Damper Plate Question

[Jruby38]

I was having hard shifting and clutch disengage. The clutch is being replaced and the damper plate rivets are sheared off for the second time. Can the the damper plate be eliminated with more friction plates, or substituted with a one piece solid aftermarket without rivets? 

[Bighead]

I dont know the answer to your question but have a question. How many miles on your bike? The reason I ask is this is your second clutch pack to replace?

[hubcapsc]

I can think of one person I know (not just read about) who had the
clutch rivet problem... you've had it twice ? ! ? ...

I probably know more people, but I remember the time Robert's
(2tone) clutch started exhibiting the problem on a ride we were on
and it turned out to be the rivets...

-Mike

[98valk]

I was having hard shifting and clutch disengage. The clutch is being replaced and the damper plate rivets are sheared off for the second time. Can the the damper plate be eliminated with more friction plates, or substituted with a one piece solid aftermarket without rivets? 

it will be too grabby and almost uncontrollable without the damper plate.   only the clutch plates on either side which get damaged need to be replaced. clutch plates are good for 300k miles.

if u are not down shifting or shifting too soon into higher gears and using the engine's torque, otherwise known as lugging the engine, instead to accelerate, that puts extra strain on the damper.
 The only goldwing engine that can get away without using a damper plate is the GL1200, something to do with the internal chain drive system that engine uses.

[Jruby38]

Damper broke and clutch replaced about 35k replaced when the lever would not go all the way to the handlebar, with a Barnett racing clutch, and now at 130k.  I am going back to OEM because the lever is to hard to hold in  at a long light with the Barnett.  But boy did it hook up.

I still think the damper plate should be one piece ,or the rivets should be steel, not low strength brass.

[hubcapsc]

Damper broke and clutch replaced about 35k replaced when the lever would not go all the way to the handlebar, with a Barnett racing clutch, and now at 130k.  I am going back to OEM because the lever is to hard to hold in  at a long light with the Barnett.  But boy did it hook up.

I still think the damper plate should be one piece ,or the rivets should be steel, not low strength brass.

I bet (but don't know) that the brass rivets are like shear pins on your bush hog... sacrificial
"easily" replaced things instead of catastrophic failure elsewhere...

-Mike

[98valk]

Damper broke and clutch replaced about 35k replaced when the lever would not go all the way to the handlebar, with a Barnett racing clutch, and now at 130k.  I am going back to OEM because the lever is to hard to hold in  at a long light with the Barnett.  But boy did it hook up.

I still think the damper plate should be one piece ,or the rivets should be steel, not low strength brass.

barnett and oem plates are same material last I checked.  u have the racing spring installed which of course is stronger than the oem spring. just replace the spring with oem.

if your bike is a '98, there were many bad damper plates, honda had a problem with the supplier that yr from what has been told on this board. my '98 went bad about 40k miles.

[hubcapsc]

Robert (2Tone) had a 98, I think... blue and cream...

-Mike

[Ricky-D]

To answer your question. Yes, the damper plate can be replaced with a standard plates and friction discs with no problem.

The important thing is to have the whole stack up height close to oem specifications so it works properly. See the manual.

As to the difficulty using the clutch in this set-up, there are tons of motorcycles that use no damper in their applications.

It would just be a matter of becoming used to the characteristics of the clutch without a damper. Some riders have already done exactly this deletion.

I think the biggest reason for the failure of the damper plate is the sudden shock imparted to the clutch pack of non-synchronized deceleration using the clutch.

***

[98valk]

To answer your question. Yes, the damper plate can be replaced with a standard plates and friction discs with no problem.

The important thing is to have the whole stack up height close to oem specifications so it works properly. See the manual.

As to the difficulty using the clutch in this set-up, there are tons of motorcycles that use no damper in their applications.

It would just be a matter of becoming used to the characteristics of the clutch without a damper. Some riders have already done exactly this deletion.

I think the biggest reason for the failure of the damper plate is the sudden shock imparted to the clutch pack of non-synchronized deceleration using the clutch.

***

my comments about not using a damper plate for the valkyrie is based on the supercharger guys who did it and responded with bad reports and stated they wouldn't do it again.

