Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Can I Use My Bike When One (or more) of the Clutch Springs is Missing?

[moto748]

Originally posted by Glyn
take off the opposite spring,keeps it balanced
and its fine

Y'know, it's so obvious when you see it there.

Not sure it would have occurred to me, TBH.

zhed> I would. The worse that could happen is some slight clutch slip (unlikely, and if it did happen you'd just need to go a bit steadier), but at least with 4 springs you know everything's square to the plates, so the pressure plate can clamp evenly.

[Edited on 14-5-2006 by moto748]

[TP]

My thinking is that if you remove the opposite spring all your doing is spreading the load more evenly. With two springs missing you don't have the same force being applied no matter which you think about it and the clutch may not engage properly. Run it with 4 if you have to, but only do it to get it fixed.

Yeti - yes corse clutches have 4 posts but they don't run the same springs that you find in your standard road clutch!!! They are MUCH heavier!

The DD bikes all pretty much suffer clutch slip fairly quickly, my DD bike last year had the clutch springs off a 748RS in it and it didn't slip then but the clutch action was a great deal heavier.

zhed44 - speculative advice can be expensive, make sure you're happy with everything before you do it because it's your bike and wallet!

[zhed44]

Originally posted by zhed44
Or maybe even just 4 if I remove the one on the opposte side to even the pressure up a little?

yeah, i'd thought of it already. just was wondering whether to trade off a higher risk of clutch slip against an unvenly tensioned pressure plate. i think 4 is the answer as clutch slip is merely inconvenient and is preferable to possible damage caused by a unevenly tensioned pressure plate (would it? dunno....not worth the risk)

thanks for the advice everyone - as someone said, my bike my risk, my choice, but this thread has just confirmed a decision i had more or less taken anyway.

[twpd]

Anyone running a book on Zhed getting another snapped bolt?

[zhed44]

Originally posted by twpd
Anyone running a book on Zhed getting another snapped bolt?

i'll definitely put a fiver on myself as i'm the undefeated world middleweight bolt-snapping champion. i'm not too bad at thread-stripping and washer-losing either, so i'm strongly considering a shot at those titles next year as well

[Edited on 15-5-2006 by zhed44]

[twpd]

LOL. At least you have a sense of humour to laugh at it.

[zhed44]

Nope. The little bugger won't come out. I tried a pointy thing, a fine but strong slot-head screwdriver, I tried knocking a slot into the top of the remaining stud, all to no avail.

However, I've just taken the bike out for a spin and it works perfectly ok with 4 springs, although the clutch is very light, which, in London is not necessarily a bad thing

Bike will be put into the workshop soon to have this sorted and the seat-unit can be painted at the same time.

Thanks for all the advice everyone