R100/7 clutch

[Sportrider]

I just had a new clutch installed by a backyard mechanic. He warned me it might slip a little for the first few thousand miles. Sure enough, it is slipping. For some reason it doesn't seem to happen so much in the heat of daytime riding. But last night the bike nearly left me stranded when I tried to ride it up a steep grade on the highway.

My question: is this typical? or do I need to go back and have the guy look at it again?

 

[20774]

I don't know about a couple of 1000 miles, but I would think it would bed-in in several hundred, depending on how it's used. Clutch disks today don't have the asbestos so are apt to be a bit harder and tend to slip. Did you only have the clutch disk replaced? It may take a while for all of the high spots between the three clutch components to get knocked down.

Have you double checked the clutch arm adjustments? With things wearing in, the engagement point is bound to change and you should stay on top of this and keep the arm at the back of the tranny properly adjusted. You should be able to push the arm forward with your finger about 2mm before all of the slack is taken up. Plus, the arm should be parallel with the back plate of the transmission when the hand clutch lever is about 50% of the way out.

 

[bearsfolks]

Clutch slippage TSA

My 83 R80RT developed a slipping clutch at 45,000 miles. My local mechanic put in all new parts, and when the bike was test driven it still slipped. See Service Bulletin No.
21 003 83 (2074). Apparently spacers are needed to maintain the arch in the diaphram spring. Without the spacers the spring is too flat and doesn't have sufficient clamping power. When redone per bulletin it worked perfectly.

 

[20774]

The bulletin you refer to seems to be for 1981 and later bikes, those with the "clutch carrier" mechanism. I doubt that the original posters /7 model had that kind of clutch. Still, it's possible that the old spring could be weak and depending on mileage, it should have been replaced. Almostblue didn't say how many miles or what was replaced on the bike.

 

[Sportrider]

Bike has 27K original miles. Parts were seals and single clutch disk only.

 

[20774]

With only 27K, one would think that the spring should be OK. It'll take some time for the disk to find its match with the existing parts. Still, keep up with the clutch adjustments. I'd recommend not TRYING to make it slip...let it do it on its own until it seats in. I think if you abuse the clutch, you'll have other problems as well.

 

[sgborgstrom]

IMO, something's buggered.

What made you decide to replace your original clutch at 27k miles? Unless abused or oiled up the dry clutch in an airhead will last 75K or more.

If the pressure plate or flywheel are so warped that your new friction disc can't grab them, they should have been replaced. Right now the high spots on the metal parts are polishing a nice glaze onto your new disc. You are going to end up tearing the whole thing apart and replacing parts all over again in the not too distant future.

This is of course assuming there is enough freeplay in the cable. Another possibility is the throwout bearing assembly is bad or the actuator rod running through the transmission got bent and something is hanging up so the plates aren't in full contact with one another.

Good luck

 

[PeoriaMac]

I'm with Mr. Borgstrom on this one.
A. The clutch plate shouldn't be worn out at 27 K.
B. A new clutch plate should fix any slipping problems.
C. As a general rule, I've replaced my clutch plate and spring at the same time. If you're going to all that trouble (if you're doing it youself) save some time and do them both. If you're paying someone else --save the money you'll pay him for
removing the tranny an extra time.

I've certainly check the cable slack at the handlebar as well as making sure
the arm at the rear of the transmission is an a 90-degree angle.

BTW, if you've got a ride-off stand, make sure that arm is not hanging up on a spring to the stand. It happened to me.

Mac