Gents,

Finished my build, After a few years of slow progress, I have the bike back up and logging some miles.

The bike is a 2007 Ultra classic, with a snotty little 103"
-Custom 180 conversion with enforcer wheels and brembo brakes
-Racetech fork kit -2" with SG shocks.
-2009 Underframe exhaust, FM XXX headpipe and mufflers
-Custom rear fender with plenty of LED lighting
-12" bagger bars with all new cables
-Baker compensator, Barnett billet basket and scorpion clutch, hayden M6 tensioner. 30/68 pullies. 3000 RPM at 75mph.
-Some other odds and ends.

So....I ran this clutch last build, but changed frictions because I was having compensator life issues with the type F atf Barnett wanted with the clutch.
Barnett had updated frictions that were good for the spectro primary oil that Baker likes with the new compensator.

Bike now back on the road, thought I was going crazy, but the clutch pull seems harder than before, and worse yet when the bike is hot? I'm using the same springs I was using. The lever pulls and returns fine, but I feel that it had a more positive springy feel to it before.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what to look for, or where to start looking? cable is a brand new Harley cable, I had the ball ramp jobber apart to powder coat the covers. My thought on that was if it was wrong it wouldn't work? clutch rod was true when assembled, and I'm 100% confident the clutch itself is fine, although I'm going to remove the primary cover to install an attitude adjuster instead of the Hayden M6. (I feel like the M6 has the chain too tight) Ill look at the clutch pressure plate when it comes back apart. I may install a scorpion VPC cover and lighten the spring load while I'm in there.

Just wondering if anyone has seen this before. I would almost think it would have to be a problem in the ball ramp setup, as the scorpion clutch is a standard spring type, and felt perfect before this build was re-done. Same brand clutch cable, same cable routing, etc.

Just trying to save taking more **** apart than I have to , as the exhaust has to come off to pull the the side cover.

Thanks for the time guys!

Ryan

 

Is the lever pivot on the handlebar clean and greased??

 

Clean, yes. I didn't lube it. I can certainly do that with almost no effort!

 

more suction on clutch plates with oil you are using? when you pull clutch lever you are separating the disks.

 

I am going to change to Mobil 1 20W50 Vtwin oil in the primary. I'm going to take it apart this weekend. I will ill just have to pull the exhaust and side cover and look at the ball ramp mech. also.

Im going to order the attitude adjuster and and the lockup VPC pressure plate update for this clutch also. That will allow me to spring it lighter as well.

It just mechanically feels wrong to me, like your fighting friction somewhere.

Ill post some updates once its apart and see what I find.

Ryan

 

It is like 40 ounces of oil. try changing oil first, run it say 50 miles and if no change spend the money. I added the SE heavy spring for better lockup and it pulls just fine.
you say friction, I say stiction

 

I have the oil in hand, ill drain and fill it tonight.

I just feel like there is more friction in the pull. It used to be a smooth pull, that smooth feel is not there.

Ryan

 

understood, but since you said you put in new cable, I eliminated cable bind. short of a ball not in the three ball grooves nothing else should bind. Cable is smooth bends right, no kinks?
That leaves me thinking stiction of clutch plates. oil change is cheap test.

 

I don't buy into the plates sticking together as the reason for a hard pull. Nothing in the clutch pries the plates apart, only the spring pressure holding them together is released. The plates are free to separate on their own or stay glued together. The pressure plate has been pulled away, that is all. Otherwise, if the only change is the new cable, I would be suspicious of that. I have never had to replace a cable so I have no idea of the reputations of the after market suppliers. I assume it isn't a Harley cable. I store my bike inside but i still lube the clutch cable periodically and I detect no change from new and now have almost 87,000 miles on the machine

 

IM in agreeance. It is a harley cable, not aftermarket. I did have the ball ramp apart on it, but didnt want to pull the pipes and find nothing wrong with that assembly. I installed a billet basket and new frictions, but the same pressure plate and spring setup I had been using. Im going to spend some time looking closely at the clutch lever and related tonight and dig deeper when i see that it looks fine. Just trying to avoid more time and more gaskets looking for a ghost.

Ryan