I have a 72 FLH with a Karata belt drive primary. The stock clutch always chatters and jerks when starting out in first gear. I am considering a Rivera Pro clutch kit or the Barrnet Scorpion kit. has any one had any experience with these clutchs. I'm also considering going back to a wet primary if it is the only way to get rid of the jerking and chatter.

Thanks
Rich Heisner

 

Try a few less expensive things unless you just gotta spend money! I have the Rivera clutch on my '87 Evo. It works well for me. But it ain't cheap. The Scorpion will set you back about 5 bills, too.

Now to the cheaper stuff. Since you have a stock clutch that means a 3 stud clutch hub and staggered rollers. There's also enough slop that it allows the drum to walk in and out. The chattering sounds like contaminated plates, damaged studs, warped steel drive plates, or any combo of, or all the above.

First thing is some good fiber plates. Get a Barnett carbon fiber cutch kit. They run great dry.

A big improvement would beto ditch the 3 stud hub and get a 5 stud hub, but only if you can get a quality one. Another option is to getreplacement studs (5 long, 5 short) and use your existing hub to make a 5 stud hub. The 5 stud hub allows even operation unlike the 3 stud hub.

Another goodie is the Ram Jett clutch retainer (works with 3 stud hub only). It holds the drum in place and prevents the "tugging" associated with a 3 stud hub with the stock retainer.

Or try a Big Twin Tamer clutch insert. This kit does pretty much the same thing as the Ram Jett kit. I think it can be used with a 5 stud hub, too.

One more option would be a kit that uses all long rollers between the hub and drum. They work well, but sometimes a drum has to be honed out to get the rollers to fit.

I'd start with new fiber plates, checking the steel plates, and the Ram Jett retainer. I ran that combo for years with no problems.

 

My 72FX had a similar problem with an origional clutch set up. When I'd start out in first gear, it would hop, makinga sound and felt like metal to metal ginding, almost like the clutch hub roller bearingswere shot.My problem was theclutch plates were gummed upmaking this noise and causing the hopping.
Here some info I recieved that helped me solve the problem.
Pull the cluch and steel plates out, keep them in order the same way you removed them.
Clean the clutch plates good with gas.
Let them dry, then rough the clutch plates up a little with 200 to 400 grit sandpaper.
Put the clutchand steel plates back together the same order you removed them.
This worked for me and it was like a new clutch with minimal expense.