Clutch Question
 

Great site!

Thanks to all for the naming of the 'intake manifold' / "insulator". I now have the new part and will replace it this week. My new question/issue is my cluth.

During a recent 800 km trip I dropped the bike, going about 5 km/h down a washed out road/dried river. Nothing bad except for the fact that I snapped the clutch handle at the joint. After 2 hours of filing my brake handle in to a clutch I was off again. Now I have a a new cable and lever on the bike but my clutch just started slipping (from what I can tell, mostly in 3, 4, and 5th). I'm pretty sure the adjustments are correct on my new cable. Are there any tests i can do to diagnose an interior problem?

Again thanks to all for the input, I'm slowly becoming more and more mechanicly compitent with your help.

See you on the road,
Poa

I don't know what the DR uses for a clutch mechanism, presumably someone here does, but first are you SURE the clutch is correctly adjusted? There are TWO adjustments - one at the lever, where there should be about 1/8th inch FREE play at the lever where it touches the mount bracket, before the cable tightens. That equals around a half inch at the lever end.

Second, there is an adjustment at the bottom end of the cable. It will be on the cable and visible, or on most Suzukis, inside a cover or rubber plug near the end of the cable. If you can find it, you may see a screw and locknut. When you pull on the clutch cable the screw and locknut rotate and move in a little. IF SO - loosen the locknut and back the screw OUT - it should be very free. Make SURE the cable adjuster at the top has LOTS of free play. Give it some more. THEN screw the screw in until it just lightly stops. Back it out 1/4 turn, and tighten the locknut, making sure the screw doesn't move in as you tighten the nut. Then readjust the cable.

If the clutch still slips, it's toast. You can take it apart and possibly sand the metal plates lightly, and the ocrk plates, but this is dangerous - you can get sand embedded in the plates, which either scores and wears the plates or gets loose and damages the engine. Replacement is recommended.

As noted earlier, get a full set of spares - that includes all cables, levers http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif (as you've already discovered,) a gasket set (you'll need the clutch cover gasket if you take it apart), brake pads/shoes, and whatever else a Suzuki dealer recommends for that model.

For correct terminology see our Tech glossary

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Pao,

You have a Dr650 right? How many Miles/KM does it have?

Im know the DRZ400 only has cable adjustment, not that familiar with the DRZ650. Could look at one on Monday at the shop, we have one there. The DRZ400 uses a cam style actuator on a rod from the oposite side of the case of the clutch. But, no rod adjustment. If you use all your cable adjustment, your clutch is most likely, as Grant said, Toast.

IF you've got good mileage then just replace with OEM parts again and note to yourself how long they went.

Thanks,
Todd Bellew

Thanks for the info,
I'm now pretty sure the clutch is toast as I took a weekend trip to the bush and was fully loaded. Coming up the fast roads in 4 and 5 it wanted to give badly. Is this common to find it slip in these gears more noticably then 1st and 2nd? Why is that?
I'm getting a set of fiber/cork disks sent out with a friend but do I also need the metal disks. Or does it all come as one package deal. The gaskets are on there way aswell.
What is the best way to clean out the engine. I'm worried because I used that silicon base gasket maker on the other side and upon opening up the bike again I found small red pieces of silicone floating around and also stuck in the oil screen. I just read aswell taht this is a comon 'side effect' of using silicone based gasket makers. Plus the machanic I worked with was not to clean about the process and I'm sure it got a little dirtier in there then I would prefer.

Again, Mucho Gusto for the assistance.
poa

The reason the bikes slip in higher gears is due to a higher load on the engine in those gears. In the lower gears you have much more mechanical advantage over the wheel so the "load" placed on the engine isn't as high. Essentially the slower a motor revs up at open throttle the more load. The quicker it revs the less the load.
If you were really riding hard and opening it up big in lower gears you would notice slip there also.

NOw. I recommend you replace the entire clutch pack including springs.
The amount of grip that the clutch exerts on the plates is related to the height of the clutch "stack". IF you use older plates they are already worn and will reduce the stack height and reduce spring preload and thus reduce clutch grip. And you will have a slipping clutch much sooner than the original clutch.
Also the springs can sag a little and they are cheap. Stick with stock. After market "heavy duty " springs are not necessary and will cause un due rider fatigue and wear in the clutch.

On mildly used machines(ie not a race bike) it shouldn't be a problem but I would closely inpsect the outer clutch basket for grooving. It will cause grabbiness and other problems.


IF you need some parts just e mail me. todd@zenengines.com

Thanks,
Todd Bellew


[This message has been edited by Todd Bellew (edited 09 July 2003).]