The mode of failure is independent of how you shift/operate the clutch. To say it is rider dependent is ignorant.

It's a fatigue failure.

 

Well, it's nice to see we can all play together without resorting to name calling!

The part of the clutch pack that does seem to fail is the springplate. It seems to happen to the rubbermount bikes far more often than rigid mount. There is a poll on xlforum.net and close to 50% of the bikes with springplate failures are rubbermounts, versus only 4% of rigid mounts.

I don't see where clutch and shift skills can account for this discrepancy. Assuming owners of rigid mounts are no better at shift/clutch than new bike owners. Something is happening IMO.

BTW, I have a 24 year old rigid mount, original clutch.

John

 

This is one of those mods that I just need to do... no sense in waiting for it to fail even if under warranty... cheaper to just make it right than to be stranded on the road.

So... Energy One or Screaming Eagle works...

Either one of these??:

Screamin' Eagle Performance Clutch Kit-38002-04

Or

Energy One 1990-97 Big-Twin & 1991 to Present Sportster (XL) - Extra Plate Kit w/spring and Compression Tool Combo

 

My personal choice would be Energy One. I didn't notice any difference in lever feel despite the 15% spring increase. It's also cheaper, which is nice.

 

Thank you... and for the same price than the SE, the Energy One brings the tool to remove the clutch

 

Then state what this mode is. I had a neighbor tell me earlier this year his head gasket on his 3.0 vulcan failed for no reason after a drain and fill of coolant. Asked him if he burped the bubble. He had no clue what I meant. He happened to come over while I was burping the bubble from the one I just bought. I would have also had a blown head gasket real quick if I had not burped it. See where this is going yet?

You are literally saying these things blow up for no reason at all. Just like the head gasket blew all on its own. Reminds me of one morning when my youngest ran to the school bus telling the bus driver how he was eating cookie dough that morning. Bus driver asked him where he got it. He said from his mom and she made it with magic and love. If the bus driver were to have told him what it was really made from he would have only argued that love and magic was in them. I know because I tried to tell him myself, even showed him the flour and sugar and other ingredients. I was a liar. The joy of kids when they are very young. So I gather love and magic is the mode of clutch failure. Its all I can come up with. No one seems to be able to explain. Its just an independent mode yet to be determined. Because improper adjustment and abuse sure the hell dont cause clutch failure in the real world. Just these phantom independent modes.

I guess the loss is mine for not owning one of these properly functioning exploding clutches. Thats all I got.

 

+1 - This is spot on.

If most of your riding is spirited, in and around stop and go (city) traffic, your clutch is going to see a lot of usage per mile traveled. You can expect a Spring Plate failure sooner rather than later.

On the other hand, if you ride mostly on rural roads and/or highways where the clutch usage per mile is much less frequent, you may well exceed 50,000 miles without a failure.

 

I guess that the point is that they fail... and it would be a good and proactive action to replace them with something better that is not prone to the same type of failure (getting rid of the plates with rivets).

For those that are still on the stock clutch, just something to be aware...

In my case, like I said, even if this is covered under warranty I would hate to see my baby suffer for something I could have proactively addressed...

OK... carry on arguing

 

cHarley, you just described the way I ride mine... spirited, stop and go city traffic... Lots of use of the clutch... ...very few long trips.

Order placed...

Now to research install tips to see if this is something that I can do at home.

 

There's a sticky thread up top that shows you how to do it.