clutch pads he's testing that are designed to work in an oil bath. There's a thread under 4 strokes with photo's of them but oil doesn't mix with the ones you have.
 
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