Caltric clutch plates anyone use them?

[gggGary]

I just got a 99RSV Bought it "kind of" running Tuesday, shows 10,800 miles. Back story includes it sitting "under" a carport in Arizona for the last 5 years. After finding several issues in the carbs, she's back together and I fired it up this morning. Put on 160 miles today and all is good BUT the clutch is slipping, bad, wasn't sure it would make it up the last hill to my house, had to go down to 3rd with very careful throttle use to do it. So: Has anyone tried the caltric clutch plate and gasket kit? http://www.ebay.com/itm/291355972200 I will also use the EBC heavy diphragm spring and probably get rid of the half plate and wire. Which means reusing one clutch friction plate. Will scuff sand the steels before reassembly.

Thanks for the great forum! I have found more than my money's worth of useful info so far with plenty more to come. I plan to put about 4,000 miles on the bike this summer.

 

Sunrise this morning, yeah I wanted to ride it bad.

 

 

It will never be showroom again but she's cleaning up pretty good.

Edited July 17, 2016 by gggGary

[gggGary]

breathless update: I opened clutch reservoir and poked into second port with a sharp pick. The second hole is VERY small and easily clogged. Took it back out and almost no slip even under hard throttle up a steep hill. Need to go run up another hundred miles see if it goes back to slipping. But hey I am willing to do that in the name of science! :wink: OK a guy can hope, right?

Bike had been in a cycle shop for "make the damn thing run so I can sell it" work, clutch was "bled", front master cylinder was "lubed". Invoice included two cans of DOT 3, I can only imagine. This was his work also...

Edited July 17, 2016 by gggGary
fat fingers

[bongobobny]

OK the very first question, did you change the oil when you got it??? If so, WHAT kind of oil?? If you put in Automotive oil, chances are VERY likely the oil has friction inhibitors and they do not mix with our "Wet" clutches, it will cause the clutch to slip!

 

Second guess, the clutch spring disc has weakened from setting all those years. replace it with a Heavy duty version made by PCW Racing of Schenectady NY. One of our vendor members, Skydoc_17 sells them.

 

To totally disassemble, refurbish, and possibly replace friction discs and a better aftermarket Yamaha full size Heavy Duty clutch plate is a very easy operation. There is full instructions, with pictures in the 2nd Gen Technical Library (read only) forum on this site...

[venturesome]

I just had the same problem with a '84 Goldwing. It had been stored for several years and I rebuilt the carbs and took it for a ride. Started up great, no clutch slip, but there was NO play in the clutch lever. I rode it for about 30 minutes and near the house the clutch was slipping badly. Just as you did, I cleaned the "return hole" in the reservoir with the smallest welding tip cleaner. It was totally stopped up. After bleeding the clutch, I had some play in the lever and no more problems!

I ride it almost daily. I was sweating bullets thinking that I needed clutch plates.

[gggGary]

venturesome. I really like that post! My ride today was two parts, the first about 30 miles, I also felt ZERO play, when I stopped to home, I even took out the handle pivot bolt and used a plain bolt to make sure it wasn't a lack of travel issue, some play then but even that pretty much disappeared during the second part of the ride. Note to self; put the correct pivot bolt back in the morning.... The mech that did the carb work pictured changed oil and filter, used Spectro oil, weight not noted, filter looks fresh. oil is light colored in window. (slightly overfilled). That was done this spring.

Fluid in clutch reservoir looks fresh but there was a slight stain of darker fluid in the bottom, additional flush and bleed will be done.

 

Bongo bob; I did read all clutch threads I could find including the one you mentioned. Gotta wonder if the PCW spring is a EBC?

Edited July 17, 2016 by gggGary

[gggGary]

Put the correct pivot bolt back in and rode out this morning to confirm, about 5 miles out; slip city, damn it all anyway! Again it was all I could do to get back up the road to my house. any touch on the lever had the engine spinning free of the gear box.

Checked the MC/lever connecting rod length with the lever on AND off thinking the lever was somehow not allowing the piston to fully release. Nope that only changed by .002"

 

Note to self; think a bit before poking a bear with a sharp stick.

