Clutch Basket

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Jan 28, 2015 | 05:57 PM

RKGDCG03

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 1,423

Likes: 535

From: Oregon

Clutch Basket

At what horsepower/torque number does the stock clutch basket become a liability? I am building a 120hp/120Q motor. Should I replace the complete clutch? I don't do burnouts but I will get on it hard on the highway.
Thanks in advance.

Jan 28, 2015 | 07:45 PM

HD Pilot

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 3,791

Likes: 57

From: N Texas

I am sure there will be different opinions here but I think a Heavy Duty clutch spring(Barnett or SE) plus a +1 friction/steel plate kit would be enough. That will run about $150, the next step up would be a new clutch for about $500 - $550 - maybe a Barnett or Bandit Sportsman. I would keep the stock clutch shell.

Jan 28, 2015 | 10:15 PM

HD Bobber

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2010

Posts: 3,580

Likes: 215

From: Illinois

At that horsepower maybe a bit less the basket is definitly a weak point when you are doing hard launches, which can cause it to shader. Saw this myself and heard of others. Riding hard at higher speeds won't affect it so much, but definitly the heavy load, higher rpm, launches is where all the stress lands on the basket.

Everything depends on how you use/ride your bike. Evolution Industries would be my pick of I were to get a bullet proof aftermarket basket.

EDIT:
If you just get on it hard here and there, as PILOT, mentioned you might want to first try just adding a heavier SE spring and if the clutch is still slipping them move up to a $500 clutch setup or $800-$1,000 clutch and basket combo.

Last edited by HD Bobber; Jan 28, 2015 at 10:18 PM.

Jan 29, 2015 | 07:33 PM

1BMF

Novice

Joined: Feb 2014

Posts: 15

Likes: 0

From: Clearwater

Don't even get me started on this one !!

H Dealership who built my bike, doubled the HP/TQ and never changed out the stock basked, it was in a million pieces on my first ride, bent both my shafts way beyond failure, after research, on the big touring bikes, the "pot metal" cage as one HD Mechanic called it was rated at approx 110 TQ,

Even with photos, and 2 other dealers confirming the shafts were destroyed, they denied it, lied to me, and returned a badly damaged unsafe bike to me. South Jersey by the Bridge, gotta love it there...

I remain stunned how unethical they were and how bad I was treated even after I dropped an extra 25K on accessories,

what, wait, clutch basket, that's right, 110 ft lbs of tq on the big twins

Jan 29, 2015 | 09:00 PM

usmcbuck

Tourer

Joined: Aug 2014

Posts: 331

Likes: 0

From: East Texas

While talking with Bobby Woods yesterday about cams, he recommended the Evolution Industries "49 Tooth Complete Basket and Stage 1 Clutch Kit". Knowing that it will help move the bike quickly in performance, I didn't think to ask about any down falls with this. If anyone is running a 49 tooth, please share some everyday driving info that one should expect having this set-up.

Meaning besides the obvious

Last edited by usmcbuck; Jan 30, 2015 at 06:19 PM.

Jan 31, 2015 | 08:31 PM

1BMF

Novice

Joined: Feb 2014

Posts: 15

Likes: 0

From: Clearwater

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKGDCG03

At what horsepower/torque number does the stock clutch basket become a liability? I am building a 120hp/120Q motor. Should I replace the complete c
lutch? I don't do burnouts but I will get on it hard on the highway.
Thanks in advance.

It failed with just under 100 miles on the bike, this is my 12th bike, got my first Harley when I was 12, was doing a text book break in, at 45 mph, massive failure, that clutch cage was in a million pieces...the dealership it was towed to brought us back to see it 2 days later and said here's your reason for failure, they left the stock clutch basket on it, rookie mistake, and "someone was going to lose their job" it was a violent lock up, it was heart breaking to see a once great dealership stoop to such unethical professional behavior, keep ya posted, legal proceedings just went under way...the case, Harley built and designed this bike entirely in house as a turnkey job, then stated no warranty due to the Procharger, I said fine, I have faith you guys will build a beautiful machine, WRONG", after I poured $26,000.00 into upgrades into this new delivery they delivered the bike negligently built with a new 120R combined with a Procharger, approx 220 HP /TQ, but they left the stock clutch basket on it instead of designing into the build the billet style, I think their negligent build out trumps the "it's been modified for performance and that now voids the factory warranty" and they should replace the transmission and motor that are so badly damaged they can not be rebuilt instead of telling me , there's no damage to either shaft and those 2 dealers were trying to rip you off, then hid in their offices, wouldn't correspond with me to work through this, South Jersey's Dealership by the Bridge, gotta love it there..

Last edited by 1BMF; Jan 31, 2015 at 08:43 PM.

Feb 6, 2015 | 09:47 AM

senna

Road Master

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 1,096

Likes: 17

From: San Jose

I'm on the fence on this myself. I guess I know that I probable should put in a billet clutch basket, it's just hard laying down the cash.

My 107 build is 126tq and 117hp, I do use the power. Burn outs, pulls front end up and I won't pass up the opportunity to hit the drag strip.

I recently had a noise in the primary that caused my to pull the cover. turns out the factory tensioner had back off completely. So I will be adding a Baker adjuster.

Also, I will need to address the clutch. Currently I have a stock clutch with SE pressure plate. This set up give no indication of slipping. So maybe a +1 Kevlar disc setup would be fine?

Iv'e also read about the heavy duty bearing for the clutch basket that would eliminate the bearing race on the input shaft. Apparently the race has been known to move over into the seal. Something that was changed on the 2011 and later bikes.

When I did my motor build I changed to a 31t front sprocket, I don't believe I want to gear down any lower.

Last edited by senna; Feb 6, 2015 at 10:26 AM.