clutch rebuild - beveled spring-washer

opihiman911

Member
Aug 9, 2003
12
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I was rebuilding my clutch with an EBC kit. I've had it soaking in oil for the night and put it all back in the basket. There is a large conical washer that goes on the end before the hub cover. Which way does this washer go? Smaller beveled edge in toward the friction plate ? or the other way around.

Also just wanted to double check that the last friction plate installed get turned out of position and set in to the other notches? used as a locking plate? Thats how my original came off, but it doesn't say anything special in the manual.

TIA,
opihiman
 

canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~
Oct 14, 1999
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Look at your old plates and you will see where the release spring was running. Looking from the outside, the smaller diameter goes out (toward you), the larger diameter in (toward the plates).

There is a second spring washer of the same basic dimension, but without the spring action (z-axis component if you will). You got that on the outside, right?

Yes. The last plate sits in the 'other notches.'

IF the kit you are using is for the kdx, you won't have a problem with the plate springs. IF you are using the larger contact type (say for the XR), there is no place for the springs to fit. They can't ride against the friction material.

BTW, most plates I've used say to soak them in ATF.....regardless of what you run in your tranny. I'm sure there is a varying opinion about that.

While you have the thing apart, you filed the basket? Might as well. Would be unusual to have NO dents that would be better removed. Draw file! Remove edges!

You have BOTH the washers that go underneath AND inside the basket? It's easy to miss the one outside the basket. It can get stay attached on removal and drop off when you aren't paying attention.

Keep in mind, too the clutch lever angle adjustment. The oem setup likely has one shim used. An aftermarket clutch kit will likely be thicker, so removal of the shim is required to get maximum travel out of the linkage.
 
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BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
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Those two things are called the "coned disk spring" and seat. Just to give you a different perspective, when I installed stiffer Fredette springs and XR250 clutch plates I did not reinstall the "coned disk spring" and the seat (these are the two large shim-like things) and I did not offset the last friction plate as per the shop manual. This was on a recommendation from my local Kawi dealer owner & mechanic who told me he always left them out. Before I did that I did some dry fit ups to see how it looked. My theory on the "coned disk spring" is that it is meant to spread out the engagement band. It would seem to provide a little "give" as you let out the lever and perhaps make the engagement less abrupt. The feel is different, and it is a bit more abrupt but I don't mind it. The last friction plate being offset is odd. There is a special notch in the basket for this purpose. I called Fredette and asked him about it and he was not sure why either. I ended up not using the offset notch because when I did a test fit up, it seemed to prevent the last friction plate from fully contacting the metal plate next to it. 2003 completes three season of hard use with this setup and the clutch is still going strong.
 
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canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~
Oct 14, 1999
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Didn't intend an implication that placing the last disk in some location other than oem was some kinda error......just that, indeed, the last disk in an oem setup is offset.

The coned disk spring would give you a bit more gradual action, as its purpose is to disengage the disk from the 'unsprung' side. Look at it as an additional clutch engagement (tranny disengagement) device.

I put my XR type (vesrah brand) plates all in a row. Yes, the action is more abrupt (again, the oem coned springs do not fit in an SR plate installation).

Keeping in mind the purpose of the kdx....a quite mild mannered woods machine..the oem clutch does an excellent job with excellent feel for the casual rider. imo and all that.

I would like to know the engineering behind the offset disk lashup, though. :think:
 
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