[Cobra Rider]

So, my clutch was slipping noticeably in 3rd on up. Been using Shell Rotella T6 on the bike, which I have used on many other bikes. I had a choice, go with just the Barnett Billet pressure plate or change the entire pack. I decided to do the entire pack since upon purchase I wasn't positive of the condition of the friction plates so I bought the Barnett replacement pack AND the Billet pressure plate.

Installation went uneventful. I recognized through research and manual that the steel plate machine edge faced upward and friction plate machined edge faced inward. Not abnormal as I have done other bikes that have similar notes. Done.

Took a bit to find a good place for the cable adjustment and I know it will change quite a bit for a few hundred miles. Hard to impossible to get end play while maintaining release but I'm as close as I'm gonna get.

My problem is, now that I have this pack installed, in particular in 1st gear, say parking lot type speed where you're slow riding the clutch, when I have the clutch pulled in entirely it's quiet, but let the clutch out just a smidge and it sounds like a rattle can in that area. It's really only happening with bike in motion though. I can sit there at rest and it's quiet when doing the same thing, but at slow speed it's noisy as f**k. First time I heard it I thought I wasn't entirely in gear because I could not just hear it, I could feel it.

I opened it back up and double/triple checked it all. Did not remove the basket, just picked the plates out, judder spring is installed correctly (didn't remove it the first go since it wasn't in the plan to change it) but I checked it to be sure it was placed properly.

I've done a few searches and it seems that because of the gear drive and that torque compensator this is normal? Question is, I have never heard that before so why now?

It makes me nervous when I hear it because I certainly don't wanna have to start dealing with gearing as it's a lot more involved than merely clutch plates. Just looking for ideas or maybe assurances. Thanks in advance.

 

[vision_nut]

were all going to give you a bunch of guess's. Write Rylan at the vic shop and ask him. You'll save yourself a lot of time and frustration. Copy and past what you have typed here

[email protected]

 

[primethious]

I have the same clutches sitting on a shelf, and would like to know what the pitfall was.
Let us know what you find out.

 

[nickr914]

So, my clutch was slipping noticeably in 3rd on up. Been using Shell Rotella T6 on the bike, which I have used on many other bikes. I had a choice, go with just the Barnett Billet pressure plate or change the entire pack. I decided to do the entire pack since upon purchase I wasn't positive of the condition of the friction plates so I bought the Barnett replacement pack AND the Billet pressure plate.

Installation went uneventful. I recognized through research and manual that the steel plate machine edge faced upward and friction plate machined edge faced inward. Not abnormal as I have done other bikes that have similar notes. Done.

Took a bit to find a good place for the cable adjustment and I know it will change quite a bit for a few hundred miles. Hard to impossible to get end play while maintaining release but I'm as close as I'm gonna get.

My problem is, now that I have this pack installed, in particular in 1st gear, say parking lot type speed where you're slow riding the clutch, when I have the clutch pulled in entirely it's quiet, but let the clutch out just a smidge and it sounds like a rattle can in that area. It's really only happening with bike in motion though. I can sit there at rest and it's quiet when doing the same thing, but at slow speed it's noisy as f**k. First time I heard it I thought I wasn't entirely in gear because I could not just hear it, I could feel it.

I opened it back up and double/triple checked it all. Did not remove the basket, just picked the plates out, judder spring is installed correctly (didn't remove it the first go since it wasn't in the plan to change it) but I checked it to be sure it was placed properly.

I've done a few searches and it seems that because of the gear drive and that torque compensator this is normal? Question is, I have never heard that before so why now?

It makes me nervous when I hear it because I certainly don't wanna have to start dealing with gearing as it's a lot more involved than merely clutch plates. Just looking for ideas or maybe assurances. Thanks in advance.

I have the same issue except it's when slowing, from 2nd to 1st gives the whirr and sound of metal flying, slips in first gear at full acceleration, and 3rd from around 50 when I go WOT pretty much when hot, that's while I was a victory oil fella, my feeling after using rotella t6 is too thin for the heat even though its 5w40, when I first started using it, it quieted the down**** to 1st noises including clunk, 2000-2700 miles later I was changing the oil, because the sounds came back.. I went to t5 15w40 blend, shut the top end chatter up till I was hot... I'm prob going to see what a 20w50 works like this year..

