Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 851 / 888 > SP2 Clutch problem

[DucatiRoss]

Next installment of the SP2 saga - had 3 hours of great riding over the weekend, no problems, so I decided to take it to work on Monday (a 140 mile round trip). Went fine until I got to the built up areas around Kidderminster, then I had problems getting neutral at traffic lights. So had to hold the clutch in all the time. Not good for my left hand or the bike !

Eventually, the clutch gave up, fortunately only 30 yards from work. I thought it might have just overheated, so when 5pm came, I started it to go home, and the clutch really complained, with tiny bits of metal coming off it.

Time to call the AA I thought. They took me home, and so tonight, I've just dismantled the clutch and found the problem - technically speaking, it's completely shagged ! The friction plates have about 2 microns of material left on them, the main clutch basket with the 6 extrusions that the springs bolt into has been totally bodged at some point in the past, as one of the extrusions is completely missing, and another has been welded on, the allow outer part of the clutch as cracks appearing in the well holes, the main nut holding it onto the shaft was loose, and the locating pin of the housing where the nut fits had broken off, plus there seems to be about 8 more plates than the workshop manual indicates there should be - there were 2 plain plates, then 7 sets of friction/plain plates when the workshop manual shows just 4 sets of plain/friction plates.

So, anyone know what the alernatives are for replacing the whole clutch assembly - will a 916/748 type fit and if so, are there any extras that are needed ? Or do I have to try to find an SP2 one, and if so, are there different types that are better than standard ?

Also what's the method for holding the shaft tight (no s******ing at the back) whilst the main centre nut is done up ?

Thanks for any advice lads.

Matthew

(what's the third thing to go wrong I wonder ? Fire, Clutch ... any suggestions ?)

[mikesps]

Matthew,

Sorry to hear that. A lot of older bikes need the previous owner's "mistakes" fixed. The good news is that once you sort it properly it usually stays fixed.

Later clutches from any dry clutch model up to the 998 will fit. The 999 clutch may also fit but I've not seen one so I don't know.

The clutch plate order has changed over the years. There is at least one dished plate, later there were sometimes two. They have a punch mark on one of the teeth. You can stack the plates in any of the orders Ducati have used, the important thing is the total thickness of the plate stack. I imagine that Ducati think the newer order works better.

Next failure? Clutch slave cylinder seal, regulator/rectifier or rear brake master cylinder seizing up.

All the best,
Mike

[Rob B]

Matthew,

During your rather expensive service I would have expected the clutch to be looked at and the "nut" you mentioned, checked, loctited, and properly torqued. This is a known issue. I'm not very impressed and it's not my bike or £1,900 bill either.

Time for another good look at the bill and a chat with the boys at S'stone?

[Rob B]

Matthew,

During your rather expensive service I would have expected the clutch to be looked at and the "nut" you mentioned, checked, loctited, and properly torqued. This is a known issue. I'm not very impressed and it's not my bike or £1,900 bill either.

Time for another good look at the bill and a chat with the boys at S'stone?

[sparkin]

Originally posted by rob41b
Matthew,

During your rather expensive service I would have expected the clutch to be looked at and the "nut" you mentioned, checked, loctited, and properly torqued. This is a known issue. I'm not very impressed and it's not my bike or £1,900 bill either.

Time for another good look at the bill and a chat with the boys at S'stone?

Agreed

[Jools]

Originally posted by rob41b
Matthew,

During your rather expensive service I would have expected the clutch to be looked at and the "nut" you mentioned, checked, loctited, and properly torqued. This is a known issue. I'm not very impressed and it's not my bike or £1,900 bill either.

Time for another good look at the bill and a chat with the boys at S'stone?

Agreed

[alan_db]

Ditto.......agree.

[DucatiRoss]

To be fair to Baines, whilst the general remit was 'Give it a good look over and make it fit for the road', I was under the impression from the previous owner that the 'clutch had recently been replaced', plus it looked pretty new through the air vents, and it operated very smoothly with no excessive noise, grabbing, or slipping. I mentioned this to Jeff when I dropped it off, and Derek also took it out on a 30 mile ride with no problems, so in an effort to keep the costs down, I think we decided that this was one thing that could be left. The bill was split by about £900 for parts, £700 for labour and the rest was VAT.

I'll speak to them anyway, but I'm not convinced that I can pin this one on them !

Thanks anyway, and I've started to collect the parts for me to replace it - it's coming to about £300 so far !

BTW the AA man who brought me home says that in his 30 year experience, Jap bikes are no more reliable.

[Rob B]

Matthew, why is your name Ross? Friends fan??

[DucatiRoss]

No, not a Friends fan. The 'Ross' part is because I live near Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, and I already was using it for another user name elsewhere, so I wouldn't have to think of another one.

Unusual surname, that, Rob, '41b'. Was your father a computer ?