Clutch Friction Point

[mcnut]

The friction point on my son's 2011 XC250 Six Days clutch seems to be varying. Sometimes it will start engaging with the lever near the end of it's travel. Other times it will start grabbing with the lever barely off the handlebar.

We've only run one tank of fuel through it so far and it's never been apart.

Anybody have an idea on what's going on here?

 

[webmaster]

Here is a tip from the gasgas trials website :

"NOTE.... Jim Snell advises that the most common cause of clutch drag on the Gas Gas (90%) is when the screw on the clutch lever is turned in too far, when the customer assumes that less free-play equals less drag... quite the opposite, when the piston is not allowed to come all the way back to its stop. If the piston is not returning to the outer stop 'c' clip, the stroke is less, causing less fluid movement to the slave piston as well as blocking the bleed hole from the reservoir to the piston and no additional fluid can be drawn into the system."

My guess is that the variance is due to bleed hole being blocked - you need to back the adjuster off a touch.

If you have clutch drag, it can be minimized by using either amsoil 0w40 motorcycle oil or Shell Rotella Synthetic 5w40. If it were me, I would use the rotella syn 5w40....

jeff

 

[GMP]

Second that, and if it still drags it may need bleeding. Another note about the lever position Jeff mentioned is that if there is no freeplay and the hole in the master is blocked, it will be impossible to backbleed. My brother found this out after much frustration.

 

[lankydoug]

I read a thread on Trials Central where a guy made his clutch really slick working by scraping the excess glue from between the grooves on the friction plates. Apparently the glue would cause occasional sticking and make the clutch unpredictable at times. My clutch grabs every once in a while especially when cold, I figured I would do the mod the next time I had it apart. Currently it doesn't bother me enough to mess with it.

 

[TNT Cycle]

lever

Check the lever adjusters. Mine wasn't/isn't real tight I can't say Ive seen it change with use or vibration but its not out of the question. KTMs at times like to do that, the reach adjuster spins on its own affecting freeplay and throw. I check mine on the gasser all the time because it turns so easily...

cheers

Rick

 

[GMP]

I've always just ran mine full out (with loctite) against the "C" clip on my bikes. Unless you have real tiny hands I can't see needing to move the lever in.

 

[mcnut]

Thank you for your suggestions. We'll try them out but it may be a while before we can test. It's just too frickin' cold here right now! Although I love winter riding, my comfort zone is at about 20 degrees F.

 

[TNT Cycle]

lever

I actually run mine close to halfway. I have small hands I guess and like clutch to disengage with finger right around 90 degree bend. Just walked out to mine and remembered it wouldn't even sit in gear really with it all the way out. It needs a bit of throw or push to open clutch. I adjust mine from time to time to try things or because of hand fatigue so I haven't locktited it in or anything.

My suggestion was just a quick easy thing to look at and may not be the answer....

cheers,

Rick

 

[mcnut]

Backed off the adjuster to give it a little free play. Problem solved! Thanks.

 

[mrkartoom]

Just the thread I was looking for, as mine started with the same symptoms as mcnut's. I only have about 1 hour on my bike so far and noticed that with the lever pulled against my fingers (I use one finger to pull the lever) the clutch was still engaged. I had to lift my hand and pull it all the way to the bar to get it totally disengage. When I'd first start the bike this would not be the case, but within the 1st minute of riding this would start. I even bled the system thinking that was the problem. I kept running my adjuster in until there was only the tiniest bit of free play in it and no fix'y.

 

[vgstef]

Just the thread I was looking for, as mine started with the same symptoms as mcnut's. I only have about 1 hour on my bike so far and noticed that with the lever pulled against my fingers (I use one finger to pull the lever) the clutch was still engaged. I had to lift my hand and pull it all the way to the bar to get it totally disengage. When I'd first start the bike this would not be the case, but within the 1st minute of riding this would start. I even bled the system thinking that was the problem. I kept running my adjuster in until there was only the tiniest bit of free play in it and no fix'y.

I am having the same on my gnew gas gas ec 300. I do have the free play, i will try to bleed the clutch. will see

Steven

 

[vgstef]

I am having the same on my gnew gas gas ec 300. I do have the free play, i will try to bleed the clutch. will see

Steven

Bleed the clutch it fix

 

[gasgasman]

My guess is that the variance is due to bleed hole being blocked - you need to back the adjuster off a touch.
jeff

Exactly.
To properly check the clutch lever free play, you will need to remove the master cylinder reservoir cap.
When you pull the lever in oil should spurt up. If not, back the adjuster screw out until it does.

 

[mrkartoom]

A stab at the lever and mine shoots oil across the room with the cap off. I've backed my adjuster all the way out and same thing: Cold it's good, disengages completely an inch off the bar- warm it up and the disengagement point moves to the bar.

Bled it thoroughly before I had to head out to Calif for a week on biz. I'm back and plan to start messing with this again. I'm taking the master cylinder apart in the next day or two and have a looky. Heard about the same problem on one that had machining bits left in there that scored up the cylinder. It's a long shot, but I have no idea what else to try at this point.