 

[vavictoryrider]

5w40? Isnt that way too thin considering vic oil is 20w40. Id expect it to be noisy with that weight. I use 20-50.

 

[primethious]

20W50 here also. I did it to help the gears last longer, to reduce noise, and to soften the clunk, but nothing cures the first gear clunk.

 

[nickr914]

20W50 here also. I did it to help the gears last longer, to reduce noise, and to soften the clunk, but nothing cures the first gear clunk.

There's one thing where you dont have to worry about it, start the bike with it in first gear...

 

[primethious]

There's one thing where you dont have to worry about it, start the bike with it in first gear...

It'd be disaster to have a clutch cable break right at startup!
I have a habit of placing mine in neutral at stoplights so I get the clunk at every one. Luckily I don't have to deal with too many lights where I live.

 

[vision_nut]

NEVER adjust your clutch when its warm or hot..

Adjust when it's over night cold....................

 

[nickr914]

It'd be disaster to have a clutch cable break right at startup!
I have a habit of placing mine in neutral at stoplights so I get the clunk at every one. Luckily I don't have to deal with too many lights where I live.

I tend to leave it in gear, just in case someone runs up on me... Happened once so far

 

[Cobra Rider]

5w40? Isnt that way too thin considering vic oil is 20w40. Id expect it to be noisy with that weight. I use 20-50.

It's not as noisy on mine. I have a few other bikes, some like the thin and some like the thicker . Sounds like a woman doesn't it.

But I know for certain it's not the oil causing this problem.

 

[Cobra Rider]

were all going to give you a bunch of guess's. Write Rylan at the vic shop and ask him. You'll save yourself a lot of time and frustration. Copy and past what you have typed here

[email protected]

You're probably right. I sent him an email we shall see what he says. All I'm getting so far is "oil" responses and I know it's not that. Could be that the Barnett friction plates just haven't set in but it makes me nervous so I'm gonna get the best assurance I have. Thinking about putting the OEM pressure plate back in with the Barnett spring to give it better pressure. Billet is lighter so since it came as a kit thought why not. But I also recognize that Billet has different friction characteristics than the cast.

Thanks.

 

[Cruzie27]

You said you checked the judder spring,. Did you make sure the judder ring is in there?

What about your lifter rack assembly? Did you use the Indian one or are you leaving the stock one in place? (Heavier springs take a toll on the stock ones) I don’t know if that would make enough of a rattle for you to hear / feel it though.....

Are you sure your clutch basket is properly seated all the way down? When you pull the lifter rack assembly out how many threads are showing on the shaft behind it? Are the thrust washers in and facing the right way behind the nut??

When I went to the Barnett setup in my Gunner it was all straightforward and I’ve been flogging on it without any issues what so ever. The hardest part was getting both sets of teeth to line up on that middle gear so the basket would seat itself all the way down.

 

[Cobra Rider]

You said you checked the judder spring,. Did you make sure the judder ring is in there?

What about your lifter rack assembly? Did you use the Indian one or are you leaving the stock one in place? (Heavier springs take a toll on the stock ones) I don't know if that would make enough of a rattle for you to hear / feel it though.....

Are you sure your clutch basket is properly seated all the way down? When you pull the lifter rack assembly out how many threads are showing on the shaft behind it? Are the thrust washers in and facing the right way behind the nut??

When I went to the Barnett setup in my Gunner it was all straightforward and I've been flogging on it without any issues what so ever. The hardest part was getting both sets of teeth to line up on that middle gear so the basket would seat itself all the way down.

Yes the judder is there and installed with the concave facing upward.

I used the original lifter bearing assy.

I never removed the basket. There's no real need to do that for pressure/friction plate replacement so I had no issue with lining up the gear. It's merely picking the plates out, cleaning, inspecting, then reinserting the new pressure/friction plates.

It was pretty straightforward. I had no issues with installation at all. It only does this when you're at slow speed dragging the clutch type maneuvers. But when it does it's prominent

 

[Cobra Rider]

Got a response back from Rylan. Quote "The Barnett plates are machine wrong - too thick. Contact the manufacturer and they'll get you custom thickness plates to correct the problem."
Interesting. Gonna contact Barnett and see where this takes me.

