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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Clutch work cold?
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Message started by bobo383 on 03/23/05 at 20:11:14

Title: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/23/05 at 20:11:14

Does your clutch work cold? Mine slips baaaaad till the bike warms up. After that, it only slips if I shift too early and open it up.

Still beating a local Sporty 883 between red lights, but I think I'd do better if I was properly hooked up. He catches me around 80 and leaves me. No big surprise there.

I'm fixing to take the clutch apart for a look-see. Barnett friction plates and springs are $70 at my local bike shop -- Seems reasonable, as the EBC frics and spgs are 62 plus shipping from DennisKirk.

Steel plates should not be needed, but are a b*tch to find locally. Probably will be a bike bandit/ron ayers item.

I appreciate any clutch advice you can give.

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by WD on 03/23/05 at 20:19:29

You using a thick enough oil? Mine was horrible until I switched to 20W50 at the first oil change. Motorcycle oil is like perfume, if you buy the wrong stuff, you ain't getting nowhere with your girl.
-WD

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/23/05 at 20:26:10

Been using 10w40. Based on your recommendation, I'll try 20W50 tomorrow and see. Thanks.

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by WD on 03/23/05 at 20:37:14

As cheap as oil is, why not? At worst, you'll have bought a couple extra quarts, run some fresh through the bike and cleaned out some sludge. No harm there. And if you still end up swapping the discs out, they'll be clean! Some Savages (and other bikes) just can't run the factory recommended oil. Production tolerances do vary pretty wildly. I'm pretty sure the tolerances onmy bike are ALL on the loose end of the scale. 10 weight oil, it sounds/runs/shifts horribly. 20 weight oil, it performs like a "well oiled (pun intended) machine". Have had Hondas do the same thing. Some bikes are just finicky. :)
-WD

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by Greg_650 on 03/24/05 at 05:16:34

Has any work ever been done to your clutch?

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by WD on 03/24/05 at 05:33:37

Who's do you mean? My bike has less than 13K on it. :'(
A 98 should have at least triple that. Mine has been a tinkerer's special since day one. It was built on Friday night or Monday morning...nothing has ever worked right. But I have fun anyway. :) I like to putter around with it, no hurry.
-WD

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/24/05 at 05:38:09

Probably. I have some previous owner's receipts that show the rod bearing was replaced (by a bike shop). Both side cases show signs of removal and sealer on the gaskets.

I'll have a 20W50 report by the end of the day (vacation all this week).

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/24/05 at 05:48:10

Mine's a 98, 11,500 miles now. It sat for a long time when the first owner went into the military.

My neighbor (has a sportster 883 now) bought the bike for $600 with 10,400 miles from the original owner. He had alot of work done to it, and sold it to me for a grand when he got tired of taking it to the shop. I like to wrench and play, so I'm in heaven. He never registered the bike or even drove it very much. He had the rod bearing and rocker arms replaced the due to gas getting in the oil (he didn't know).

When I re-titled the bike it had 10,600 miles on it. The original tags on it expired in 99. That was October '03.

I had to fix several fuel related problems -- petc0ck, carb re-jetting, needle/seat, etc. -- and repaint the bike. I love the thing. I wish I could find another one like it.

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by WD on 03/24/05 at 06:00:26

Mine hasn't been licensed since August 2001. I'm not happy about that. Factory paint on the 98s was awful. My beautiful bright orange bike was an ugly yellowish/pinkish/orangish mess inside of 2 months. And I bought it new.

From talking to a couple dealer service departments, the 98s had problems other than the paint. Nothing insurmountable (can I use $10 words here?). Front rotor and caliper problems, soft cam, soft timing chains...I think it's a bunch of bull myself, other than needing to run thicker oil, and wait years for the brake to sort itself out, I've had no real issues with mine. However, I'm used to true antique bikes, so the piddly problems with the Savage don't even really register.
-WD

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/24/05 at 06:07:00

Mine was orange faded to pink when I bought it. I like anything that's unusual, and that usually means old like my cars. For some reason, if everybody has one, I just don't want it anymore (Chevy Suburban being the only exception).

There's a running 76 iron head sportster 1000 for sale nearby, asking price is 4200. I'm afraid to offer $2000 for it, cause they might accept. It's calling my name real bad, and it's a perfect ratty bike.

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by bobo383 on 03/24/05 at 18:12:34

WD wrote:

How right you were, WD. I found a couple quarts of SAE50 and oooooooh I have my clutch back!

Stop by DFW and I'll buy dinner. You saved me about $70.

Title: Re: Clutch work cold?
Post by Savage_Rob on 03/28/05 at 05:47:07

I've been using 15W50 and it seems just fine to me.