Clutch getting weaker?

[Zippster]

I just got my SBP expansion chamber in on Friday - and I can tell you that it is well worth the money. In fact, I have gained so much horsepower that my engine has come to overpower my clutch. Admittedly, it a bit loose when I had started using it - I would gun the throttle to get moving and it would rev really high while moving forward then drop back down to its intended rpm's - but even after screwing with the adjustment ad nauseum I can't find the sweet spot.

A while back I broke my kit clutch lever in a crash, and swapped to my old front-brake lever after getting a dual lever for my brakes. The lever didn't have nearly as much range of cable pull, but with some fiddling I was able to find a spot where it would fully engage and disengage appropriately. After riding with more power, however, that sweet spot has disappeared. My only conclusion is that the initial clutch-slippage was enough to weaken the clutch grip to where it needs a longer pulling lever to work properly. As I'm running now the clutch audibly squeaks at all times, and I can't WOT for fear of damaging it even further.

That being said: How do I fix this? I haven't opened it up yet (I can't ruin it to get to school tomorrow) and I know that the flower-nut does the same thing as screwing with the cable tension. Do I need new clutch pads? Could it be that my clutch got gunked up on the inside coincidentally the same time I got the pipe (trust me (I've had experience) correlation doesn't mandate causation)?

Of-course I could get a new clutch lever, but I like the one I've got (beats the **** out of the piece o' crap they give you in the kit)...

Thanks for the help

[Bikeguy Joe]

http://motorbicycling.com/f3/externa...ring-4851.html
TIGHTEN the spring, and clean your clutch pads with some brake cleaner.

[Spunout]

Originally Posted by Bikeguy Joe

http://motorbicycling.com/f3/externa...ring-4851.html
TIGHTEN the spring, and clean your clutch pads with some brake cleaner.

and i suggest wearing latex gloves while doing this, or at least wash your hands very well afterwards.....the pads could be made with asbestos and brass fibers. nasty stuff.

[Bikeguy Joe]

Fo'sho'! Also, a dust mask is not a bad idea.

You may want to drop down to a 48T sprocket as well, lets the engine zing and will make life easier for the clutch.

[Pablo]

My clutch pads are made from old tires! I can see the nylon fibers!!

[Zippster]

Well, I'm not sure exactly what I did, but it works...

I took off the left clutch cover and drive chain, undid the cable and took off the little cable holder, then I stuck a thin screwdriver down the hole and turned the sprocket clockwise a bit. Nothing happened. Then I put it back together, and it worked!

I'll ride with it for a day and see how it holds up...

[Bikeguy Joe]

You tightened the spring.

[reg454]

http://motorbicycling.com/f39/adjust...sion-8392.html good article for adjusting the inner clutch spring it's by norman.
\Also you might want to take your clutch ring out the part that the flower ring holds on and take a file of a 2" die grinder to it to make it flat and not shinny helps in a lot of ways. Helps you get a better grip on the clutch pucks.

The Inner clutch spring I tighened it all the way I could, I'm useing an old brake lever too mine had gotten loose and the clutch would not even engage. Plus adjusting the flower nut just made it so I didn't have any room to open the clutch. I made a new clutch arm now that gives me 2.5mm more aera to open it.

[theycallmebob]

Im gonna have to try this myself. After my SBP expansion pipe and other mods mines starting to slip as well.

Hope its as easy as it seems.

[rohmell]

Old thread, but...
Hey Zippster, reg454, and theycallmebob, how are your clutches holding up after all this time?