clutch issues

[Mr Magoo]

Hi all. I've been lurking here for a while now and have found untold helpful info. So I thought I'd share my recent "little" clutch issue. About 3 months ago I went away on a 1000ml round trip and had the clutch make a few "different" rattley noises about half journey. I took it to a local shop and had them bleed the clutch as the feel had also changed at the lever. I thought no more of the problem and put it down to old fluid. More recently engine vibration had increased to the point where I knew something was up, but hoped I was imagining things!! Mean while the clutch had slipped occasionally at higher rpm's on more spirited rides. I knew I had to bite the bullet and pull the engine and have a look....So, today I pulled the engine out and what I found was..... The back clutch plate had self destructed!! For the past 3(??) months I've been riding with one working clutch plate and unnecessary vibrations. The centre (spline) of the plate was free from the plate and the actual plate was in several pieces. The flywheel splines are also damaged. I'm waiting for a quote for replacement parts and am not looking forward to the bill!! So if your bike vibrates a bit more than it should, this is one nasty option that could be the cause. I've got another 1200ml trip planned for October to our Guzzi rally, so I'm glad I had a look and didn't carry on "ignoring" the vibrations (my hands wouldn't put up with much more anyway!!).

 

Cheers, Paul

[fotoguzzi]

that happened to me once but the plates didn't completely break into two pieces.. would you say poor design or bad material choice?

I just did a clutch job for a friend, 20,000 miles on a 1973 V7 Sport..

 

there was plenty of meat left on the friction plates but the splines were worn, like they had never been lubed? the input gear looked fine.

 

 

He admitted to holding the clutch lever in at stop lights, that cause it?

 

I made a special compression tool from a spare 5 speed input gear and a long bolt w/washer.. the alignment of the clutch was perfect and the tranny slipped back in place with ease!

[Mr Magoo]

I'm not sure why she let go....I didn't think I was that hard on the clutch!! My MK2 Lemans lasted 40000 odd miles of my riding (total of 82000 but unsure of history) before I did the clutch in that....Here's some pic's anyway.