Barnett Clutch Upgrade - With Pictures

Is it possible to get away with just replacing the clutch plate?

If your clutch is slipping, it is almost always because the spring is shot. Just a new set of discs will not fix the slipping. Besides, you have to take out the spring to get to the plate and the spring costs less than the plates.

If your clutch is slipping, it is almost always because the spring is shot. Just a new set of discs will not fix the slipping. Besides, you have to take out the spring to get to the plate and the spring costs less than the plates.

Yeah, I meant spring, not plate. Getting minor slipping in 4th and 5th under "hard" acceleration. If just the spring, that looks pretty easy. Is it?

If it is your first time it should take about an hour. Once you have done it it will take 30-45 minutes. If you have a few experienced friends to help it will take all day and a lot of pizza.

I just did the Barnett spring update and highly recommend it. Did not replace the plates but the updated spring setup fixed my slipping issue. Bike has 50k miles on it and runs like new now.

Thanks for the info. Now to deal with the freakin' rear shock ...

Hey Bert,

Here's another option Than the Barnett:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/photopost/showproduct.php?product=62&title=second-gen-heavy-duty-clutch-spring-26amp-3b-full-disc-upgrade-kit&cat=17

If you have any questions about the kit, PM me.

Earl

This has been a very helpful and informative read. I have all ready installed the Barnett Spring Plate about 20,000 miles ago when the clutch started slipping back then. Now I am at about 50,000 miles and starting to slip again. So I have bought the Barnett friction and steel plates kit. I am figuring this is the problem or does the spring plate springs go bad? None the less I am going to replace the plates. I was reading and have just a couple other questions. I read that you can leave the wire out. Did I read this right? From what I have seen this is the most tedious part of installation. Second question is that there are no notches on the friction plates to line up. Is there a certain position the new friction plates have to go in? I appreciate any input please.

I had this happen after 50-ish thousand miles with the Barnett. I installed extra heavy duty springs and have had no issues since.

$23.00 from Barnett.

RR

Ok, I just got done doing the install of the Barnett Carbon Fiber clutch kit and the Barnett pressure plate. I used a Harbor freight 1/4" torque wrench to tighten the bolts. I had it set for the 70 inch pounds. I have no way to test if the wrench is actually accurate. If the torque was off by say 5 inch pounds more, would that cause any issues? I see the comments about not over torquing and now I'm concerned since I can't verify it. I have not yet finished the oil change or started the bike since installing the parts tonight. Plus what bad things would occur?

Ok, I just got done doing the install of the Barnett Carbon Fiber clutch kit and the Barnett pressure plate. I used a Harbor freight 1/4" torque wrench to tighten the bolts. I had it set for the 70 inch pounds. I have no way to test if the wrench is actually accurate. If the torque was off by say 5 inch pounds more, would that cause any issues? I see the comments about not over torquing and now I'm concerned since I can't verify it. I have not yet finished the oil change or started the bike since installing the parts tonight. Plus what bad things would occur?

Normally 5 to 10 inch lbs will not be an issue. if you are over torquing it to a worrisome point you will feel it as the bolt will begin to stretch or the threads in the housing will begin to to tear, normally noticed by a sudden reduction in turning effort. However as I said even being as much as 10 inch LBS over won't be an issue. I sometimes deliberately exceed manufactures torque by 10 in/lbs for one reason or another and have never had any ill effects by doing so. BTW most in/lb specs usually allow for a +/- 5 in/lb variance anyway.

I have found the HF torque wrenches to be pretty accurate when tested against my Snap-On. Just make sure you unload the spring before you store it.

70 inlb is just right. Finish the oil change and enjoy many miles of clutch-slip free riding.

RR

OK, since Barnett is on winter hiatus, I muddled thru and am 99% sure I got it right. The "different" friction plate goes in, then the spacer, and then the clutch plate, all held in by the wire. After all is said and done, I installed the new pressure plate and the clutch handle wouldn't budge. I bled the line down, filling with new fluid. Still no help. Since I'm only a rookie mechanic, here's my theory on how the clutch system works. Please point out any errors in my thinking.

 

Pull the lever-pressures up the system, pushing out on the "plunger" which provides enough pressure to move the pressure plate outward, releasing the pressure on the clutch disks themselves.

 

Assuming this theory is correct, I left the bleeder open and squeezed the handle. I got fluid out of the bleeder. I closed the bleeder, squeezed the handle, and it was back to no response. It would appear my problem is somewhere in the slave cylinder, Yes? I think that even if the plates are in the wrong sequence, or even removed completely, the plunger should still move when the handle is squeezed, correct? And yes, the little steel ball is still at the end of the plunger.

 

I would appreciate any assistance.

I had that issue a couple times. Clutch wouldnt budge, alignment issue with the plates one time, another time I had one plate too many, tricky varmints they can be,