View Full Version : ST Clutch
my local ducai dealer has phoned me to say that my 12 month old ST needs a new clutch or parts of it and that its a wear item so may not be covered by the warranty. I have asked him to go back to Ducati.
What do you guys think, is twelve months and 4500 miles fair wear and tear, not in my book it aint. :flame:
No, you should reasonably expect around 10-15K miles out of a cluch pack depending on how much grief you give it.
It could be argued that the wear rate has a lot to do with rider style, for example, If you ride a lot in town and you are particularly clumsy or harsh on the clutch, slipping it a lot in traffic etc, that would obviously increase the wear rate, but a standard clutch with an average rider should get loads more miles than that
Some people are getting more mileage than that with slipper clutches fitted
Crunchy
22-Sep-2005, 11:01
I've got a slipper clutch fitted with sinter (or is it Sinister), you know what I mean, plates that I've had in for the last 6000 km's and a couple of TD's, there still going strong. I would dispute their prognosis. Have you noticed any problems with the clutch:puzzled:
No problems with the clutch, apart from its heavy but I took that to be the norm and it certainly hasnt changed since I got the bike. I assume that the dealer rode the bike before I got it and at the first service so the mechanic would have tried it and if it had been unusual would have done something about it.
I have told the dealer that if they wont change it under warranty then I want the parts back as I will take it up with Ducati direct, of course as I type this they could have (a) decided it is a warranty claim, (b) are looking for old plates in the scrap bin.
The bike rarely goes on short runs and typically a 100 miles a day at weekend with some long runs such as IOM, Oulton Park & West Wales, which probably account for half the mileage if not more.
As the clutch is heavy I rarely hold the bike on the clutch and in gear, prefeering instead to change to neutral and save my hand.
If the clutch had lasted for two years or say 8000 miles or had been raced or I lived in a city where it was stop go I could understand it.
Crunchy
22-Sep-2005, 12:04
It sounds suspect to me:rolleye: are your dealers authorised Ducati? A heavy and noisy clutch is the norm for Ducati. If their not that experienced with Duc's they might have felt something is a miss
rockhopper
22-Sep-2005, 12:09
Dealers often say the clutch needs replacing (usually the basket) becasue its out of spec when in reality it will go on working for many thousand miles more.
If you ride the bike like a jap thing with a wet clutch then it could easily wear out in 4500 miles, if you ride it like an italian bike with a sensitive clutch than needs looking after then 15-20,000 is possible.
Originally posted by rockhopper
Dealers often say the clutch needs replacing (usually the basket) becasue its out of spec when in reality it will go on working for many thousand miles more.
If you ride the bike like a jap thing with a wet clutch then it could easily wear out in 4500 miles, if you ride it like an italian bike with a sensitive clutch than needs looking after then 15-20,000 is possible.
When you say looking after it do you mean not holding the bike in gear when stopped and avoid slipping it when starting off or is there some other tips that you might be able to share ?
Originally posted by Crunchy
It sounds suspect to me:rolleye: are your dealers authorised Ducati? A heavy and noisy clutch is the norm for Ducati. If their not that experienced with Duc's they might have felt something is a miss
They are a main dealer I wasnt sure whether to mention their name or not ?
Crunchy
22-Sep-2005, 13:38
No, You were right not to:rolleye: Hopefully they have changed it under warranty :D
rockhopper
22-Sep-2005, 14:03
Don't slip the clutch (ever), don't hold it in gear with the clutch in for any longer that you need to (get the bike hot, put it on the main stand then put it into gear with the clutch in and see if the back wheel still turns), clutchless up changes, clean the dust out often, get a set of alloy ST4S plates if you haven't already (they don't hammer the basket as much).
My ST4s has over 6,000 on it now and no problems from the clutch. It is heavy, like all of them and a but clattery but no where near as much as my 900ss was, thanks to the alloy plates.
I ran the 900 to 22k on the original plates and only changed them because I was offered a new set at half price. They had plenty of meat left on them but the tangs on the friction plates were well hammered. It is this hammering action which can cause the slots in the basket to become grooved, affecting the release action which can get snatchy.
At 4,500 miles I'd be very ****ed off if the clutch needed replacing. Are they suggesting the complete clutch needs replacing or just the plates? It may be that the basket is grooved or more likely that the clearances between the tangs on the friction plate and the basket have reached the "service limit". The clutch can operate perfectly well with much more clearance but will wear the basket sooner rather than later.
the cost is £106 , labour is not charged for as they had it in bits anyway and Im sure its just plates.