 

[Cruzie27]

Got a response back from Rylan. Quote "The Barnett plates are machine wrong - too thick. Contact the manufacturer and they'll get you custom thickness plates to correct the problem."
Interesting. Gonna contact Barnett and see where this takes me.

Hope they send you a free set of discs!

 

[Cobra Rider]

Hope they send you a free set of discs!

This was all confusing to me because I never heard or seen any comments on this being a problem. So, to avoid confusion, I gave him a call.

I get what he was saying that sometimes the metal plates are machined too big causing one to not be able to release the clutch. That all makes sense and I'm close in that area. He said the friction plates aren't the problem, it's the metal plates. But I still didn't understand how it could give me this chatter. When I brought the topic to the chatter, he was like "oh, that has nothing to do with the clutch, it's your drive belt". Said to tighten it up a little and don't put the bike in that scenario.

I have to admit that I'm not confident that this is going to solve my problem. Mainly because it didn't have this problem prior to this clutch change so why would it start now. I haven't checked the tension on the belt for a few months so I'll go out and check it but it's just not lighting up that bulb in my head that this will solve it.

Wish me luck. Push comes to shove, I'll use my OEM metal plates since there wasn't anything wrong with them. That will at least give me a little more wiggle room to get my clutch cable adjustment in a better place.

 

[mastrblastr]

I have a Barnett clutch pack in my bike with no issues, but I am using all stock parts besides the clutch pack. When you installed your plates and spacers, did you install them with the sharp outer edges all facing the same way? The spacer plates and the clutch plates are stamped metal leaving a sharp edge on one side of the outer lip and a slightly rounded side on the other. The sharp edges should all be facing the same way. I have a service manual for my bike and it states that in the clutch section. Don’t know if that’s your issue or not, but might be something to look at

 

[WHITE_VIC]

Did you soak your clutch plates in oil before installing them?

 

[Cobra Rider]

I have a Barnett clutch pack in my bike with no issues, but I am using all stock parts besides the clutch pack. When you installed your plates and spacers, did you install them with the sharp outer edges all facing the same way? The spacer plates and the clutch plates are stamped metal leaving a sharp edge on one side of the outer lip and a slightly rounded side on the other. The sharp edges should all be facing the same way. I have a service manual for my bike and it states that in the clutch section. Don't know if that's your issue or not, but might be something to look at

I hear ya and felt the same way but the service manual states to place the metal plates with the machined edge facing upward and the friction plates with the machined edge facing downward. In other words, they face each other. There's a good video that someone did on here that states the same thing.

Don't get me wrong, that makes no sense to me wither. But that's what it says.

Actually, it says, and I quote

"Feel the edge of steel plates and friction plates with your finger. One side of plate is machined at the edges and the other side is rolled edge. Install steel plates with machined edge facing UP. Install friction plates with rolled edge facing UP."

Meaning, machined edges towards each other. Which is the way I installed them.
Haven't been able to contact Barnett yet but I called Rylan and spoke with him directly. Once he got the jist of what I was having a problem with he said that it had nothing to do with the clutch pack that it was the drive belt needed to be tightened. So I put it on a jack, checked the tolerances of it and put it on the tight side but that didn't solve the problem.

So, I went back in again and measured the plates. The plates wire .04mm larger than the OEM plates. Combined with the friction plates being at 2.20mm instead of what I had which was average 1.98mm, the difference was nearly 1/16 inch total. So, I took a chance and put my metal discs in it since they were in tolerance but that didn't solve the problem.

I was actually going back in to put back the Barnett plate/frictions and use the OEM pressure plate with the Barnett diaphragm spring and got to thinking why not give something a try.

The manual states to put the pinion shaft at a 15 degree angle, which was done. So, on a chance, I put that at the next position which is about a 30 degree angle and it works oh so much better. Clutch releases and adjusts much easier. BUT, I don't wanna keep it that way because the cable end turns ever so slightly around the pinion gear cam at the stay. So, my logical mind (pun intended) tells me that the clutch cable, although it looks fine and has no frays or anything, is stretched which means it's not going to get full travel because of the clutch lever limits regardless of what adjustment I have down at the pinion.

I'm ordering a new clutch cable. Gonna get an extended one because even though mine isn't binding, it's taught at the handlebars because of the modular bar extensions I have on it. Guess I will know if my common sense logic works when I get the cable changed. Needed a spare anyway so this one will be my spare while I run the other one.