Reducing the spring installed height to increase preload moved the release plate to the left.  It was already to the point where I had to use a shim between the push piece and the release bearing in order to achieve correct lever alignment with the marks on the crankcase.  That was with the longest pushrod.  Now I had to resort to a spacer instead of a shim.  I simply don’t have much to work with anymore.  Look at that spacer.

Mike:

Yep......I installed the wave washer and thicker outer plate, and the annoying squeally/grabby issue is gone. I replaced the thrust washers as they had noticeable wear on them.  Prior to doing this I had to be slow on engaging the clutch - if I let it out too rapidly the squeal would occur.

My oil system is stock, I am using stock clutch springs and Barnett Kevlar fiber discs and now the Sneezy cam (I broke the stock one a month ago).

When I installed the thicker outer plate and wave washer I had to make my own push rod, as none of the factory ones were long enough. I cut a section out of a long aircraft drill and shaped the ends curved on a grinding wheel.....then polished them smooth with sandpaper while spinning them in my drill press. It took several attempts to get the length just right.....I kept grinding off a little bit at a time to get the lever in the proper operating range.  (I know you use shims under the throw out bearing.....I didn't have any appropriate shims/washers to do that).

The clutch works really smoothly and it doesn't slip.  Like you I am finding neutral at a stop a bit difficult - but I adapted and would just find neutral as I was just about to roll to a stop.  Most times I can find neutral as I go from 2nd gear and push lightly down on the pedal and it now has become routine.

 

TheSneeze wrote on 07/07/23 at 08:24:38:

I sent you a message, I definitely want one.

All that have sold, are shipped.  My remaining inventory is 3.  When these are shipped I will start another run.  There will be a couple of weeks lead time on any others.

I wonder, that thing is sintered because it had to be very hard (I think).
Are those replacements also hardened?
What steel are they made of?

DragBikeMike wrote on 07/08/23 at 19:08:56:


As DragBikeMike says - the stock clutch works well for stock and mildly modified engines.  If your stock clutch is slipping with a stock engine there is something wrong with the clutch and it needs some maintenance.

My engine has a 95mm Wiseco, Performance Cam, Ported Head, 38MM Mikuni Round Slide, Big Foam Filter and good exhaust.....I don't make DragBikeMikes' 41 HP - but it is noticeably more HP than stock.  I also have very tall gearing and the engine turns 4,000 rpm at 70mph in 5th gear.

My stock clutch never slipped when it was fully engaged.  If I was hard on the throttle and shifting through the gears - there was a slight lag in clutch engaging fully if I got on the throttle hard as the clutch lever was being released.  When I has accelerating hard I made sure the clutch lever was fully released before I applied a lot of throttle, and I rode the bike that way for about 14,000 miles without any issues.

Recently I did the DR650 clutch modification and it grabs better than the stock clutch.  The DR650 clutch hub that is needed is a bit expensive to buy and a little rare....the ones on eBay are often offered as the entire clutch assembly.  (There is one seller on eBay that bead blasts all the parts he sells to make them look better - don't buy that one as the friction surface that is polished has been ruined by the bead blasting).

I did the DR650 modification and used the stock clutch release cam as the Sneeze version was not yet available.....my clutch cam broke after a few thousand miles and did some damage in the process.  It damaged my clutch basket, the DR650 clutch hub, one fiber and one steel plate......it was likely $200 worth of parts that was damaged if you buy the replacement used (more if you buy them new).

Everyone who has the mechanical ability should install the Verslagen head plug and cam chain tensioner...and the Sneezy clutch cam to make their bike more reliable.

I have been away on a trip for the last 2-1/2 weeks. The new batch should be in my hands in the next week or so.  The current on hand quantity is still two.