Thought about giving Justin a PM about this, but I figure it would be best to just start a discussion. There have been some people to have their clutch cams break.
I've been wondering a few things.1.
At what point(s) of adjustment (clutch rod length) is the cam most vulnerable to breakage? I recall one thread that appeared to say that too far in any direction could cause trouble. I'm curious as to what position Justin's clutch lever was at when his cam broke.
If we can get a pattern to this, that would open up the possibility for safe mods. I've been thinking of strengthening my clutch, but Suzuki's design kinda has it locked into being weak. I can put kevlar plates in it, but they cost $75+. If I put in more plates or springs or something, I'll put more stress on that cam. I'm about to buy some different length clutch rods to experiment since they're so cheap. My lever is near the upper mark. I don't understand how I could get any more clutch grip from these rods since I should have play in the lever.
2. I've noticed that it is often said that the cam is sintered metal. I recall finding a thread that mentioned it being not sintered, but simply improperly treated steel.
Is there an easy way to fix the cam and make it stronger?3.
If not, maybe we should make a new cam. It's not really a "cam" as we usually know it. The piece basically consists of a couple of offset plates, one to hold the spring, and the other with a dimple for the rod to seat. I've spent quite a bit on hiring machinist lately. They aren't cheap. I'm gonna have to learn how to do this stuff myself.
Tough when you don't have a milling machine.
Now that I have that bolt out so that I can get to the clutch easily, I can do experiments now. I'm gonna worry about simply getting it up and running first, though.
Maybe this can become a useful discussion for others to reference.