 

I have a piece of stainless safety wire that I have carefully ground down to a very small diameter on the end to clean tiny holes. Removed the reservoir cover and probed the compensating port. Do you have any idea how far a pressurized clutch system will spray fluid when a tiny hole is unplugged? Lets just say bike quickly got a soapy bath. Problem solved, 50 miles, no clutch slip under any amount of throttle in any gear. Bonus; 200 miles used 4.7 gallons of gas or 42mpg. I'm not done with carb settings yet, 45MPG seems attainable. My K1200LT would do 50MPG in similar riding.

Edited July 17, 2016 by gggGary

[videoarizona]

Sounds like it's time to change out clutch fluid.... Again. Get rid of any junk still floating around.

Note to self: Remember this posting...

[venturesome]

The reason the clutch works ok when cold and then starts slipping is that when the port is blocked, and brake fluid gets warmer and expands, it has nowhere to go except to the clutch master cylinder. You probably noticed when you first started riding, the clutch lever had some play in it, then as you rode the play got less and less and then none. I agree with @videoarizona, time to completely replace the fluid. I removed all the fluid from the reservoir of the Goldwing and with a small glue brush cleaned the inside completely with fluid and then wiped it out with a clean rag, then flushed the line with new fluid and topped it off and bled the system. I will bet there are many bikes out there that went to the dealer and got new clutch plates, and the mechanic also cleared the port!!

[Lug Nut]

I have had great luck with using full synthetic Mobil 1 4t engine oil, Prestone Synthetic DOT 4 brake fluid, and Skydoc_17 whole kit with stiffer spring g and getting rid of wire and half plate. I also have replaced clutch slave cylinder and rebuilt master cylinder. Finally...bought a $35 power bleeder from Harbor Freight that attaches to an air compressor. Done this on a 2002 RSV and a 1998 RSTC with perfect results.

[jeromeb]

I ordered the Caltric clutch assy, received them yesterday and installed them today. Returning them tomorrow. You get what you pay for. They aren't as thick as the OEM's I was replacing. They were so thin that I could move them around with the clutch engaged. After looking at original discs, I really didn't see anything abnormal.

 

I purchased my bike used and had no idea of the type motor oil in it. I changed the oil and filter after I bought it. Curses, I used the wrong oil. I just last week changed to Rotella T6 and after riding a bit, (100 or so miles), got on it hard. Still some slippage but better than before. Tried the Caltrics and removed them immediately. I'm going to the Barnett spring with the OEM plates.It is extremely easy to work on and I dont have anything better to do with my time so I'm experimenting.

[Rafterd]

Put the correct pivot bolt back in and rode out this morning to confirm, about 5 miles out; slip city, damn it all anyway! Again it was all I could do to get back up the road to my house. any touch on the lever had the engine spinning free of the gear box.

Checked the MC/lever connecting rod length with the lever on AND off thinking the lever was somehow not allowing the piston to fully release. Nope that only changed by .002"

 

Note to self; think a bit before poking a bear with a sharp stick.

 

I have a piece of stainless safety wire that I have carefully ground down to a very small diameter on the end to clean tiny holes. Removed the reservoir cover and probed the compensating port. Do you have any idea how far a pressurized clutch system will spray fluid when a tiny hole is unplugged? Lets just say bike quickly got a soapy bath. Problem solved, 50 miles, no clutch slip under any amount of throttle in any gear. Bonus; 200 miles used 4.7 gallons of gas or 42mpg. I'm not done with carb settings yet, 45MPG seems attainable. My K1200LT would do 50MPG in similar riding.

 

 

I had the the front brake starting to lockup at 70mph, when I got down to 20mph she locked solid, for the exact reason. Whatever had that stopped up, was solid. Liked to have never got it out. Took my number drill bits, I don’t remember which one, and drilled that hole a little larger to prevent that from ever happening again. Also did the rear brake and clutch master cylinder and installed rebuilt kits to each. Just FYI.