guestimating clutch wear

[midden]

Is it possible to get a reasonable idea of clutch wear/condition by viewing it from oil filler hole?

[BBROWN1664]

Only in the same way that you can guess the nitrogen content of the air in the tyres by looking at the headlight bulb.

[dazza]

Actually Neil, yes it is.
What you need to do is take the cap off, place your eye directly over the filler hole while your mate(me) starts the bike up while filming the whole sorry episode before uploading the footage to YouTube.  :b

[steve 10562cc]

Take it you tried that way dazza :lol

[dazza]

Don't know what you're talking about  :rolleyes

[Hugh Mungus]

Don't know what you're talking about  :rolleyes

Post the link up, I could do with a laugh  :lol

Only in the same way that you can guess the nitrogen content of the air in the tyres by looking at the headlight bulb.

About 78%... That's what my headlight bulb says...

[dazza]

.

[dazza]

:lol

[darrsi]

Only in the same way that you can guess the nitrogen content of the air in the tyres by looking at the headlight bulb.

:rollin :rollin :rollin

[Bretty]

Have you got an issue with your clutch?


It's not rocket science to check. With bike on side stand, remove clutch cover. Undo 6 screws on clutch boss. Remove contents of clutch, check thickness of plates with verniers against manual spec.


Assembley is reverse of disassembly (to quote haynes manual)  :rollin :rollin :rollin


Level of difficulty 2 out of 5 cups of tea.

[midden]

Only in the same way that you can guess the nitrogen content of the air in the tyres by looking at the headlight bulb.

Actually not quite in the same way huh. You've no access whatsoever to the inside of the tyre from the headlight bulb.
I was thinking more like visually checking brake pads without removal.
It was a silly question (although no question is silly) I know partly born from a bored moment but you can actually see/reach some of the plates from  the filler hole.  So if the was considerable wear would the spacing of these plates in theory be Feeler gauge noticeable.
Either my clutch is on  last legs or cable has stretched and needs renewing but if I change the cable am I then risking over wearing the clutch too far and foccin up the flywheel Blah blah

Obviously the only sure way of knowing the clutch condition is by removal and measuring individual plates but that means £16 for a gasket  and the clutch then may as well be changed.

[steve 10562cc]

Wemoto EBC clutch plate kit £68,

[BBROWN1664]

[quote author=BBROWN1664 link=topic=24385.msg282507#msg282507 date=1532955496]
Only in the same way that you can guess the nitrogen content of the air in the tyres by looking at the headlight bulb.

Actually not quite in the same way huh. You've no access whatsoever to the inside of the tyre from the headlight bulb.
I was thinking more like visually checking brake pads without removal.
It was a silly question (although no question is silly) I know partly born from a bored moment but you can actually see/reach some of the plates from  the filler hole.  So if the was considerable wear would the spacing of these plates in theory be Feeler gauge noticeable.
Either my clutch is on  last legs or cable has stretched and needs renewing but if I change the cable am I then risking over wearing the clutch too far and foccin up the flywheel Blah blah

Obviously the only sure way of knowing the clutch condition is by removal and measuring individual plates but that means £16 for a gasket  and the clutch then may as well be changed.

[/quote]

You need to remove the plates to measure them. They don't work int eh same way as a car and wont wear the flywheel. Instead you have two different types of plate in the basket.

If the clutch wont disengage properly, go for the cable.
If the clutch slips underload, go for a new clutch.

[Jamieg285]

If the clutch wont disengage properly, go for the cable.
If the clutch slips underload, go for a new clutch.

Both of these can occur from poor adjustment on the cable, so try adjusting (at the engine end) it before spending out on new clutches.  If it can't be adjusted, I don't know if there's an easy way to know if it's the cable or clutches that need replacing.

[BBROWN1664]

Agree that you can get clutch slip if the cable is too tight. If you have not adjusted the clutch cable correctly (see the manual for the correct adjustments) at the top and the bottom then you wont have free play at the lever effectively partially pulling the lever to make it slip.
Assuming you have done this and you do have some free play at the lever and its still slipping, its the clutch plates.


If you only have minimal free play and the clutch isn't disengaging properly (remember bike clutches do drag a little) then its a stretched cable so the cable needs replacing.