748 clutch problem
 

Hello people of the Ducati Sporting Club website. I'm running a 748S in the pages of MCN this year, and I desperately need your help!
A number of times in the last few months I've pulled away from petrol stations after a long ride only to encounter a clunky sensation from the rear wheel (it feels like I've ridden over a rock on the ground, but I haven't – believe me, I've checked the last few times!) I'm assuming the clutch is slipping and then grabbing while the lever is being let out on getaway. It's bloody disconcerting (I've almost fallen off in shock at least once) Is my diagnosis of the problem correct? Any other ideas? And, most importantly, is this going to mean a new clutch?

No idea mate, it could be a range of thigns but we have a few guys on this website who are very knowledgable. Welcome to the club :D

In the meantime, it's customary for newbie's to head over to the bar and get the drinks in. I'll have a grolsch thanks mate :D

Enjoy!

Could be the clutch pack getting caught in grooves in the basket due to wear.
Could also be the slave cylinder getting stuck, then getting push back hard by the pressure plate. Does the lever go light before it engages??

Welcome to the board. Looks like you'll have to write about it in a couple of weeks time..... Check the cush drive rubber bushes in the rear hub. They can wear and cause nasty problems if they start slipping out.

I'm not an expert, but do a search on threads on the site for "cush" and you should find some useful info.

I'll have a Barolo to go with my lasagne tonight :D

Dust trapped in the clutch can cause a few peculiarities and builds up surprisingly quickly if you’re banging on the miles. Welcome to the board and I’d like a Stella please.:D

Listen to nelly mate he is usualy right :cool:
I have been reading about your 748 rebuild looks like you did a good job mate:cool:

Just a shame about the colour :lol::lol:


oh welcome by the way mines a dry black thorn :cool:



so thats 2 mcn men converted to the dsc.:lol::cool::cool:

[Edited on 21-9-2005 by AGE996]

I was thinking cush drive too. I've seen some really badly worn ones before, but not on a Ducati admittedly.

Has it been fitted with a slipper clutch? I know that there not fitted as standard but the symtoms are remarkably similar.

often people suspect the clutch - dry clutch, noisy, grabby etc - but i would check the cush drives ASAP. the clutches are not so bad as everyone makes out - simple to work on, just clean out the dust often, don't abuse it and it's no problem. Enjoy the bike - i am on my second 748 - there is a mass-debate about colour, but owners of yellow ones know they have the best ones

My clutch felt perfevtly Ok but the Ducati Dealers feels it needs changing, so what chance have you got.

welcome i would like half a guines mixed with some Austrian moonshine if your still at the bar.

Hi and welcome Adnams please:lol:

If you have an original cover the clutch is as other have said dirty/full of grit.

Strip it clean it and fit an open cover.

Have you changed the invisible indicators yet?:o

cheers people
 

Dusty clutch, cush drives... I never knew my Duke could go wrong in so many ways! I'll get both of the above looked at.
Talking of going to the bar – if any of you helpful guys are going to the MCN Butlins Skeggie event next month, I'll get the drinks in there!

m1keyp – the indicators are still on there. It's passed an MoT in the past two months, so I never got round to changing them. They're pretty poor, though, I'll grant you.

Oh, and 748s should only ever be yellow!

I'll make sure I get a plug for the website in the paper soon.

Y'know marc ducati's don't go wrong - as my mate swisstony used to say......"Mmmm a ducati is like a woman.....she wants to keep you interested, wants you to play with her, take interest in her things - to be pampered then taken out and given a good......." oh well better stop now.

Ducatis are reliable marc I had an 97 916 sold it with 20,000 on the clock never had a prob with it it was ridden rain or shine.

My current duke has all but got 10,000 miles on her and apart from a faulty jap chain that broke within 6 months and smashed a hole in the crank case, she has run so sweet. all they need is a bit of TLC and they treat you right.

Ps they are like women but with Ducati's you can ride them as hard as you like and they don't complain. :lol::lol::lol:

16,000 miles here, broke at 4,300 rebuilt engine (under warranty) perfect since:sing:

For my money it'll be cush drives - the 'clonk' is the hub moving due to the circlip groove being worn and introducing some play into the set-up.

Check if this is the case by pushing the bike backwards when you get back from a ride - both times this has happened to me (748BP and 996SPS) you can feel the clunk more pushing it backwards - with the engine off you can eliminat ethe clutch.

The next phase of this little failure will be the cush drives backing out of the hub and chewing the hub adjuster, so best get it sorted. Best solution is a later (998S onwards I think) hub assembly that does away with the circlip altogether and puts a spacer in there instead to keep everything tight and functioning as it should.

On the whole Duc's aren't that unreliable, it's just that everyone's used to soft and soggy Jap bikes that are built to be maintenance free rather than to be providing top handling and feedback like Duc's - there's an extra degree of maintenance and wear to be accepted with the extra precision and feel you get on these bikes.
Cheers

Giles

PS. I'll have a Nastro if you're at the bar...

Or if you ride another one.

A