Very curious about this idea

Sounds logical to me.

Welcome to the board.   Good to have you here !!

Lacking the info, you replaced a clutch that didn't need it and was nowhere near the wear out limits (unless you were also unaware of the Clymers error in their wearout table where they reversed the plate thickness numbers).

You need to take your Clymers and mark each of the known errors in it with colored ink on the pages of your manual -- this will save you pain and suffering out into the future.    One of them, the rotation error during valve setting has bitten DOZENS of new people and the need to understand the things a bad vac petcock can do to your performance and reliability has bitten HUNDREDS of new people (some who paid stealerships to do full engine overhauls to "fix" the problem --- but didn't)

Known Clymers Errors (Tech Section)    http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1119775997

Clutch info (Tech Section)    http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1276593115

Post questions before doing things into Rubber Side down section to get guided to what you need to know before spending your hard earned dollars.

Read up on clutches and recommended oils in the tech section.

14,000 miles is about right for the first clutch rod change.   We go through a series of 3 clutch rods changing them out before the plates themselves actually wear out.

It is what it is --- but I would simply suggest that you read up and ask questions before doing tear downs in the future as that might serve to save you some money and time.

By not using a Clymer's manual and not referring to the list tech resources you are flying blind into a lot of situations that are potentially misleading.  

And at least you were fortunate enough not to spend $600 for a major engine rebuild for a problem that was actually your stock vac petcock misbehaving as so many others have done.   And we can't count the number of carb rebuilds from that same source.

Another statement that sounds fantastic is that dealership mechanics often don't know  enough about the Savage because they never work on them except every other summer.   And then they tend to give the Savage to the junior mechanic who does all the kiddie singles when they do get one.

I guess I should clarify. Even though I do not have a Clymers I did refer to technical data from here. I also got the info here for adjusting the valves. Valve adjustment was not complicated but still a bit of a chore since you have to drain and remove the gas tank and then reaching in with the feeler gauges was a bit difficult. But I got it done, than God. I think I must have made the piston go up and down a good thirty times before I felt comfortable that I had TDC of the compression stroke.

Thanks.

Hay Springman

If your in Texas already are you keeping up with the "OK, it ain't the Dragon "  thread ?  

Welcome aboard !  

Its right here:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1414666722