warped clutch plate symptom. A10SR

[Viking]

I did a 3/4 of an hour motorway drive, 70-80 mph , and then traffic slowed down.
After 5 min. It was heavy traffic and then stop and go for 15 min. After that, City traffic with slow moving and traffic lights.
The clutch played up and disengaging the clutch was getting more and more difficult, due to clutch drag.
In simpel form, the "clutch plates warped" due to high temperature.

The clutch is four spring triumph type, with srm needle roller lift plate.
Sureflex clutch plates.

But it stille warped.

After the bike venue I drove the bike out of town and the clutch went back to normal atter cooling down at  motorway speed 60-70 mph.

What can be done to the clutch to eliminate this high temperature problems ?
(The answer is not: avoid City driving :-) )
Belt drive and dry clutch with air cooling sluts/vent's ?

Fitting a Suzuki clutch ?
Or ?

[Triton Thrasher]

Have you taken the plates out and looked at them?

Reduce heat in the clutch by putting the gearbox into neutral and letting go the clutch lever while stopped.

Also avoid slipping the clutch while travelling slowly - fully release the lever and let the bike bonk along at idling rpm in first gear.

A Suzuki clutch might be a better clutch, but you can probably still burn it if you try.

I would have little faith in your other suggested mods making any difference.

[a101960]

Before this happened could you select neutral when stationary?

[Viking]

The clutch workes 100 % before and after.  :-)

No slip or drag.

The fiction plates are 700 miles new.

Steel plates, drum, springs, spring cups, basket, rubber, bearing etc. is 5000 miles "new"

I newer sit in stoped traffic with the clutch engaged , to avoid heating up the clutch. I select neutral before rolling to a stop, and I never let the clutch slip , to avoid burning the friction materials..

And I stop the engine if the traffic is stoped for more than 2-3 min, to avoid cooking the engine oil.

The clutch problem only shows if the engine is extreem hot... 

Selection neutral was getting more and more difficult, and ended up beeing not possible.
( ambient temperature 25-27 C. with no Wind ! )

[RichardL]

What can be done to the clutch to eliminate this high temperature problems ?
(The answer is not: avoid City driving :-) )
Belt drive and dry clutch with air cooling sluts/vent's ?

Where do you get these and how many do you need?

Richard L.

[muskrat]

Go to the naughty corner Richard  .
What primary oil are you using Viking?
the quality of the steel plates might be in question.
Cheers
 

[a101960]

I newer sit in stoped traffic with the clutch engaged , to avoid heating up the clutch. I select neutral before rolling to a stop, and I never let the clutch slip , to avoid burning the friction materials..

Ah yes, but can/could you engage neutral when the the bike is stationary? The reason for asking this is because even if the clutch plates are out of line, normally it is not really a problem to engage neutral while you are still moving. If you cannot easily engage neutral when stationary that is a good indicator that the plates need lining up. Also if the clutch adjusting springs are to tight then as you ride everything warms up and the problem becomes worse. Remember that as things warm up they expand and clearances become smaller. It is likely that although the clutch is new things might have bedded in and some final readjustment is needed. Maybe you need to ease the tension on the springs to allow for this.
John

[Triton Thrasher]

The clutch problem only shows if the engine is extreem hot... 

Selection neutral was getting more and more difficult, and ended up beeing not possible.
( ambient temperature 25-27 C. with no Wind ! )

Sounds like the friction plates swelling up in hot oil.  Can you get more travel on the mechanism by reducing adjuster clearance? 

Some handlebar levers give more cable travel than others. If yours measures 7/8" from pivot centre to cable, that's a short travel lever.

As said above and on other recent threads, the springs must be adjusted so the pressure plate lifts dead level. Use a wire pointer and rotate the pressure plate while it's lifted, to check.

[morris]

What can be done to the clutch to eliminate this high temperature problems ?
(The answer is not: avoid City driving :-) )
Belt drive and dry clutch with air cooling sluts/vent's ?

Where do you get these and how many do you need?

Richard L.

Richard, you should see the messages regarding clutches I type on my tablet before I edit them. The U and I are right next to each other on that tiny keyboard. Often I miss and type clitches instead of clutches. Now you should see what my auto spell checker makes from that... Right, you guessed it..!

Now back to you Viking. My guess would be a slightly slipping clutch. This would show more in town traffic with lots of accelerating/decelerating than on the motorway where you drive at a constant speed.
Have you tried tightening the springs a bit more?

[Viking]

The springs are quit tight. To avoid slipping and to make the clutch lift "dead" straight/evan...

The approx 50HP-52HP is on limit off what the old type clutch Can handle...

When the problems started , the oil tank surface temperature and timing cover was to hot to put a hand on. Very hot..  and the primary cover was estimatet 60-70C Way to hot to put a hand on.

I drove the bike for 3 hours yesteday. 50-70 MPH Same temperatur , ridning A and B roads , the clutch was a plessure, and could engage neutral with ease, at stand still.

Oil tank surfase temperatur around 50C, timing cover same. 
Primary cover 30-40C. 

I had the same clutch problem with MY T110 , one hour parade driving, ended up with the same outcome.

[Viking]

Tretorn: The "center to center" measurement on the handle is approx. 29mm. Pure cable travel is approx. 20mm
After taking up 4-5 mm slack. So a total cable pull would be 24-25mm with no slack !
(There need to be slack to compensate for heat expansion etc....)

Adjusted the cable on the gearbox, to 4-5 mm slack on handle...

Did the same distance today , just with different speed. Did 55-60 mph. on the motorway , and slowed down in good time, and no traffic light full throttle Racing !

Oil tank surface temperature normal, timing cover 50-60C , primary cover temperature 40-50C
Clutch worked 100% and no problems selecting neutral...

Do the primary cover need water cooling for traffic light Racing. .? :-)


Do anybody use the Dunstall kit?
http://britishbikebits.com/7-plate-clutch-conversion-triumph-bsa

[muskrat]

"Do the primary cover need water cooling for traffic light Racing. .? :-)"
Air cooling is enough for mine  .

[Viking]

Muskrat;

Nice clutch  :-)  , like that…

What gear ratio is it ?
Equivalent to std. 21 T  or 23T engine sprocket.

I use 23T engine and four spring Triumph clutch.
Solo gearing gearbox and std. wheel sprocket.

This gives a good touring / cruising RPM.

The SR has always been under geared. 50HP can easily pull a tall gearing. 

[muskrat]

G'day Viking.
Equivalent to a 23. 60 MPH at 3250 RPM, she'll just do the ton in 3rd, 125 MPH in top.
Only need two fingers to pull the clutch in. No worries setting springs to get even lift, no slip or drag. Just a chirp on spirited takeoffs. I luv it.
Cheers

[Butch (cb)]

Sounds like the friction plates swelling up in hot oil.  Can you get more travel on the mechanism by reducing adjuster clearance? 

Some handlebar levers give more cable travel than others. If yours measures 7/8" from pivot centre to cable, that's a short travel lever.

As said above and on other recent threads, the springs must be adjusted so the pressure plate lifts dead level. Use a wire pointer and rotate the pressure plate while it's lifted, to check.
[/quote]

I've had problems on another bike (non-A10) where the clutch pack would swell when really hot, so you ended up with more slack at the lever then, and hence clutch dragging.