Clutch Replacement

[CerkMX]

Hey fellas...

Looking at replacing the clutch in my '97 RM125 and have a quick question. I'm looking at either an EBC kit or a much more expensive Barnett kit, $65 and $125 respectively. Should I go with the EBC or is the Barnett worth the money. I know a few guys around running Barnett in their roadrace bikes and they've lasted and performed exceptionally well. I'm just a recreational dirt rider at this point, so minor advantages aren't really worth it to me.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

 

[ellandoh]

i always use OEM, but im on a honda. how long did the current clutch last?? if it is an OEM i'd think about that , pending price. otherwise get the 65$ model is my vote

just my .02$

 

[jason33]

i would use a vesrah- ebc isn't as good , call dennis kirk-88.99
ebc-is 54.99 but it is a cheeper clutch ,and youll probly want a good set

or rocky mountain-1-800-336-5437
a tusk heavy kit is only-28.99!!!- part number-t1-9076 :yikes: lol- thats a great price :cool:

 

[Chili]

After bad experiences with Barnett and DP clutch kits in an 03 RM125 we will only use OEM plates.

 

[CerkMX]

I'm not sure how many hours are on this particular clutch. I just bought the bike in the fall and it's not been fully disengaging of late with the play adjusted out of the lever and a full pull.

So EBC's a no go, eh?? I've heard good things from some of the veteran dirt pals of mine about Tusk, that's Rocky Mountain's own brand or something right??

 

[adam728]

I'm not sure how many hours are on this particular clutch. I just bought the bike in the fall and it's not been fully disengaging of late with the play adjusted out of the lever and a full pull.

So EBC's a no go, eh?? I've heard good things from some of the veteran dirt pals of mine about Tusk, that's Rocky Mountain's own brand or something right??

Your problem is not the clutch plates, but the basket and hub itself. The tabs on the fiber plates wear grooves into the basket fingers, and the splines on the steel (or aluminum) plates wear grooves into the hub. After this happens the plates all want to ride down in the grooves. When you pull the lever in the clutch seperates, but the plates all want to stay stuck in their grooves and therefor the clutch keeps dragging.

Ideally you spend the money and replace the worn parts. But you can actually get away with draw filing the basket fingers and using a small file on the hub splines. It takes some time, I spent about 2 hours Wed. night doing it on my 125.

 

[jason33]

yea there called chatter marks- i have done it to almost all my bikes and had no problems

 

[CerkMX]

Should I go ahead and replace the plates while I'm in there anyways? It's a fairly cheap replacement and I'm thinking I may as well do it while I'm in there working...I've had some issues with slipping into neutral as well, but that could be me not being assertive enough with my shifts.

 

[02rm250]

I have a 02 rm 250 which I just filed the basket on. Mine was dragging, which is common with a grooved basket. My hub looked fine, though. I have heard horror stories about aftermarket clutches in suzukis. But I have also heard bad things about stock clutches. Factory plates are expensive, mine are $11 each for fibers(I think theres 9 of them), thats more than most aftermarket kits with fibers, metals, and springs. I think when I do mine, I'll use factory parts, but thats just me.

 

[flattie]

vesrah or ebc is fine.....i dont sugest the tusk....had bad experiances with tusk brand componets.... but yes u need to file the groves in ur basket....thats the main source of ur problem

 

[kawicam250]

Hinson works really well on my bike.

 

[snb73]

I have a Barnett Kevlar clutch in my 2003 RM250. The Barnett clutch is more of an on/off type where the stock one was easier to feather more. I've had the Barnett in for afew months, but it seems to be wearing well. The stock one lasted me almost two years.

Adam728 is correct.

(Your problem is not the clutch plates, but the basket and hub itself. The tabs on the fiber plates wear grooves into the basket fingers, and the splines on the steel (or aluminum) plates wear grooves into the hub. After this happens the plates all want to ride down in the grooves. When you pull the lever in the clutch seperates, but the plates all want to stay stuck in their grooves and therefor the clutch keeps dragging.)

Prior to replacing my clutch, I had some drag and chatter. Inspection revealed minor grooves in the fingers. I used a fine file, one that is long enough to lay across the fingers on opposing sides of the basket. That way the file was perfectly flat and perpendicular to the finger I was filing. This is not a permanent fix, but will solve your problem for awhile.

Even an inexpensive clutch kit (friction plates/steel driven plates/springs) can solve some of the problems you might experience with a worn/warped stock one.

Good luck, Steve.

 

[CerkMX]

Thanks for the advice guys...I'll try filing the basket itself first and see how that affects the dragging. I'll post back up and let you know how it goes.

Could be a while before i really get out and test it though, we just had 10" of snow here in Chicagoland:)

 

[Truckman]

I smoothed the grooves in my basket with a Roto-Zip in about
20 minutes. Just like having a new clutch and shifts better.

 

[KX250Dad]

EBC plates/fibers will do fine for a recreational rider. Basket and hub wear will relate proportionaly to clutch feathering under r's and power. If your a reasonably heavy fellow (I'm 220+ on a light day) and ride the 125 your most likely having to feather the bike to avoid staying off the top, thus heat, cluth wear and basket/hub teething. Should you only ride now and then economical aftermarket parts will do... choose your oil wisely. The higher end aftermarket clutch components are well worth the investment when discussing 125's and competitive MX as a good rider relies on clutch feathering and hook-up to gain advantage. The fellows on the 250's have the bottom power without the bogg thus their not required to feather as much as the torque is there low without feathering the clutch. Not the same for big guy's an smaller bore bikes.

 

[CerkMX]

I'm about 195lbs, mom works for Shell so i get Rotella T for free. Swap it out after every ride or two...I've got a number of roadrace buddies that swear by it and have had good luck so far with the Rotella. This weekend looks like it may be dirtbike maintenence time. I'll snap some pics and get 'em up here...BTW, how do you post hosted pics on dirtrider??...it's not letting me put 'em up.

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

Filing notches is only a temporary fix. As distance between tangs opens up, (opened up more by filing) the "hit or slap" of the plates at engagement will be more dramatic causing accelerated wear. And be careful to file evenly, more plate contact on one basket tang than the others can cause basket to break if gone too long. Do your filing only once is my advice, keep an eye on the basket, and set aside some bucks for a new basket soon.

 

[76GMC1500]

Your road race buddies probably have dry clutches. You should not use Rotella T in a motorcycle gearcase as it is packed with anti-wear additives. The anti-wear additives, like moly, made the clutch slip and wear prematurely. Use oils that carry an API SG or SJ service rating.

 

[toddb3]

I've filed my basket several times and finally bit the bullet and bought a Barnett competition basket with the stainless steel finger covers and new hub, all I can say is Wow! I've only put 4 rides on the new clutch but it is so much better in every way, it did hurt to spend the money but its one less thing to worry about when I'm 15 miles out on a trail and encounter a nasty hill.

 

[flattie]

Your road race buddies probably have dry clutches. You should not use Rotella T in a motorcycle gearcase as it is packed with anti-wear additives. The anti-wear additives, like moly, made the clutch slip and wear prematurely. Use oils that carry an API SG or SJ service rating.

dry clutch? what kinda bike uses a dry clutch? but u r correct about the oil rating... gotta have the sj on the spi label

 

[mopower440]

what about my 1998 rm125, it drags the clutch but the basket is an aftermarket one and neither it or the hub have any notching in them, what else will cause this clutch to drag?

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

:bang: