clutch springs

[sblt500r]

do clutch springs wear out? and if they do how do you tell?

[91LT250R]

Yes, they do. An easy way to tell is if your clutch lever is easy to pull in. If it's easier to pull in now than it was before, that means your springs are worn. Also if you notice the clutch "slipping" it's probably because of the springs. When you replace your clutch new springs come in the kit.

[tecateboy]

hey i got a question then. i just put new friction plates in my tecate cuz it wouldnt grab at all. it was adjusted right and everything. but the thing is with the old plates in my old motor it worked like brand new. do you think its my springs or something else?

[sblt500r]

did you replace everything or just the friction plates? and are you sure you installed them correctly? whats it doing now?

[tecateboy]

all i replaced was the friction plates. everything else was still the same as what was in my old motor. there is no way to put them in wrong as long as you have them in the right order cuz there is no difference from one side to the other.

[91LT250R]

Originally Posted by tecateboy

all i replaced was the friction plates. everything else was still the same as what was in my old motor. there is no way to put them in wrong as long as you have them in the right order cuz there is no difference from one side to the other.

You said your tecate wouldn't grab at all so that makes me think you should change clutch springs. That would be my guess.

[tecateboy]

well i dont know cuz like i said before when this whole clutch assembly was in my other motor it worked perfectly. but then i changed it to this one and it wouldnt hook at all. the weird thing is i took everything that deals with the plates from the other motor and put it on this one.

[semms40oz]

Springs wear but they take a while even with an abused clutch. Best way to tell is to measure the free height of your springs when removed form the clutch. the min free height is listed in most service manuals or you can just call a dealer to find out.


tecateboy, you said the the old clutch pack worked fine in the original motor it came out of but won't work in your new one. What did you transfer? just the clutch plates? or the entire basket and hub? if you didn't transfer the basket and hub are the motors the same exact year? it almost sounds like your a plate or 2 short.

As a reference the 87 tecate 4 has 8 friction plates and 7 steel plates along with just about every other tecate 4 and 3 BUT The 84 tecate 3 only has 7 friction plates and 6 steel plates.

[tecateboy]

yea the old clutch worked perfect in the old motor, it was strong enough to pull the front up in all gears. but yea i took everything, the plates, basket, hub. yea and i know all the plates are there cuz i set them aside when i took the motor apart and put them in the basket and they stwere all there when i put it back together. and yea the motor they oridionally were out of was an 84 and i put them into an 85 motor which is the same motor. ohh and you said only the 84 had 7 friction and 6 steel. well the 85 does too...least im pretty sure it does. even if the 85 had more plates it wouldnt matter in this case since i used all the parts that deal with the plates from the 84 motor.

[semms40oz]

according to the micro fiche the 85 has a different cluctch than the 84, i understand you replaced the entire cluctch basket but it may still have something to do with it. if you have the 85 basket and hub i would try using it and adding the one friction and steel plate. it may matter in the way the clutch is engaged and released since 2 missing plates is ~2-3mm and you whole assembly is going to be that much shorter if you used the 84. its only a thought but it may be the reason.