[Malibu]

I was at the dealer today looking at possibly buying yet another clutch. I have an EBC Heavy Duty clutch in my Scrambler now that has seen about 15,000 miles so far. It seems I've had clutch issues ever since I did the airbox removal and started with gold clutch springs. I was told by a mechanic who will remain "unnamed" that a former "unnamed" mechanic put the wrong springs in my bike. The gold ones. This came as a relief as I had been puzzled by how abruptly my clutch would engage towards the end of letting it out, and it would also not engage quickly enough. Now, I never knew this but it said in the catalog that EBC heavy duty clutches are NOT FOR USE with full synthetic oil. Can anyone help me here? I'm thinking of going semi-synthetic. Nothing else has ever seemed to work with this. The best ride was the stock clutch and springs, but of course it slipped at 70-80 MPH. It even slipped with the gold springs. Can anyone tell me if I can just clean the current EBC HD clutch and start over with semi-synthetic oil? Do I need to replace it? Should I go back to the stocker and put in green springs? This has been a minor bummer for almost three years now.

 

[biker7]

Unless you are running big horsepower...go back to factory parts for springs and clutch. Even with factory clutch and springs bikes of many manufacturers will slip with real slippery synthetic oil. Mobil 1 and Amsoil promote this in "some bikes". Each are wonderful oils. Some would suggest it is a balance between the best lubricity you can provide your motor while introducing enough friction for your wet clutch. A difficult balance. I run Shell Rotella in my bikes which is a Grade III syn and not a Grade IV like Mobil 1 or Amsoil. Technically it has a dino oil base and not an oil molecule made in a laboratory. It makes a difference. Before you try anything, try a different oil....one made for wet clutch motorcycles which theoretically promotes adequate clutch pressure.
Good Luck,
George

 

[mikeinva]

synthetic oil will work fine as long as its made to use with a wet clutch.I dont know about the ebc clutches .with what you have in your bike stock plates and green barnett springs would of cured your slip.I would say change springs.

 

[PieMan]

As Mike said, stock clutch and green Barnett springs should sort your problems.

 

[biker7]

synthetic oil will work fine as long as its made to use with a wet clutch.I dont know about the ebc clutches .with what you have in your bike stock plates and green barnett springs would of cured your slip.I would say change springs.

I know two guys with high horsepower bikes that can't run either Mobil 1 or Amsoil expressly made for motorcycles with wet clutches because of clutch slippage. They don't experience this with semi syn's or Group III syns.
YMMV,
George

 

[Malibu]

I know two guys with high horsepower bikes that can't run either Mobil 1 or Amsoil expressly made for motorcycles with wet clutches because of clutch slippage. They don't experience this with semi syn's or Group III syns.
YMMV,
George

I think I will try this first. Do I need to remove and clean the clutch plates, or is a simple oil change fine? I'll do this before I go and and look for my old "stock" clutch.

 

[RedBird]

My 2 cents: You don't have anywhere near enough horsepower to be having clutch slippage problems. Clean the stock plates very good and oil them and put them in with the stock springs. Run only a motor oil that meets JASCO specs and you should be good. If you are still having clutch problems, get the problems sorted and I don't mean changing plates and springs--there's something else wrong. Proper clutch cable adjustment is the first thing that comes to mind.

 

[Malibu]

My 2 cents: You don't have anywhere near enough horsepower to be having clutch slippage problems. Clean the stock plates very good and oil them and put them in with the stock springs. Run only a motor oil that meets JASCO specs and you should be good. If you are still having clutch problems, get the problems sorted and I don't mean changing plates and springs--there's something else wrong. Proper clutch cable adjustment is the first thing that comes to mind.

I think I respectfully disagree. With pod filters and open exhaust, my bike has wayyy more power than stock. Also more than with a uni filter and TORs, as I've used that set-up too. I,—and every Triumph mechanic felt slippage at high RPMs, not a lot, but it did slip. A lot of slip before I switched to heavy springs and then just slightly afterward. This is why a HD clutch was recommended to me. i think there may be something to what you said. I don't doubt that the boneheads may have done a poor job of doing this procedure both times, and like everything else I had to learn to do myself to get right, this may be one more lesson.

 

[biker7]

I think I will try this first. Do I need to remove and clean the clutch plates, or is a simple oil change fine? I'll do this before I go and and look for my old "stock" clutch.

The way it works with bike maintenance and trouble shooting is allows low to high. In other words, you always do the least invasive things first. BTW this tenent applies to paint detailing as well.
Start by changing the oil. I highly recommend Rotella T in the blue jug...5-40W. Do a search. It is perhaps the most commonly used motorcycle oil through brands...everybody uses it...from Harley to Ducatti owners. It is technically a diesel oil and we all know diesels do big miles over the road between oil changes and need anti-sooting and wear resistance additives. It also has wonderful temperature resistance which is critical with air cooled engines in particular...anti-Newton temperature/viscosity relationship for the technical guys out there. This is why is also embraced by Porsche air cooled guys as well. Your clutch plates maybe glazed but increasing friction fractionally maybe enough to eliminate slippage. Many with slippage have had good results by changing just the oil. If it isn't solved by this...consider springs and a new clutch. Talk to the high horsepower guys like Mike, Rob and others what the best clutch combo it if you need to change it. Labor cost always eclipses a nickel saved by buying price for items such as springs and clutch.
Let us know how it goes.
George

 

[Malibu]

Again, I originally wrote —my clutch doesn't slip. It sticks. It used to slip, now it just thwunks when it engages. Thanks George. Excellent advice. I have been sitting here reading through my manual, and as I read, I wonder if this clutch was ever accurately installed. So many things were hastily done when this part of my upgrade was undertaken. No one cares about my bike like me, but I didn't do this and it wasn't done by a certified Triumph mechanic, or anyone that gave a rats a** about my bike. Now me on the other hand, I love Triumphs and I would want to preserve anyone's bike if I could. But I'm not doing this for a living either, so maybe I could learn to not give sh*t. It was one of those things that every time I took it back to this same guy, I could see the guy was clearly annoyed, but he was the cause of his own annoyance. Finally he started telling me that Scramblers sucked, actually he used the F-word. Just weird. I have since learned a lot about these (mechanic) guys. I have friends that are very experienced mechanics too (none Triumph though), and yet I've still seen them break stuff on people's bikes—sometimes rather expensive too, and first get pissed at themselves, and then try to find a way to get the customer to pick up the tab for their lack of brains or patience. This is what has always gotten me fired up. It's the one thing about motorcycles that shouldn't happen. One ought to be interested in what they do, not merely unqualified for any other type of work. Here lies the dilemma. Most often maladjusted wingnuts become motorcycle mechanics and they are actually the very one's that should never do it. Because LA is so full of crap mechanics, I was forced to learn to on my own, which I don't regret— I save money, get less attitude and my bike runs perfectly, except for this clutch, which now I am getting around to fixing.

 

[mikeinva]

Its not the oil if the oil you use is made for wet clutch .The problem with these bikes is that the stock springs are just enough for a stock bike.Idont know what gold springs you have but the gold springs some venders sale are no good.Alot of people have had trouble with them.The green springs will hold up to a 904.I had to put red springs in mine when I got over 65 ft/lbs ,the green springs had passed there limit.
The only oil that makes a wet clutch mess up are car oils with friction mod. added to them.

 

[biker7]

Again, I originally wrote —my clutch doesn't slip. It sticks. It used to slip, now it just thwunks when it engages. Thanks George. Excellent advice. I have been sitting here reading through my manual, and as I read, I wonder if this clutch was ever accurately installed. So many things were hastily done when this part of my upgrade was undertaken. No one cares about my bike like me, but I didn't do this and it wasn't done by a certified Triumph mechanic, or anyone that gave a rats a** about my bike. Now me on the other hand, I love Triumphs and I would want to preserve anyone's bike if I could. But I'm not doing this for a living either, so maybe I could learn to not give sh*t. It was one of those things that every time I took it back to this same guy, I could see the guy was clearly annoyed, but he was the cause of his own annoyance. Finally he started telling me that Scramblers sucked, actually he used the F-word. Just weird. I have since learned a lot about these (mechanic) guys. I have friends that are very experienced mechanics too (none Triumph though), and yet I've still seen them break stuff on people's bikes—sometimes rather expensive too, and first get pissed at themselves, and then try to find a way to get the customer to pick up the tab for their lack of brains or patience. This is what has always gotten me fired up. It's the one thing about motorcycles that shouldn't happen. One ought to be interested in what they do, not merely unqualified for any other type of work. Here lies the dilemma. Most often maladjusted wingnuts become motorcycle mechanics and they are actually the very one's that should never do it. Because LA is so full of crap mechanics, I was forced to learn to on my own, which I don't regret— I save money, get less attitude and my bike runs perfectly, except for this clutch, which now I am getting around to fixing.

Here's the thing Todd. Wrenchs are like everybody else...there are good and bad. Some are brilliant and some are lame and there is every shade in between. If the guy used the f-word in the same sentence as your Scrambler then you should run not walk from that dealer. Tell the owner why and don't go back. If you can't wrench either because of time contraints or learning curve, ask around at other shops and find the best wrench in your area that will moonlight...many do in this tough economy. Also, if you have a lick of mechanical sense, learn to wrench yourself. You will save yourself more headaches generally than taking it to somebody that doesn't care as much as you. I rarely care about the work a good wrench does on my bike...I worry more about the paint on my motorcycle. Motorcycles are easy to scratch...same with cars.
Lastly...if your clutch is sticking and grabbing and making untoward noises, you likely need to change the clutch and springs as you know as oil won't help if you are already using a name brand motorcycle oil.
Good luck and keep us posted.
George
PS: Listen to Mike when it comes these bikes because he knows them in and out.