[WintrSol]

Without taking the clutch out and examining it, IOW, just looking at the drawings, I can't see what, exactly the damper plate does. It engages the center the same as the other plates, so I'm guessing it fits more snugly to the center, so its teeth engage it a bit sooner than the other plates when the clutch is engaged? And, that allows a somewhat smoother engagement? If this is not true, I can't see what it does. This is the first bike I've encountered with a damper plate, so, unless/until I have to examine it first hand, I'm in the dark as to its function.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Without taking the clutch out and examining it, IOW, just looking at the drawings, I can't see what, exactly the damper plate does. It engages the center the same as the other plates, so I'm guessing it fits more snugly to the center, so its teeth engage it a bit sooner than the other plates when the clutch is engaged? And, that allows a somewhat smoother engagement? If this is not true, I can't see what it does. This is the first bike I've encountered with a damper plate, so, unless/until I have to examine it first hand, I'm in the dark as to its function.

There are little spring steel thingies between the two steel clutch plates. I think the purpose is to give a little cushion to the engagement of the clutch.

[98valk]

Without taking the clutch out and examining it, IOW, just looking at the drawings, I can't see what, exactly the damper plate does. It engages the center the same as the other plates, so I'm guessing it fits more snugly to the center, so its teeth engage it a bit sooner than the other plates when the clutch is engaged? And, that allows a somewhat smoother engagement? If this is not true, I can't see what it does. This is the first bike I've encountered with a damper plate, so, unless/until I have to examine it first hand, I'm in the dark as to its function.

more smoother and controlled engagement of the clutch. less shock to the driveline. all prior GW engines have them. I do not know about the GL1800.

[WintrSol]

Without taking the clutch out and examining it, IOW, just looking at the drawings, I can't see what, exactly the damper plate does. It engages the center the same as the other plates, so I'm guessing it fits more snugly to the center, so its teeth engage it a bit sooner than the other plates when the clutch is engaged? And, that allows a somewhat smoother engagement? If this is not true, I can't see what it does. This is the first bike I've encountered with a damper plate, so, unless/until I have to examine it first hand, I'm in the dark as to its function.

There are little spring steel thingies between the two steel clutch plates. I think the purpose is to give a little cushion to the engagement of the clutch.

OK, that explains a lot. None of the drawings or manual photos show them very well, but I can see how they take up some of the slack, and make engagement a little smoother. I can also understand why Ricky-D says they are not really necessary; if you are used to a clutch without them, you probably won't notice their absence.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Without taking the clutch out and examining it, IOW, just looking at the drawings, I can't see what, exactly the damper plate does. It engages the center the same as the other plates, so I'm guessing it fits more snugly to the center, so its teeth engage it a bit sooner than the other plates when the clutch is engaged? And, that allows a somewhat smoother engagement? If this is not true, I can't see what it does. This is the first bike I've encountered with a damper plate, so, unless/until I have to examine it first hand, I'm in the dark as to its function.

There are little spring steel thingies between the two steel clutch plates. I think the purpose is to give a little cushion to the engagement of the clutch.

OK, that explains a lot. None of the drawings or manual photos show them very well, but I can see how they take up some of the slack, and make engagement a little smoother. I can also understand why Ricky-D says they are not really necessary; if you are used to a clutch without them, you probably won't notice their absence.

My clutch rivets recently gave way. I had seen posts of guys forgoing the damper plate with extra regular discs. But, I figured Honda had good reason for it. If I have to replace the damper plate again in 140k, I can live with that. I put in new fiber discs, etc. but they weren’t needed. If I do it again I’ll probably go with a damper plate and a gasket.

[Jruby38]

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.  You don't take a 100hp motor and link it with brass rivets in the drive train, but that's  just my thinking after experiencing it twice. Poor design. I think I am going to try eliminating it this time instead of trying for 3 times.

[The emperor has no clothes]

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.  You don't take a 100hp motor and link it with brass rivets in the drive train, but that's  just my thinking after experiencing it twice. Poor design. I think I am going to try eliminating it this time instead of trying for 3 times.

Don’t forget to add discs to make it the same depth.