I am ****ed off and disappointed but ever hopeful that they have decided its a warranty claim so i dont have to get shirty with someone as it only makes my blood pressure go up and thats no help at all.
Originally posted by rockhopper
Don't slip the clutch (ever), don't hold it in gear with the clutch in for any longer that you need to (get the bike hot, put it on the main stand then put it into gear with the clutch in and see if the back wheel still turns), clutchless up changes, clean the dust out often, get a set of alloy ST4S plates if you haven't already (they don't hammer the basket as much).
thanks for the help, to clean the clutch out do I just need to remove a cover plate and get an airline in or should I disassemble it and clean it with some magic solution ?
Can you reccomend what i should be buying for a set of ST4S alloy plates and where from ?
clutchless up gear changes are my thing anyway and I never slip the clutch and as I said earlier at any opportunity I put it in neutral to save my hand from aching, all of which makes the whole fiasco worse.
again thanks for the help
rockhopper
22-Sep-2005, 16:33
Any Ducati dealer should have the plates, JHP is first try. ST4S has alloy ones as standard, the others have steel ones. Not much in the price either.
I take it all apart then lightly glaze bust the steel plates with fine emery then clean them all with brake cleaner and put it back together. Mine has done 15,000 miles now and five trackdays.
They are not as robust as wet clutches but you can get half decent mileage out of them!
Originally posted by YMFB
the cost is £106 , labour is not charged for as they had it in bits anyway and Im sure its just plates.
At that price it is almost certainly just the plates, probably excess clearance at the tangs. Labour should be next to nothing anyway. It only takes about 15 minutes to change them. Make sure you get the old ones back.
Originally posted by rockhopper
Any Ducati dealer should have the plates, JHP is first try. ST4S has alloy ones as standard, the others have steel ones. Not much in the price either.
I take it all apart then lightly glaze bust the steel plates with fine emery then clean them all with brake cleaner and put it back together. Mine has done 15,000 miles now and five trackdays.
They are not as robust as wet clutches but you can get half decent mileage out of them!
The bike has the original clutch cover is there any advantage to fitting an open cover other than Blinginess
well its going to run and run as the dealer is saying that he cant do it under warranty and I will have to take it up with DUK, so I will.
Hopefully should be re-united with the bike tomorrow and the old plates.
rockhopper
22-Sep-2005, 18:05
Well it lets the noise and the dust out but lets water in and may not be that strong in the event of a crash. £106 is a set of plates. The basket is that again. Like Del said, make sure you get the old ones, i keep a set as an emergency trackday spare just in case!
18k
out of my cludh
and i really give it some stick when i'm in the mood:P
Originally posted by Glyn
18k
out of my cludh
and i really give it some stick when i'm in the mood:P
is that miles or kms
miles
saying that i've remembered nelly telling me it was outside recomended wear spec at the 12k service
but it still did another 6K before i changed it
and i only did it then cause i picked up a set of alloy plates of e-bay nice n cheap
Rushjob
22-Sep-2005, 20:39
Mines done 23K and it is firked......really firked.
So it's getting a slipper in it...wahey!!!!!!! :lol:
13k mile on mine, and although it is noisy it works fine.
I do hold the clutch in at lights, do use the clutch on up changes (smoother for the pillion), almost allways ride it two up, do use lots of engine braking, and generally ride the bike like it is meant to be ridden.
My 996 had a new clutch at 6k and again at 12k, both by the same dealer. Personally I don't think they were needed but if you don't do them when advised you invalidate the warranty :mad:
anthony
29-Sep-2005, 10:29
my first clutch was changed at 24000 mile service. Bike is now on 42000 and may need a second one soon..!!
They do blowing out frequently but i have stayed with the original cover rather than going for an open one
Ant:sing:
After several weeks of batting e mails back and forth DUK have advised me that my clutch pack was faulty and that it should have been changed by the dealer. I am expecting a repayment and an apology, I havent got it yet but assuming the dealer coughs up and apologises well done Iain and DUK.
DucatiST2Rider
16-Jan-2006, 22:13
I have a DesmoTimes setup basket and discs. love it.. It is quieter than my stock clutch with the full cover on it
vBulletin v3.5.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.