clutch time !!

[_Will_]

So mine is starting to break loose when it hits the power band, time to replace I would think and I'm likely going with the barnett kevlar kit. For those that have done it, did you need to replace the steel plates? Trying to decide if I should order the kit with or without them (without tearing into the bike first). Also saw a cork/aluminum EBC kit for a nice price but don't know if that's a down grade or not. Also didn't come with any steels.


and thanks again to the members who contribute to the wiki and sticky's, I'd be lost without them

[haro504]

i would replace the steels also they wear also i dont know what comes with the kit but if i were to do it which i will with my build i would also change the springs to

[_Will_]

i would replace the steels also they wear also i dont know what comes with the kit but if i were to do it which i will with my build i would also change the springs to

that's one for the steels

and all the kits come with new springs. The barnetts are apparently famous for being so strong people do a mix of stock and barnett to make the lever easier

[haro504]

how much extra is it for the steels and what is the price range of a clutch kit cause im gonna need one too

[_Will_]

The kits range anywhere from 85-100 without and 160ish with the steels. I'll probably just go with the steels anyway. I estimate the bike has about 35-40k on it and they could probably do with replacing. Just trying to think of places I could save

[fzrbrandon]

Don't buy steels unless they are out of spec. Those things are around $7 or $8 a piece (x8 for a 600). Grab a vernier caliper and measure them all the way around. The manual will list the tolerance for them. At the most, they'll probably only need to be rubbed out a bit with a scotch-brite pad to get the glazing off from the friction plates (if there is any). You may also want to lay them on a known flat surface to check that they are not warped at all. Frictions are different obviously. New springs aren't a bad idea and they're relatively cheap.

As for the brand, a lot of guys swear by the OEM stuff so I don't think there's a need to spend more on aftermarket. Contrary to this however, I actually just bought some EBC frictions and springs because the price was right and I was going to get them pretty quickly. So we'll see how that goes...

BTW, I think I paid $45 for the EBC friction plates and about $6 for the EBC springs.

Brandon

[_Will_]

did you get the cork/aluminum friction plates or did you find the kevlar ones for that price ? I looked it up for the oem parts on bikebandit and it doesn't seem that upgrading is really all that expensive.

[the_finch]

I've got the Kevlar EBC "Street Racer" clutch on mine, and love it. As for mixing the springs, I wouldn't, as our clutches only have five springs, and it's sort of hard to mix and match with only five springs and still be sure to keep even pressure all the way around. Stop and go traffic is hell with the new springs, but it bites really well. As for the steels, when I took mine apart, my steels looked good (21K at the time), but I replaced them with some used ones I got from Thatkid that I cleaned up with a little steel wool. If you can take a little downtime, I'd just get the friction plates and springs, and when you take it apart, check the steels and then decide if you need to really replace them.

[_Will_]

alright, for budget purposes I went with just the friction plates and I'll check them when I get it out. Got a set of EBC kevlar plates with springs for 80.95 with free shipping. Coming from morepoweracing.com , never heard of them but saw a thread on a VFR board about them that said some good things. Now I just need to order the gasket for the cover

[yamaha_george]

alright, for budget purposes I went with just the friction plates and I'll check them when I get it out. Got a set of EBC kevlar plates with springs for 80.95 with free shipping. Coming from morepoweracing.com , never heard of them but saw a thread on a VFR board about them that said some good things. Now I just need to order the gasket for the cover

hi,
I have had steels clutch plates for 30+K in my street drag bike, NEVER ever had to replace them including the fact that I blew the clutch through the cover first time out just too much power.

Cleaned down with meths & scotchbrited., check for warp with dial guage & surface plate, put back in all the right way round with 50% oem springs & 50% Barnett (6 spring clutch )

Cork on Alloy plates rather than cork on composite is preferable in my way of thinking for cooling.

[_Will_]

Was waiting for you to chime in George, glad to know I should be fine. Will check for warpage and thickness

[yamaha_george]

Was waiting for you to chime in George, glad to know I should be fine. Will check for warpage and thickness

Good Job I woke up in time then, you know us old folk gotta take a nap, you can always wake me up in the PM LOL2

[_Will_]

Finally got around to it, was fine until I snapped the head off a spring nut. I was using a torque wrench but it just snapped off. A tap and die set later and a shortened bolt I had on hand and I was up and moving.

Thanks again to fzronline and the wiki, made it nice and easy

[mrfreeze5]

Ive got all my parts on the way for my hydraulic clutch setup, and I know my lever is going to be nice and soft, and there are ways to make it easier. So my question is, is there a real benefit to using the stiffer spring setups as opposed to stock if lever pull force is not a factor? The way i see it, with a radial clutch MC and oversized slave cylinder, anything should be easy, but the stock setup could end up too soft of a lever.

Sorry for the

[_Will_]

I went with an EBC plates and springs kits. The springs don't actually seem harder at all, more consistent through the pull and a nice clean bite. I stalled it twice when I first ran them. My plates were fine, I think it was actually my springs that were the problem but while I was in there it didn't hurt to change them out. I ran wot through two hears and no slipping so it's working great