Clutch servicing

I pulled my plates off, and they look really thin. Measured, they are all around 2.80, and the closer to the engine they are, the thinner. LT"s book says "replace the pack if the plates are less than 3.25mm (single sided friction plates) and 2.15mm (doublesided friction plates)." Is there any chance he got this backwards? Wouldn't a doublesided plate be thicker? Anyway, it looked like two of the friction plates were not totaly engaging, as the material was only shiny on half of it. The drive plate in between those two friction plates was also warped, as seen when I put it on a glass table. The rest were okay. I think that must be my problem. I ordered the plates and springs from Barnett, so if you all have another theory, lets hear it before I waste all this money! Thanks...

Brennan

Yeah, if your plates are in that bad shape, you will do well to replace them. I've had the Barnett set in mine for a few years and you will love them. Hopefully this will solve your problem, but if it doesn't, there's always the master cylinder!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Califblue &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Direct from Jon Nichols
The only difference in the way we stack the plates is that we place two steel plates at the very outside of the stack rather than at the inside. We do this for one reason: It moves the entire stack closer on the center hub allowing more clearance between the most outside friction plate and the steel ring of the basket. </TD></TR></TABLE>

CalifBlue... I should have listened to you in the first place.
I tried the Barnett clutch plates as follows:
1st - installed in the sequence that Ducati prescribe. Clutch slipped and stuck disengaged.
2nd - installed in the sequence that Barnett prescribe in the directions included with the plates. Clutch still slipped and stuck disengaged.
3rd - installed in the sequence quoted above (same as Barnett's sequence but with the two plates on the outside. The clutch now works perfectly!!



THANKS!

Okay, so I'm getting my clutch pack this week and putting it in the stock steel basket. Should I go with Barnett's instructions or with Nichol's? I sounded like Nichol's instructions were for the Aluminum basket...

Please let me know before I do it!

-Brennan (but from now on, I'd like you all to call me Loretta.)

Loretta, I too thought that the Nichol's instructions seemed to apply only to the aluminum basket. That's why I ignored them initially.
However, when I put the Barnett plates in my stock steel basket with the two driven plates at the bottom of the stack, the outer drive plate tangs were too close to the top of the basket and flopped right out when the clutch was actuated. Only when I switched to the Nichol's method did the plates seat deeply enough so that the pushrod wouldn't push them right out of the basket.
So I suggest that you do the same as I did and use the Barnett supplied instructions' sequence, but with the Nichol's change (two plates on the outside not the inside).

I'm putting the clutch on today, and I noticed that one of my springs is about 1/4" shorter than the rest. Is that right? Will it cause any issues? It seems to me that it would exert less pressure than the rest of them, but what do I know. Thanks

Brennan

That's odd, I installed mine in the Barnett sequence, and have never had a problem. As far as springs, they should all be the same length. I don't think it'll matter much, but it might cause the plate to wobble when you pull the clutch in due to the imbalance in pressure. I'd get a new one if I were you, but just my opinion.

I finally got around to putting it all together, using the Nichol's arrangement, and I've got almost no clutch. The plate moves great, lever feels fine, but I can let it all the way out with the front brake on and it won't stall and it won't spin the tire. What is holding the clutch out?