Worn clutch!

Lautarooo

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Mar 6, 2019
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Riverhead, NY
Hey guys!

Hows it going? I have a 2017 with 10k miles. to get to the point I believe my clutch plates need to be replaced. When I’m riding and I open the throttle, the bike does not accelerate, it revs up way high, until it eventually gradually responds accordingly and finally picks up speed. Also, as this is taking place, the gear indicator goes blank as if the clutch is being squeezed. If this is indeed the problem, what parts aside from the plates should I buy? Any tips on the replacement process? Also what did I do to have this take place? Am I rolling the throttle too much as I'm switching gears?


Thanks in advance!
 

gunslinger_006

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May 21, 2016
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Seattle, Washington
Do you ride off pavement?

Most of the dead clutches on s10s have been sand or deep mud. You can easily overheat the clutch trying to get unstuck.

The job is not huge. Check and service everything from the lever to each plate and the basket. Check the basket for cracks and signs of heat damage. You probably cooked your plates but maybe you will get lucky and its just the lever somehow?

Let us know. Start with getting the factory service manual, read it, then watch videos of people doing the job. Even the rekluse install videos are helpful if they show disassembly of the factory clutch basket.
 

jrusell

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Aug 23, 2017
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Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Very rare to need a clutch unless you abused it.
I would be looking for the cause before just throwing parts at it.

A common reason is aftermarket levers. Lever when released does not fully disengage the clutch master cylinder and is still applying force to the slave cylinder. This means the clutch is slightly pulled in and eventually it will slip more and more until you reach a situation like you are in now.

Do you have aftermarket levers? If so put the stock one back on and see if your situation gets better.

Also make sure you have not overfilled the master cylinder. fill half way, no more. If the master is too full and the fluid gets hot it will expand and if there is no room for expansion in the master it will build pressure and apply force to the slave cylinder just like if you were pulling the lever making the clutch slip.

Try new fluid, bleed properly and set the level correctly, do not overfill.
 
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~TABASCO~

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Have you recently changed the oil? What oil, sounds exactly like a friction reducing oil was used. This is the symptom. Most all stock factory clutch plates will go 100K miles.

If you need new plates I suggest stock with a Barnett pressure plate. Best combo !
 

Squibb

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I'm with @jrusell - it's that disappearing gear indicator that suggests the clutch switch has been activated, so leads me towards the lever theory.

Could be exacerbated by using the wrong spec oil. I had a buddy who thought he was dong the right thing using top spec synth motor oil that he had used in his car, in his old Honda PC800 - it was the recipe for a slipping clutch, but it was only a slight slip (not that they had much poke), not what the OP describes.
 

Lautarooo

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Mar 6, 2019
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Riverhead, NY
Hey guys! thanks for your speedy response it means a lot. I looked at the clutch lever and it was sticky, it did not close all the way when released and did not fully press that black rod. I disassembled and lubed everything up. Now it closes well when released. Hopefully the clutch disks are ok and did not suffer much when I revved through the half pressed clutch.

thanks again!
 

gunslinger_006

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May 21, 2016
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Seattle, Washington
Hey guys! thanks for your speedy response it means a lot. I looked at the clutch lever and it was sticky, it did not close all the way when released and did not fully press that black rod. I disassembled and lubed everything up. Now it closes well when released. Hopefully the clutch disks are ok and did not suffer much when I revved through the half pressed clutch.

thanks again!
Awesome that is why is said start at the lever and work down!

Thought: change your oil. Send in a sample to blackstone labs and tell them you are worried about your clutch. They will give you the best info possible on the clutch without pulling it and doing a direct inspection.
 
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