Clutch - Looking to replace - Advice please.

[englishstiv]

Folks finally got my little lady to the MOT station after 5 plus years in bits.

Happily she passed but sadly the ride there was a lot noisier than expected thanks to the Clutch basket which deteriorated the longer the ride went on.

Most likely the plates are breaking down as it became quite snatchy at times ?

So have done the usual ebay search and it looks like a Barnett Clutch is an option.

However UK price is £174.00. ( Although they sell it stateside quite a bit cheaper ????? )

Stateside from £134.00 to £139.00 (included International postage)

So advice folks is there a cheaper / better option?

Can these Clutches be sourced in Europe?

Should I just stick with the original Ducati stock item (assuming it is still available) ?


Many thanks

[Derek]

The clutch pack is the same for all Ducati dry clutches up until they changed to alloy baskets around 2001/2. A set of OEM plates is around £130.
If you are changing the basket as well you'd be better to fit an alloy one as well as the alloy plates to go with it, and if you want them to last do the quiet clutch mod which will stop the tabs from hammering the basket.
I did the quiet clutch mod to my ST4s when it had about 4,000 miles. The clutch lasted 38,000 miles before the plates wore out and the basket and drum were still almost like new.
My 907 came with a set of Barnett plates but they were slipping at 27,000, I don't know how long they'd been in the bike. I fitted a good used set of OEM plates that I had and did the quiet clutch mod at the same time. We'll see how long it lasts.

[900streetfighter]

Ive been using newfren friction plates, they're lasting well. The plain plates shoudn't need replacing. Theyre cheap in Italy....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_ssn=f ... ne&_sop=15

[Mc tool]

The clutches can be really rattly but if you can put up with the noise ( and the looks from anybody within a mile of it idling ) there is no real reason to fit new bits. The "quiet clutch" mod really does work well, however you should make sure that both of the seals and the push rod O ring in the clutch assy are not leaking oil ( as this will cause grabbyness, a sure sign is black residue on the inside of the clutch housing and on the friction plates ..... and it takes bugger all.. Wipe your finger round the inside of the housing and if you get a black finger tip ......... that's it . The clutch dust should be dry .... not wet enough to stick to your finger . The 2 seals are easy enough to get at once the clutch assy is removed , and they are standard sizes so available from any bearing/engineering supply shop. Give the clutch plates a good clean in some degreaser before refitting( as long as they are not below minimum thickness ). My SS clutch ( same as 907 ) looked really hammered to bits but with a good clean , new seals and the quiet clutch mod still worked well.........till I crashed it

[ducinthebay]

Has anyone tried the lithium grease on the friction plates yet? Further quieting down the clutch, and improving feel from what I have read.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJbkuoLsh_o

I'm tempted, but haven't tried it yet.

Cheers, Phil

[Mc tool]

Whereabouts on the friction plate .................

[MarkST]

The plain plates shoudn't need replacing.

Agreed

Theyre cheap in Italy....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_ssn=f ... ne&_sop=15

They're even cheaper in Japan. I have these Suzuki plates in my ST4S, they're a perfect fit.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251556999914? ... EBIDX%3AIT

£27.20 all in with postage. Sod that £174.00 Barnett lark.

[MarkST]

Has anyone tried the lithium grease on the friction plates yet? Further quieting down the clutch, and improving feel from what I have read.

Yes I have, and it does smooth things out somewhat. How long it lasts is another question though.
I've tried spraying it on and wiping it off straight away and reassembling the clutch, and I've also tried spraying it on, leaving it for 3 or 4 days, and then wiping it off and reassembling the clutch, as per the way the Swedish lads do it, and I can't say I can tell any difference between the two methods.

[ducinthebay]

Why do they wipe it off?

[MarkST]

Why do they wipe it off?

I don't know, you'll have to ask them.
Presumably because otherwise it'd be a ryt old cacky mess in there with all the schitt sticking to it.
Maybe you could try it without wiping it off, and then report back after you've ran it that way for a week or two?

[paso750]

why would anyone want to reduce friction of a clutch by spaying grease onto the friction plates ?!

[MarkST]

why would anyone want to reduce friction of a clutch by spaying grease onto the friction plates ?!

Or running it in a bath of oil like the Suzuki (and most other bikes than Ducati)

[paso750]

is the friction disc material the same and the number of discs ?
The friction coefficient of a dry clutch is higher than of a wet clutch and the drag torque is lower.

[MarkST]

I have no idea about the friction disc material or the friction coefficient and drag torque, and to be honest I have no interest in finding out. I just know that they fit well and work well, and are £28.20 (39.21 Euros) all in with postage. That is more than good enough for me.

There are 8 frictions in the Suzuki pack, so you get a spare.

http://www.ducati851and888.com/archive/ ... -5853.html

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/57-superspo ... -15-a.html

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/clutch ... -996.7174/

Ditto the lithium grease gag (which is now very old news in Sweden)

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/56-superbik ... cured.html

http://ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/lithiu ... mod.29180/

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index ... ic=59451.0

http://www.ducati.org/forums/1098-1198/ ... off-2.html

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/80-hall-wis ... p-fix.html

What's happened to OP Lawrence of Arabia btw ?
I hope he hasn't gone and needlessly spent the next three weeks beer money on a Barnett setup . . . :O

[englishstiv]

Funny enough I have been watching this thread with interest as I spend my weeks away from home working, I will be doing the belts this weekend and servicing the car so I may look at the clutch next weekend if I get back from the Shetlands in time (which will make a change sitting in traffic on the M5/6/42 every Friday travelling North through Birmingham). I'm in no rush as the bodywork has yet to be repainted.

So keep the options coming folks and don't get to bitchy with each other as sometimes written English in the 2nd Form can often sound a bit abrupt ...