Honda VFR400 NC 30, Clutch Problem

[bruce_lee_22]

wondering if anyone can help me please.
recently my clutch started Dragging, so i checked the clutch
and needed new friction plates, i put my new friction plates in recently, and for some reason the clutch doesnt work at all? any ideas? then i tried again 30 minutes later, put it in first gear and the clutch 'Bit' but very late, then tried it in 2nd gear and it wouldn't bite, tried it in 1st wouldnt bite? so very rarely it will be, and mostly not at all? can someone please help me?
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[Frost]

First of all please check and confirm that you put them in:
Friction, steel alternating.

Next check that the actuator arm that pokes out of the top of the engine is in correctly eg, all the way back when you seal things up.

Wind the adjuster on the lever all the way in.

You don't have the strength to compress the clutch springs by hand, so pull the arm as far forwards as you can to remove any slack. If it comes all the way forwards then something is wrong. Once the slack is removed by adjustment on the arm, you can fine tune with the adjuster on the lever.

Check if the clutch is working okay by attempting to push it both with and without the clutch pulled in. If it behaves correctly, but stalls when you put it in gear it's a side stand switch problem.

[bruce_lee_22]

hiya mate, my brother is a level 3 trained mechanic, and weve, done the adjuster fully, he built the clutch back as you said, friction plate, steel plate etc, and the push rod/actuator arm is in correctly, so were a bit clueless on what it can be? you can feel pressure when you pull the lever etc, but it just isn't biting, does 1/10 times as ive said :S any other ideas matey?
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[Frost]

Did you top the oil up after changing the plates? what oil did you put in it?

[bruce_lee_22]

yeah topped the oil up, took 2 1/2 litres, its castrol GP1 oil or something, semi synthetic, cost like £29 for 4 litres, but yeh topped it up, and also done the friction plate,steel plates alternating as you said, made sure the actuator arm was properly in place, checked the tension and its been adjusted so there's no slack or play, but it just doesnt seem to work at all? =/
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[prawny1]

try letting the adjustment off the cable a little, you should have a few mm free play at the end of the lever before the clutch begins the operate.

Also did you soak he clutch plates before fiting them? and did you start with a friction plate against the clutch basket and finnish with another on the outside?
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hellkat wrote:

Some people are only alive cos its against the law to kill them.

[bruce_lee_22]

[Frost]

Does the lever feel light all the way, or does it get heavy at some point?

[bruce_lee_22]

nah feels heavy, like a normal clutch would matey
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[bruce_lee_22]

can anyone think of what it could be
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[Gazdaman]

You keep talking about it won't bite, so I assume the clutch is constantly slipping? And it you can't move forwards?

Or is the clutch constantly engaged and won't disengage?

Are all the plates into the basket properly?, the steels mesh with some teeth on the inside of the basket, and the pressure plates on the outside.

To think through it laterally, if it's constantly disengaged, there must be some pressure through the basket where the actuator acts so it's allowing the plates to move against each other.


Oooo brainwave.

Bet you didn't replace the springs when you replaced the plates. Bet you reused the old ones that have stretched.

AmIright?

Gaz

[bruce_lee_22]

no we didnt replace the springs but i think i know why its not working now, because the clutch was dragging, so the overall thickness of the clutch assembly was slightly thicker, therefore stretching the springs, and now cause its stretched its no longer exerting enough force to engage the clutch properly i think shall go see! ill let you know Thanks!
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[bruce_lee_22]

Oooo brainwave.

Bet you didn't replace the springs when you replaced the plates. Bet you reused the old ones that have stretched.

AmIright?

just rang honda, even they cant get a new diaphragm spring, gonna cost £35 for a new spring? you know anywhere that i could get hold of one?
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VFR 400 & RVF 400

[Gazdaman]

No idea what a diaphragm spring is.
I'm talking about the clutch springs, should be like 6 of them, all round the basket. Using old stretched springs with new clutch plates can cause all sorts of issues.

Gaz

[bruce_lee_22]

[Frost]

The springs are compressed, not stretched. The new plates are thicker than the worn ones meaning that the springs will be pre tensioned more and work better than they did before. Replacing them will almost certainly not solve your problem.

Can you post some pictures?

[finpos]

Bike clutches don't have diaphragm springs like cars, they just have, err, springs.

Take the cover off. 80% certain the bolts holding the springs have come loose. Do this before one of the pillars they bolt into snaps. That's really annoying.

f.

[stinkwheel]

I don't know if it's like the clutch on the VFR750 (ok, they are very diferent bikes but not an unreasonable thought).

If it is, one of the friction plates is a different shape to the other ones. It goes in the basket first.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Frost]

Didn't the 750 have a hydraulic clutch?

[stinkwheel]

[bruce_lee_22]

[bruce_lee_22]

[bruce_lee_22]

[Frost]

https://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c282/M0LOT0V/untitled-2.jpg

The part he is referring to is part 14 in the above diagram.
I suspect that the problem is with parts 18/19 or maybe nut 17 coming undone.

[bruce_lee_22]