Clutch rebuild help

[Mofla]

Got the clutch out out of my 99 tourer. Made a homemade press to compress clutch to remove circlip to disassemble plates. Can’t get the clip out and don’t want to compress too much ? Anybody got any ideas , insights on this ?

[The emperor has no clothes]

I don't think you can compress it too much.

[indybobm]

I think that it is possible to over compress and crack something. When I did my clutch, I tried spreading the circlip enough it just lift it out of and off of the groove. I found that I needed to get one end clear of the grove and work it around by carefully prying. Be especially careful to not compress too much when reassembling with new parts in there.

[F6Dave]

I used basically the same method, with an old lawnmower blade.

[F6Dave]

However it can be very tricky to get the plates perfectly aligned so the compressed pack slides into the basket.  I held held the pack together with light pressure, using a couple of springs/screws/washers.  This let me slide the pack into the basket and get the alignment perfect before compressing it with the big spring and circlip.

[indybobm]

Basically did the same with mine, plus I have an extra basket to align the discs.

[Mofla]

I think as someone mentioned, my circlip pliers aren’t good enough to finish the spread ! Those in the picture look way better than the Harbor freight ones I purchased. I got a shop that will do it for $ 50 but I’m afraid when I get it home to install back in the basket , if it doesn’t go in I’m gonna have to adjust the plates ? Thanks for the help !

[indybobm]

The snap ring pliers that I have are probably overkill. They really do not open up that much farther than smaller ones. Again, do not expect to open up the cir-clip to the point where you just lift it off.. Open up one side so that you can get something under the end and lift that end away from the grove. Then work the rest of it off a little at a time.

[Mofla]

Success ! Dropped off the clutch at the shop & that was a waste of time & money ! Charged me $25  and told me he needed “the rest of the parts to take it apart “ or it was gonna cost me a lot more $$ !!!:tickedoff: snuggling dipshit ! So I picked it , brought it home and had it apart in 30 minutes!!!
Turns out , I figured the worst that could happen from over pressing the is you could damage , flatten the diaphragm spring and if that happened I could buy another ! With that option in mind I cranked the press to the point that the collar that the clip lays in falls below the clip !!! At that point the clip
almost falls off !!!! ( exaggerations ) Took apart all the plates , replaced the damaged friction plates (2) and the damper plate, the one famous for the rivers giving out ! Repressed, reclip and reinstall clutch in basket!!! However it was a bitch getting tabs in alignment before it slid together!! Reassemble all that comes off and test ride ! Test ride and clutch feels better than ever !!! Yahoo! Special thanks to Disco, ValkPilot, meathead , F6 and all you others that contributed your ideas & opinions !!!
PS the diaphragm spring was not damaged by the press and was with tolerance !!

[Disco]

Great report, Tommy!      Glad to know you're back in business.