weird clutch "problem."

bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
on my everyday bike with 5K+ miles on it, it's got this new quirk with the clutch.

when it's cold, like the first start-up on a cold day (by "cold" i mean below 50. sorry, but this is california) the clutch just won't grab.

i gotta pedal like crazy and it just slips when i let the lever out. and i don't mean it slips, i mean it just slows the bike down, without even trying to putt putt putt. makes no noise at all.

eventually it'll fire up, then it'll slip for a block or so, then it's fine for the rest of the day.

there's no oil, water, or any other contaminates on the pads, and the clutch is adjusted right.

obviously, i need new pads and it'll go away, but it's kinda weird that it only does it when it's cold.

i guess my bike's kinda like me. takes awhile to get going on a cold morning...
 
Baird, It sounds like maybe your pucks have gotten glazed from gear grease. It slips when the clutch is cold then after the glaze heats up there's more friction. Nothing else makes sense.

Sounds like the transmission in my sedan. It hates to be woken up and always has a little slippage in 1st and reverse if cold. As soon as the engine temp reaches the normal range it works perfectly. I know that is a symptom of a possible valve body malfunction but that's a job I just don't feel like getting into right now. Maybe next spring.
Tom
 
yup, i think it's a combo of worn and glazed pucks.

i just cleaned them with carb cleaner and tightened the flower nut one notch, now it's all grabby again.

guess i just let it slide too long without maintenance.

since it weren't broke, i weren't fixin' it.
 
The pressure plate itself can also be a bit of a problem if there's been a contaminant and you've "glazed" pads, sometimes hitting that up w/a bit of brake cleaner & a (power) wire brush will help...
 
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