Grabbing Clutch
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6
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Grabbing Clutch
Have just bought this great 1978 FX shovelhead and have been riding it between the others and am finding the clutch is grabbing at stops if I leave it in gear. I remember in the old days of the shovel that there was a Plate you could buy called Ram Jet ( I think ), It would have fixed this Problem...The primary is a dry one with a belt drive, anybody out here know the fix to this one...Thanks fergie
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,490
Likes: 3,687
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Fergie places like J&P and Taiwan Tedd still sell the ram-jet retainers.
A thought first though...sounds like a fairly new purchase if I read your thread right. Have you opened up the clutch side and inspected the clutch hub (fingers in good shape and not grooved), taken a look at the steel plated (worn out or warped), and fiber plates 9worn beyound use or maybe just dirty and need cleaning)
After that I would readjust clutch to factory specs. If the screw that adjusts the pushrod is out of adjustment, a grabing clutch can be the culprit easily.
Just do all adjustment COLD (as in letting it sit overnight)
A thought first though...sounds like a fairly new purchase if I read your thread right. Have you opened up the clutch side and inspected the clutch hub (fingers in good shape and not grooved), taken a look at the steel plated (worn out or warped), and fiber plates 9worn beyound use or maybe just dirty and need cleaning)
After that I would readjust clutch to factory specs. If the screw that adjusts the pushrod is out of adjustment, a grabing clutch can be the culprit easily.
Just do all adjustment COLD (as in letting it sit overnight)
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6
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grabbing clutch
Thks Panz, Yes newest purchase. I have not looked at the clutch yet, but I will. Was trying to re-fresh my memory in what I did to my other 78 ( some 25 years ago ),once I open the primary I'm sure it will all come back slowly. Was just out on it for the first long run and noticed the clutch..
Again thks for the quick reply...fergie
Again thks for the quick reply...fergie
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 10
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From: Netherlands,Europe
Hi Fergie.
I had the same problem on my hardtail.
It has an 2" open belt, and at the traffic lights the bike kept goiing forward.
When I hit the brake, it died.
Suicide clutch, jockey shift and kick only, so you understand my problem a bit?
I put a retainer kit on it.
This is a plate, placed between the first clutch plate en the clutch hub.
I have a three finger clutch hub, and normaly there are little springs between the hub and the first clutch plate, which old them apart from the hub.
When one of those springs comes loose, your clutch may go grabbing.
With that retainer kit come 3 rings that replace those springs, and after I installed that kit the problems were gone.
I hope you understand a little bit what I mean, 'cause my English isn't that good.
Those rings we call here in Holland "seegerring" don't know the name in Englisch, sorry.
Good luck anyway!
Rob from Holland.
I had the same problem on my hardtail.
It has an 2" open belt, and at the traffic lights the bike kept goiing forward.
When I hit the brake, it died.
Suicide clutch, jockey shift and kick only, so you understand my problem a bit?
I put a retainer kit on it.
This is a plate, placed between the first clutch plate en the clutch hub.
I have a three finger clutch hub, and normaly there are little springs between the hub and the first clutch plate, which old them apart from the hub.
When one of those springs comes loose, your clutch may go grabbing.
With that retainer kit come 3 rings that replace those springs, and after I installed that kit the problems were gone.
I hope you understand a little bit what I mean, 'cause my English isn't that good.
Those rings we call here in Holland "seegerring" don't know the name in Englisch, sorry.
Good luck anyway!
Rob from Holland.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 306
Likes: 7
From: Somewhere, PA
Fergie - above are all good items, and I'll mention what I do when I pick up an old HD:
1.) Pull the primary and remove the clutch fibers and steels by taking off the nuts on the pressure plate.
2.) Clean the clutch fibers, steels, and clutch basket with brake cleaner, Simple Green, etc.
3.) Take the fibers out to some good concrete and "scuff" them by doing a figure-8 pattern. I usually do about 20 figure 8's on each side of each fiber.
4.) Soak the fibers in ATF. I usually use a baking pan or a ziplock bag
5.) Examine the steels to make sure they're not warped. Stacking on top of one another to make sure there is little excess "dayling" in-between is a good test.
6.) Take some fine-grit sandpaper to the clutch hub studs to smooth out the ridges that appear over the years. Clean thoroughly when done.
7.) Sometimes it helps to take an oversize drill bit and widen each hole in the fiber plates just a smidge. Makes them slide easier on the old clutch hub studs and doesn't hurt performance a bit.
8.) Purchasing a retainer as mentioned above has helped me in every build I've done. Clutch hub doesn't walk out when the lever or pedal is engaged, so there is less dragging and the bike doesn't want to creep forward at stoplights, etc.
9.) Put together per manual specs and enjoy the ride...
Best of luck!
Hobo
1.) Pull the primary and remove the clutch fibers and steels by taking off the nuts on the pressure plate.
2.) Clean the clutch fibers, steels, and clutch basket with brake cleaner, Simple Green, etc.
3.) Take the fibers out to some good concrete and "scuff" them by doing a figure-8 pattern. I usually do about 20 figure 8's on each side of each fiber.
4.) Soak the fibers in ATF. I usually use a baking pan or a ziplock bag
5.) Examine the steels to make sure they're not warped. Stacking on top of one another to make sure there is little excess "dayling" in-between is a good test.
6.) Take some fine-grit sandpaper to the clutch hub studs to smooth out the ridges that appear over the years. Clean thoroughly when done.
7.) Sometimes it helps to take an oversize drill bit and widen each hole in the fiber plates just a smidge. Makes them slide easier on the old clutch hub studs and doesn't hurt performance a bit.
8.) Purchasing a retainer as mentioned above has helped me in every build I've done. Clutch hub doesn't walk out when the lever or pedal is engaged, so there is less dragging and the bike doesn't want to creep forward at stoplights, etc.
9.) Put together per manual specs and enjoy the ride...
Best of luck!
Hobo
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