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R60/5 Clutch Shot and splines bad

kentuvman

New member
So we measured the specs on the clutch and the diaphragm spring - both are shot.

Want to send the clutch to Southland clutch in San Diego but looking for a used & worn clutch with good splines, as Southland doesn't work on splines. I asked Dan if I bought a used clutch with good splines would he be able to work with it and he said he could. He charges @ $200 for his service so this approach beats buying all new components. I will buy a new diaphragm spring.

I saw this one online - what do you think?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-R60-5-R...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1aa6528f&vxp=mtr

Loving this project so far!
 
Ken if your going to spend $200 rebuilding a used clutch plate why not buy new? Max BMW shows $142 for the disk and $60 for the spring.
 
Apparently there's more to the story - southland clutch says due to age of pressure plates, mating surfaces will be cupped - from what I've read they have a more precise way to resurface clutch so all surfaces mate. I will need a new diaphragm spring.

If anyone has a worn clutch for sale for my '73 R60/5 with good splines, please PM me.
 
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We did. Probably a new clutch would be okay but I've heard great reviews about the service done at Southland Clutch. It runs @ $200.
 
Just a thought -

Southland is going to be $200, plus the ebay clutch $70, plus the new spring $60, for a total of $330.

If you bought a new clutch $143, plus the new spring $60, the total is $203.

There some discussion about the pressure plate and compression ring wearing, but I've got almost 200K on my bike, have replaced the clutch a couple of times, the spring once, and haven't noticed any problems with the plate and ring wearing.

Why don't you check them with a straight edge, and if there isn't any sign of a taper in towards the center, clean them up with emory cloth, spend the $203 on the stock clutch and new spring, and see how it works? You will have saved approx $130.

Then, in another 50K or so miles, if you've worn out the clutch and want to go Southland, you'll be able to send them all your own stuff, as the splines will be ok.

Not sure what the right answer is. Lots of good feedback about Southland's work. Only trouble is that once you go that route, you can't use a stock clutch.

If you didn't have to pay for a used clutch, Southland would be the clear path, but since you have to replace the clutch .....

I never thought about keeping my old clutch. If I had, I'd send it to you. Maybe somebody else has one and would be willing to give it up for far less than the eBay example?

Barron
 
FWIW - Ken's pressure plates & flywheel had .017" thickness step on one, and ~ .007" on the other, but can't remember which (my age?). There didn't seem to be much, if any, step difference between the ID and the OD of the .017" one.

The clutch plate spline was getting close to a feather edge, but the transmission shaft still looked OK.
 
Thanks guys - always good wisdom here.

Found a guy selling a complete new OEM set of everything clutch related at a very reasonable cost. Should be set!
 
Just a thought -

Southland is going to be $200, plus the ebay clutch $70, plus the new spring $60, for a total of $330.

If you bought a new clutch $143, plus the new spring $60, the total is $203.

There some discussion about the pressure plate and compression ring wearing, but I've got almost 200K on my bike, have replaced the clutch a couple of times, the spring once, and haven't noticed any problems with the plate and ring wearing.

Why don't you check them with a straight edge, and if there isn't any sign of a taper in towards the center, clean them up with emory cloth, spend the $203 on the stock clutch and new spring, and see how it works? You will have saved approx $130.

Then, in another 50K or so miles, if you've worn out the clutch and want to go Southland, you'll be able to send them all your own stuff, as the splines will be ok.

Not sure what the right answer is. Lots of good feedback about Southland's work. Only trouble is that once you go that route, you can't use a stock clutch.

If you didn't have to pay for a used clutch, Southland would be the clear path, but since you have to replace the clutch .....

I never thought about keeping my old clutch. If I had, I'd send it to you. Maybe somebody else has one and would be willing to give it up for far less than the eBay example?

Barron

Thanks Barron - I'm now re-reviewing the specs on existing pressure plate, compression ring, and diaphraghm spring before buying the complete enchilada.
 
Just a thought -

Southland is going to be $200, plus the ebay clutch $70, plus the new spring $60, for a total of $330.

If you bought a new clutch $143, plus the new spring $60, the total is $203.

There some discussion about the pressure plate and compression ring wearing, but I've got almost 200K on my bike, have replaced the clutch a couple of times, the spring once, and haven't noticed any problems with the plate and ring wearing.

Why don't you check them with a straight edge, and if there isn't any sign of a taper in towards the center, clean them up with emory cloth, spend the $203 on the stock clutch and new spring, and see how it works? You will have saved approx $130.

Then, in another 50K or so miles, if you've worn out the clutch and want to go Southland, you'll be able to send them all your own stuff, as the splines will be ok.

Not sure what the right answer is. Lots of good feedback about Southland's work. Only trouble is that once you go that route, you can't use a stock clutch.

If you didn't have to pay for a used clutch, Southland would be the clear path, but since you have to replace the clutch .....

I never thought about keeping my old clutch. If I had, I'd send it to you. Maybe somebody else has one and would be willing to give it up for far less than the eBay example?

Barron

Barron - just wanted to thank you for causing me to push the Pause button on buying a new clutch assembly. A friend came by today to help me R&R main seal & "O" ring - he brought a depth micrometer for the diaphragm spring - we set it on a piece of glass & measured it and it's within spec. The clutch plate & ring are also in good shape. we - the only thing I need to buy is a new clutch.
 
Well, in the scheme of jobs on our bikes, the clutch is not too terrible to take apart, so I think it is worth trying to get some more miles out of your parts.

Good recommendation that I have followed is to use some emory cloth to break the glaze on the pressure plate and compression ring, then clean them with brake cleaner before reassembly.

Cheers,

Barron
 
Excellent comments

Yes the pause button is a good option..glad to hear you used it. Some great comments here. I recently did the same process and decided these bikes are tough and don't need the perfect solution in every case. Now, maybe if you are heading off on a multi continent trip, sure, but for most of us the decision you made is a good one.
kurt
 
Yes the pause button is a good option..glad to hear you used it. Some great comments here. I recently did the same process and decided these bikes are tough and don't need the perfect solution in every case. Now, maybe if you are heading off on a multi continent trip, sure, but for most of us the decision you made is a good one.
kurt

It helps to be on a good team - the BMW community is amazingly awesome.

I met the local Airhead Marshall, Curt Henry who came by this weekend - he showed me how to R&R main engine seal, used his snap on impact driver to crack the oem screws holding the oil pump cover so we could R&R O ring.

He brought the depth micrometer to get an accurate reading on the clutch components.

I am grateful to you guys!
 
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