further to my challenges.............

last time out i had clutch slip, i had checked clearance of the cross shaft at the engine side, and made sure there was clearance at the pedal end...... and still was slipping.

I bought a complete Barnet clutch set - steels/frictions/springs, fitted them.. and adjusted up again....

Now, the clutch is not slipping on track at all...... but there is no bite from the clutch, and is a lot worse when warm...

the only thing that i think even a numpty like I coudl have got wring we the direction i put the bevelled steel ring in that goes inside the first friction plate you put in - not sure if that would make the clutch feel this way ?

I spoke to some guys who said they do not use the smaller friction (with larger inner diameter) nor do they use the small steel rings - instead they replace with a 'normal' friction plate - as the small rings and thinner friction are to make things 'easier' to control on a normal bike/clutch operation ?

answers on a postcard please.... trying to launch this with an on/off switch is quite a challenge, especially in the middle of a paddock

Hey, i had exactly the same problem, did exactly the same as you and didnt work.... Finally a local bike shop sorted it fo rme. The linkage mechanism was all gunked up (NOT SURE WHERE?) But they had the car for 40 mins and didnt even charge me and works like a dream now! Maybe ask someone to check out the clucth link/actuator system? I was getting full movement but the link didn't move fully or something, sorry im not up on the parts etc so can be more specific.

yep - that could well make sense if the rod is catching/not moving freely i guess...

its just strange that the action was good with the old clutch, but i guess the rod may just be gunked up...

when i checked the adjustment screw for clearance it was quite gunky/dirty - and i don;t remember it being like that previously, maybe take off the cover, and slide the rod out and clean.... but part of me thinks there is more to it.... especially as it gets worse when hot - which leads me to think its maybe clutch plate related - ie those little rings inside the first friction plate you put in....

Oh and forgot to say, mine also got worse when hot ot the point i couldnt move the car! lol

mmmmn sounds interesting.

do you know if they just cleaned/worked it from the side the clutch arm/rod is actuated by the cable ? i.e. the opposite side of the engine from the clutch basket itself ??

Yeah it was the rod assembly i believe. Hope you get it sorted soon! I can phone up the garage tomorrow but they are closed today.

if you woudn;t mind phoning them - it woudl be great.

tomorrow is fine - i have 101 other things to sort too !

I don't use any differing steels/frictions or anti-judder springs, just a pack of standard frictions and steels. Of course, this is wrong as you'll now be told, but nonetheless that's what I do.

Clutch pushrod sticking? Not unknown, pull it out, the witness marks of the clutch centre spinning around it will be obvious, as will excessive contact - you'll see substantial grooving. If you've hung a hewland cylinder or something to actuate the rod, it's probably off-centre. If you've got the original well-aligned release cam on the chain case, and intense rod wear marks, your rod is bent.

thanks... i will take that cover off and check for anything obvious......

not sure how the rod woudl have got bent though ? i didn;t have it out between replacing the slipping clutch, with this new clutch kit... and although the old clutch slipped... the clutch action was spot on.

sounds like a std. friction plate instead of the thinner one and the two spring steels is the way to go though - i assume you take out both the straight thin steel and the beveled on ? although i think the straight one sits into the basket anyway - so probably makes no sense.

strange how taking out an anti judder clutch plate/steels will possibly help me have a better clutch action - but seems its the way to go.....

Hi Mark,

You can have the clutch with or without the anti judder washers, it should work OK with both. My engine builder recommends to take them out and use a standard friction, but its not necessary and wouldn't cause the problem you describe. Sounds like you have an issue with the adjustment of the clutch and/or the actuator mechanism.

I had a very odd fault with my clutch whereby it would make a horrible noise when pulling off with anything but low revs, a kind of grinding noise and would then suddenly lock up (made for interesting starts in the wet!). In the end it was down to dry plates - a well soaked set of frictions sorted it out. Apparently this is not uncommon in the K5/6 (see gixxer forum), in the K7/8 they added more holes in the clutch basket to allow better oiling of the plates. I blame the problem on mine due to the fact the engine was sat idle for 9 months, with the clutch being compressed by nice strong Barnett springs...

- Paul

yea - makes sense that its actuator related... I'm just not sure why it would present a problem when i didn;t annoy it !! i just adjusted the clutch (both ends) when i replaced the pack..

i will take out that actuator shaft and check its straight.. and clean it etc...

Actuator out, was a bit dirty.. But can't see that affecting the clutch to the extent it was..

Took clutch pack out... Think I did have the wave/spring wash in correctly, leading in inner diameter into the back of the clutch basket - I gather from the manual correct.

The clutch ram/ actuator at the basket side of the engine... The bit that slides in (with bearing on it) has some machining type marks on it, as if someone has filed it to get a flatter edge on it? Can't see why you would do that, but also can't see how it could have happened in there?

Te clutch pack is a complete Barnett one, steels, frictions and springs.

I measure the pitch of the wave washer, I make it approx 2.5mm per the manual looks like it should be almost twice this at about 4.5mm, I can't see how that would have such an affect on the clutch either... Unless with everything new, the whole clutch pack is now thicker... And with the springs being tougher, maybe giving it less movement/feel?

Does anyone have the total thickness the clutch pack should be? It doesn't
T seem to mention that in the manual that Paul kindly inked me to..

Any other ideas? Does anyone know of somewhere here that does washers to hold the clutch springs central ? It would surely make for a better job having them held central in the pressure plate?