SRM clutch

[RogerSB]

Oh well, at lease I have learned that there is nothing wrong with my SRM.

 

[Butch (cb)]

Yes, my XLH dragged me out into the road outside my house one time I kicked it into gear. Added a certain frisson to the commute that morning.

My A10 never goes above 3k rpm so I guess I'm not likely to see other issues.

[Seabee]

This is an interesting discussion. I have 7 bikes (see profile) and not a one sticks the clutch no matter how long they sit. I guess I'm very lucky. I do use the OEM recommended oils in all chain/trans cases though................

[Butch (cb)]

On Hardley it got to the point where the plates wouldn't free at all. I stripped them all out and cleaned them but they quickly reverted. They must have got contaminated with something ... ? I ended up replacing the pack with new. There is a sprung plain plate in there to keep a very gentle drag - designed in to make sure the dogs are against their 'oles for the big bang on first engagement.

I think all japanese bikes are a bit crunchy going into first. Worse than the more widely maligned Guzzis by my book.

[RoyC]

I know that my plates are not contaminated, it's a new SRM clutch.
I am also using the recommended lubricant.

[duTch]

 [quote......I have a 6 spring and I am in the office at work.
......[/quote]

 Must be before liquid smoko... ...

 To be honest,  I'm not sure if I need to free- up or not... maybe sometimes  usually I just roll it around until I find TDC-ish, and kick....I think Plungers may be a different animal... don't have the issue with the Gutzzi either

[KiwiGF]

This is an interesting discussion. I have 7 bikes (see profile) and not a one sticks the clutch no matter how long they sit. I guess I'm very lucky. I do use the OEM recommended oils in all chain/trans cases though................

My Goldwing clunks VRY badly when cold, and just badly when hot  doesn’t seem to do much harm tho.

B31 with modified (extra thick metal plates) 6 spring crunches very badly all the time.....I suspect that’s the gearbox design at fault, not the clutch, as neutral is found very easily.

My A10 with bog std 6 spring crunches only slightly cold or hot, neutral is very easy to find, but I ALWAYS through habit free the clutch, whilst at the same time making sure the kickstart gears won’t jam. There’s nothing more annoying than taking a swing and the kickstart lever not moving cos it’s jammed 

[RoyC]

There’s nothing more annoying than taking a swing and the kickstart lever not moving cos it’s jammed 

My kickstart used to jam, so I replaced the Quadrant and the pinion, been ok ever since.   

[Beeza]

I'm going to have a swing at this one, (PUN intended).
These clutches are in oil, and when the bike goes from very hot, aerated oil (yep millions of air bubbles in that chain case) to just cold oil, it goes from very liquid, to thick tacky oil. And then after sitting for a while, constant clutch spring pressure, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes months, squeezes all air out and brings the oil film to a minute thickness, so if there is any air, and there will be, it creates a vacuum (suction) this will be from trapped hot air bubbles becoming cool. This is the sticking!
This is not bad trust me.. There is no need to roll the engine over on the clutch from cold (unless you have  a'1'Oclock kicker maybe !) all you do is release the suction and allow a bit of lubrication, which at this point, on a cold start up, is NOT what you want. For the people that do this as a start up regime (kick the engine over on the clutch, COLD), you may not notice, as its hard to feel, "clutch slip'', as there still is resistance but not enough to spin the motor enough to fire.
This is from experience.
To free the clutch, once it's running, then pull the clutch for a while, or if its on a center stand let the rear wheel spin in neutral and then hit the rear brake.
Or just ride it.
I have couple Hi Comp bikes with 4 springers, I only really have this minor issue on them, and wouldnt call it a problem.
Just a note, I don't know why you have to kick over a bsa  on the clutch from cold ?
 

[RogerSB]

That's a very interesting take on it Beeza.

Just to clarify, in case my starting routine was misunderstood by anybody (reply 5): For cold starting I don't spin the clutch with the clutch lever pulled in. I only use the lever to disengage the clutch to be able to move the kickstart down to an easier position for me to prime the engine. When it's in an acceptable position for me I release the lever (so clutch engaged) and depress the kickstart a couple of times to turn the engine over to prime it. Then I give it a firm kick, well for me, these days, it's more of a little jump up and a firm stamp down on the kickstart (not got the strength that I once had ).

[Topdad]

My 4 springer is, I'm sure on it's last legs as to start I have to free it and then to get it to spin the engine slacken the clutch cable ,start ,let her idle for a few mins and then tighten the cable to be able to get neutral ,sounds a lot but takes a couple of mins and then she's fine, until the next time she's parked up, sulking I guess ?

[berger]

i have not been to the pub, beeza says these clutches are in oil,{they don't like oil or ATF} am I on my own in thinking if as a person you had loads of pressure pushing you onto a surface for 40 hours you wouldn't tend to stick to that surface a little. when I changed my box{ sounds interesting} a couple of weeks ago not one plate had oil on it, there was slight grease throw from the bearing. the clutch set up correctly is working so well in conjunction with a good box that there are NO CLUNKS at all. infact putting my foot onto the gear shift{JUST FOR THE YANKS}into first or second from standstill is best described as as using a feather duster. no sound no drag ,{ YES AND I AM AMAZED} infact when first putting her in first after finishing the job I thought something was wrong. don't ask how I've managed this because even I don't know apart from carefully selecting shafts gears selector forks, well the hole lot from 3 stood about for decades boxes plus taking my time with the six spring clutch, final note the other box CLUNKED using the same clutch set  up maybe I've built a lovely box

[RoyC]

I got on to Gary at SRM, this is his reply.

Gary Hearl (gary@srmclassicbikes.com)
Hello Roy,
As you can see from the forum a normal occurrence on a lot of clutches from different makes and models.
This is usually down to oil grade type used.
Firstly i`ll go through the ATF.TQF issues.
This oil is designed for automatic gearboxes, the oil contains additives that makes things slippery, in a bikes clutch this will end up a disaster. Symptom will be clutch will slip at high rpm when the power kicks in from the camshaft, so you tighten the springs a little, issue goes away, but after a while it returns, so you tighten springs again a little, issue goes away, but then returns after a while, this will go on, until you cannot pull your clutch in as the springs are tightened too much; once friction plates have been soaked in ATF.TQF they are contaminated and will have to be replaced.

Looking at your photo, seems springs are a tad adjusted up too tightly, try slacking off a little, so you can see at least 1 -1/2 coils of spring above the top of the spring cup, as usually these clutches can be adjusted lightly and give a two finger lift operation. If too tight, they may cause the plates to stick together from the pressure at rest. And be hard to lift in operation.
20/50 is bordering on being too thick an oil to use, but at least being a normal oil the friction plates can be cleaned off, if possible try and locate some SAE20 straight monograde oil , have heard customers with our clutches using this oil and never having a sticking issue.
Anyway, try slacking off the springs a little first and try the clutch, if it doesn’t stick from rest after a couple of days, and doesn’t slip at high rpm , then all is good, if not, try the SAE 20 mineral grade oil, remember the oil is only there to lubricate the drive chain and clutch centre rollers, hence the small amount recommended by the factory. And it Is normal for friction plates to get wet from oil splash, and nothing to be concerned about.

Let me know how you get on.

Regards Gary

[Greybeard]

Mmm.. I'll be interested to hear what our resident wizards make of that criticism of ATF in primaries

[RogerSB]

I got on to Gary at SRM, this is his reply.

Well done Roy  .
I, for one, am thankful to Gary for taking the trouble to explain SRM's take on it. It'll always be one of those contentious topics (like Brexit) .