clutch plates

[Garrison]

Hey All,
I got to tear into my bike tonight after work and I just wanted to relay what I've got to you boys to make sure I'm still on the right track.
The cork? gasket material is still intact on all the plates but quite thin, I assume a new plate will have much thicker material?
Any thing else I need to be made aware of before I replace and put back together?
Oh and by the way, since I've got her opened up I plan on replacing that leaky seal around the gear shifter. That shouldn't be to big of a procedure either?
Thanks in advance!
Garrison

[hughes]

Did you check out that clutch I posted on your other post. It's the tusk clutch kit. Cheap and works great. I can help with most things on that 87 of yours. It has took me about two years to get mine up to top running shape. Good luck. How about some pictures of the old girl??

[gowen]

The seal around the shifter will come out easily, just remove the shifter and user a seal puller or be careful with a flat head screwdriver and slowly pull it out.. without touching the crankcase as it will damage the aluminum. Then slide on a new seal.

As for the clutch, there are quite a few factors that could cause the clutch to slip. First being the springs are worn, second being the metal plates between the fibre, and third the fibers. I'd replace the entire KIT and get steel plates instead of aluminum. Eleminate them all.

[Polar-Bus]

As for the clutch, there are quite a few factors that could cause the clutch to slip. First being the springs are worn,

Excellent comment. Clutch springs on older bikes easily become "laxed" (meaning they loose their free height). This very scenario happened on my newly restored '82 GS1100E Zuki. The engine would rev and pull sweet until 8000 rpm's, then it would abruptly slip and over-rev. The clutch springs were right at the minimum height spec. When I bought new springs, they were 1/4" longer in length. Problem solved.

[Garrison]

Hi Guys,
Hey Hughes, yeah I ordered the Tusk clutch kit today. Thanks for the info!
Now onto the next question:
Is it okay to leave the grooves that have worn on my clutch housing? Should I try to remove it and file it down smooth?
Thanks again,
Garrison

[Polar-Bus]

Hi Guys,
Hey Hughes, yeah I ordered the Tusk clutch kit today. Thanks for the info!
Now onto the next question:
Is it okay to leave the grooves that have worn on my clutch housing? Should I try to remove it and file it down smooth?
Thanks again,
Garrison

Are you talking the casted posts on the clutch basket? If those are badly notched from the clutch drive plates, you can file them smooth, but that's really only a band-aid fix, you don't want too much of a gap between the clutch plates and the clutch basket. This can cause the clutch plates to hammer on the basket, and possibly snap the aluminum post of the basket. Got a pic of the basket?

[Garrison]

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. This bike was converted to a flat tracker for a while and I think she got hammered pretty hard back in the day.
This  was intended to be my "beater" bike anyway (to go out and play with on a rainy day) and I don't plan on spending the cash for a fresh clutch housing.
I'll try to post a picture of it for you guys soon. I'll just have to corner one of my kids and have them show me how.
Garrison

[Garrison]

Here is a picture of the clutch housing

[gowen]

That isn't too bad. Mine was WAAAAY worse before I replaced it. I'd smooth it some with a drimel, but not alot, just enough to make it slightly smooth. That usally causes the clutch to grab and go into gear roughly.

Good luck, get that bike back up running and watch out for bugs in your teeth. I think you'll have a hard time not grinnin'.