Does anyone know the overall thickness of new friction plates?

 

When you say overall...do you mean the combined thickness of all 10 friction plates? My 2000 Wide Glide shop maual does not give new friction plate specs. only service limits. The manual states "If the thickness of ANY plate is less than 0.143 in. (3.62 mm) replace the complete set of friction plates".

Tech23

 

Hi Tech23.
If I were to take a pair of dial calipers and measure the thickness of one plate, across the friction pads on both sides.

I have my clutch apart and i'd like to know approximately how much clutch I have left.

 

I just measured my old set with 13k on them. The 3 that I measured came in at .149-.1495.
Ron

 

Hi lowriderrob,

Since there is no published spec. for the thickness of a new friction plate and the difference between a new plate and a worn (worn to the service limit) is not that great...it makes no sense trying to guage how worn your friction plates are by comparing them to the wear on someone elses. Keep in mind if each plate is only worn .20mm (two hundredths of a mm) which is tiny....over the stack of 10 friction plates that is 2.0mm which is huge. You never stated why you have the clutch apart, or how many miles you have on the clutch. I don't know if it was removed to gain access to another component or if you had symtoms of some sort....slipping, dragging, or chatter. If you are close to the specified wear limit I would replace all the friction plates and inspect the steel plates for hot spots (blueing) and warpage...if they're OK...deglaze the steel plates. I would also inspect the splines (that the internal teeth on steel plates mesh with) on the clutch hub/center as well as the fingers on the clutch drum (that the drive tabs on the friction plates mesh with) for grooves... the deepest wear grooves will form on the drive/torque side (not the coast/decel side). You want to be sure any grooves are not deep enough to keep the plates (steel or friction) from separating or you could have clutch drag and/or difficulty shifting or finding neutral. Clutch service usually is nothing more than just replacing the friction plates but a thorough inspection of the all the clutch components should be done as well. It would not be a bad idea to replace the diaphram spring as they are exposed to many heat cycles and can loose the ability to keep the clutch pack locked with a load applied. I always replace friction plates and the spring together.

Tech23

 

On the last ride I took back in November, before I put her up for the winter, it felt like the clutch was grabbing when the lever was way off the handle grip.
Maybe just me, I don't know.
Well, anyway I adjusted the clutch according to the shop manual's instructions and it still felt like it was grabbing way out.
Changed all the fluids and put her into hibernation.
On one of those cold snowy days I got bored, so I fired up the wood stove in the garage and pulled the primary cover.
Yeah I know if it ain't broke don't fix it, but hey, I was bored.
Six bolts later, the clutch comes off. Everything looked fine.
No blue or warped steel plates and the friction plates averaged around .139 - .145". I didn't think .006" was too awful bad, I was just curious as to what new friction plates measured.
You can say curiosity got the best of me.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks for all the replies.
~ Rob