Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Best Clutch set up

[skidlids]

Following having to put up with a slipping clutch on todays ride out, I decided to check it out when I got home, two of the 5mm allen bolts holding the spings down rounded off, but soon got them out. With the outer face of the clutch removed, I checked the distance from the end of the inner basket to the outer most clutch plate and got a reading of 4.85mm on the digital verniers. I then removed all the plates, as I'm running sintered plates a fair few of the steel plates were worn and the dished plate was no longer dished. So I fitted the a replacement dished plate and some more steel plates and ended up with a final distance for the rebuilt clutch of 4.35mm, that is to say I widened the clutch pack by 0.5mm, not a huge amount, but now instead of a slipping clutch I have one that drags slightly making it very hard to locate neutral with the engine running.
So I was wondering if anybody had a recommended measurement for the afore mentioned gap, I have one for the slipper clutch on my race bike, but was wondering what it was for a standard clutch.
Or do I just phone JHP tomorrow.

Kev

[Felix]

I think you answered your own question. John is your man.

My guess would be that it's not the distance that made the difference, but the dished plates as the act as springs. I don't use sintered plates anymore for the reason of wearing the steel plates.

[skidlids]

Your right Felix, I'll make a call to John latter, I decided over night to order a few extra spring plates as I run a couple of them in my slipper clutch on the race bike. I'm trying to avoid chucking a whole new clutch in it at the moment as I may well stick my 998 engine into the bike, was hoping to stick it in a later frame with the right size engine mounts though.

[Felix]

Changing engines is a radical approach for a new clutch, mate!

[skidlids]

Radical yes, but it does offer other advantages, namely a bit more power, especially as the 998 engine and running gear is sat at home doing nothing at present. Ideally would like to get hold of a 2001 frame and put it into that along with the longer arm, Nitrided forks, 4 pad callipers, 24 litre alloy tank and a few of the other bits I've been buying up over the last few months.

[Whele]

Sounds like you have enough bits in your garage to build another bike - what about an endurance race bike for next year? Think how much track time you get in an 8 hour event .......

I need the details of the place in Wallingford that makes up break lines please.

Are you at the Diner tonight?

[Felix]

What frame are you after and do you care if it is brand new, i.e. blank frame number? Race frame OK?

[Edited on 4-8-2003 by Felix]

[skidlids]

Gary i have more than enough bits to build another bike, including a Cat B frame complete with numbers, but would prefer to put the 998 engine in a road bike, so i'm on the lookout for a late frame with V5.
I'll give the Endurance racing a miss, i've seen the costs involved when running a Jap four and using a Ducati would cost a bit more. Although you would get a fair bit of track time in the 6 and 8 hour endurance races, for the cost of a single endurance event I could do the European race school that you just did. My mate Adrian that rode my bikes at the TT was asked to join a Endurance team and was all for it until he found out how much it would cost him, its actually cheaper for us to do the TT than go to Bishop Court for the Endurance race.
here's the link to Raceparts in Wallingford
http://www.raceparts.co.uk/

went to the diner, quite a few Ducati's there that I haven't seen before, got to speak to a couple or the owners and directed them to this site, must get some calling cards to hand out.