'04CRF450 clutch spring length

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
6,695
51
RI
According to my service manual the clutch basket spring service limit length is 1.76".
According to my service manual all of the springs should be painted light blue.
According to my caliper all of my springs measured 1.70 well short of the printed limit.

Off I went to the local bike shop

I got a pack of Honda replacement springs all numbered the same. I double checked the number against the one I was supposed to get. The numbers are correct.

One spring was pink and measured 1.77
5 springs were light blue and measured from 1.70-1.74

All of the springs I removed from my bike were 1.69-1.71 and light blue.

What gives?
 

adamant

Member
Mar 20, 2006
149
0


That could have been a softer spring set up in the clutch, Some riders do this to make the clutch leaver less hard to pull in. Although it could make the clutch more prone to slip. Or maybe they were just plain wrong & put in by a nincomepoop
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
6,695
51
RI
I think you're missing what I'm saying here.

the stock springs were the blue that measured ~1.70
the service manual quotes light blue paint and a 1.76 length as the service limit
I went and bought stock replacement Honda springs same blue paint, and the proper part number.
I was expecting them to be at least >1.76 in length
At best they were 1.74. Still .02 shy of the service limit in the book. Plus one of them was pink (same part number) and noticably longer.

It has nothing to do with shoddy workmanship, or someones whim on clutch setup. I've owned the bike since new.

I'm pretty much just wondering if the book is wrong, or if Honda hasn't quite got their spring lengths correct.
 

adamant

Member
Mar 20, 2006
149
0
if somethings not broke dont fix it :)

If honda cant cule You up I doubt anyone on here can.......

maybe a shoddy service manual :laugh:
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
6,695
51
RI
lol, you might be on to something there.
I found out that the 2003 clutch springs started life at 1.8 which would make 1.76 a reasonable service limit for those springs. Looks like they changed the color coding as they tried different lengths of spring, but neglected to update the service limit numbers in their books.
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 16, 2001
6,449
0
Charlestown, IN
I buy the book being off...but the one different spring???
 
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