New Clutch!

[F6Dave]

After many months I finally got around to replacing the clutch on my ’98 Tourer.  As some others have experienced, the rivets in the damper plate failed.  This is not uncommon on some high mileage Valks.

The job took several hours, but was not difficult at all.  Getting the center plastic cover off was more of a PITA than any of the other work.  Clearance isn’t as good as in a bike with a more typical transversely mounted engine, but once you have it on a lift with a few pieces removed (I didn’t even remove the tank) there is plenty of clearance to remove the rear cover and clutch center pack without any special tools (not even a wobble joint for your ratchet).

Here are of a couple of things I learned:

I’d read that the disk alignment must nearly perfect or the compressed clutch center pack will not fit back into the basket.  I used a couple of large washers and a spring in 2 places to hold the pack together with some light pressure.  This allowed me to align the disks in the basket, and keep them aligned when I compressed the diaphragm spring and replaced the circlip.



Speaking of compressing the spring, I made a simple tool out of a 2x4, long bolt, a plastic pipe fitting, and an old lawnmower blade.  I knew that blade would come in handy one day!  This allowed me to use straight tips on the circlip pliers which seem to work better than 90 or 45 degree tips.



While I used an impact wrench to remove the big clutch nut, I wanted to torque the new one to the Honda spec.  Here’s a simple clutch holder tool I made from another 2x4.

[RP#62]

Nice write up and pics.  Thanks.
-RP

[Ricky-D]

Yes, and by all means put that in the tech section......Thank you.

***

[Fudd]

How high of mileage are you talking about?  When the rivets failed, what happened?  Did you have any advance warning?  Did you create these "tools" off the top of your head, or did you have a link to guide you?

Forgive for all the questions:  Enquiring minds want to know.

[Thunderbolt]

hopefully someone will save the writeup in Shop Talk.  Hey I think I have some old mower blades too.  I'm a pack rat, ask my wife.  Maybe I won't need them to change the clutch!! 

[Disco]

Really nice work, Dave.  Thanks for sharing.   

[F6Dave]

How high of mileage are you talking about?  When the rivets failed, what happened?  Did you have any advance warning?  Did you create these "tools" off the top of your head, or did you have a link to guide you?

My mileage is a bit less than 149,000.

I'd read about the failure symptom in another post.  It is very easy to ID.  The clutch lever only pulls in about half way.  This probably occurs because the rivet is working it's way out of the pack, and is temporarily stuck between the damper plate and a friction plate.  Centrifugal force quickly spits the rivet out, where it drops to the bottom of the clutch housing.  Everything seems normal after that, until the next chunk of rivet causes a repeat.  Of course, you now have fewer rivets in the damper plate, so the remaining ones have more stress.

The tools were simple to make.  The holder was inspired by the Honda tool in the manual.  Some have just tightened the nut with an impact wrench, and some shops do as well.

The compressor is similar to one in a previous post on the board, though they used metal pipe where I used the plastic pipe joint because it is way easier to cut.

The idea to hold the pack together with washers and springs was my own idea.  I'd read that others had to make multiple attempts at aligning the disks with a straight edge, so I wanted to avoid that frustration.

[Fudd]

Thanks Dave for all the good info.  I'll bookmark this and hope I never have to refer to it.

[gordonv]

No one has ever used these words, but from some of the threads of "which oil do you use" and people talk about using regular (or unregular) car oil, I've come to the conclusion that the Valkyrie uses a dry clutch system.

Is this correct? In the above pictures of the rear of the engine/clutch, I don't notice any oil there either.

If so, then this is why we should not be using MC oil either in the bike. I hadn't gotten around to an oil change on my IS before my accident happened, so I haven't even looked into the type of oil required.

[F6Dave]

I can say with certainty it is a wet clutch because I got the oil on my lift and floor to prove it!  Even after draining the crankcase there's quite a bit of oil left in the clutch housing.  With the lift under the engine it isn't easy to capture it without some spilling.

[boozer]

How high of mileage are you talking about?  When the rivets failed, what happened?  Did you have any advance warning?  Did you create these "tools" off the top of your head, or did you have a link to guide you?

Forgive for all the questions:  Enquiring minds want to know.

mine just failed at 52000.

[Patrick]

Very nice write-up.. I like your good old American ingenuity.. I'm still not looking forward to doing this though.. How many hours from start to finish ??

[John Schmidt]

No one has ever used these words, but from some of the threads of "which oil do you use" and people talk about using regular (or unregular) car oil, I've come to the conclusion that the Valkyrie uses a dry clutch system.

Is this correct? In the above pictures of the rear of the engine/clutch, I don't notice any oil there either.

If so, then this is why we should not be using MC oil either in the bike. I hadn't gotten around to an oil change on my IS before my accident happened, so I haven't even looked into the type of oil required.

Hey GV, you don't want to use just any old oil in the bike because it really is a wet clutch. If you use automotive oils, that's fine, but they need to be free of "friction modifiers" or "energy conserving" stuff. If it has any of that in the oil you use, your wet clutch will soon be a slippery clutch.

[JaysGone]

Ok now Im bothered and will have to read ALL the danged oil posts here.
I filled the bike with good old cheapy 10w-40 as per the OEM manual.
I have put 1200 miles on the bike.
No clutch troubles on my end............so far.

Now since Im new here.
I dont want to hijack this thread.
So if its true that I need to use my good stuff as in Mobil 1 V-Twin or Amsoil.   
1 or 2 deffinative answers would be nice.

[tank_post142]

Jay i'm pushing 350,000 on mobil 1. but i suspect any good quality oil would do the same. just do NOT use oil with moly additives. it will probably kill the clutch.

[JaysGone]

Crap!!!!
I just read a bunch of oil threads here. Same garbage on every motorcycle board.
Im saving my good stuff for the R* and will pick up some Rotella in the am.
Molly<ZDDP> is for valves doesnt hurt a clutch one bit.
Not the amounts its in oil anyway.
Unless you pour in a ton of the stuff after doing a camshaft change

And guys
Wally World filters were made by Champion.
Get them here same part number.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CPN-CL7317/

[Hoser]

Ok now Im bothered and will have to read ALL the danged oil posts here.
I filled the bike with good old cheapy 10w-40 as per the OEM manual.
I have put 1200 miles on the bike.
No clutch troubles on my end............so far.

Now since Im new here.
I dont want to hijack this thread.
So if its true that I need to use my good stuff as in Mobil 1 V-Twin or Amsoil.   
1 or 2 deffinative answers would be nice.

Most, if not all 10-40 oil does NOT have the friction inhibiters that will damage clutch.  Just check the can before you buy it, no writing in the bottom half of the circle, no inhibiters, no problem, the brand and price of the oil is not a concern, they all must meet ansi standards.   What you used is probably fine.  Hoser 

[Dougs2000IS]

Thanks Dave for all the good info.  I'll bookmark this and hope I never have to refer to it.

+1

[JaysGone]

Dave I appologise about my semi hijack not nice of me.
Again sorry.
Jay

Guys no more replies to me  please Im done ................