Slipper Clutch?

[The Dude]

Hi all. Could someone explain to me in basic English what exactly is the difference between a normal clutch and a slipper clutch please? What difference would it make going up and down gears? I've look on a few sites but it all gets a bit technical for me after a few sentences.lol. Cheers

[Rookie]

When you downshift the back wheel can lock up which, obviously is a bad thing. So to stop this happening, a slipper clutch 'slips' the clutch when the rear wheel is under strain, to counter this.

Effectively it's more stable for gearing down quickly.

[The Dude]

Ah. So it stops engine braking to a certain extent? A bit more like a 2 stroke?

[sickpup]

Yiou know the freewheel on the back wheel of a pushbike, the thing with the sprockets? thats what a slipper clutch does, only works in one direction so reverse torque cant lock therer wheel.

[John C]

[DucatiEVO]

I think the slipper only works in one direction (if it worked in both directions wouldn't it slip on a fast pull away?).

I have one on my Duc, and inside the section that the center rises on is aimed in one direction only. I assume so it will only work a certain way.

Very handy on a twin, as they are prone to luckup on downshifting.


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aKa: Ducky

[John C]

[DucatiEVO]

I hate trying to type something technical, always comes out as gobbley gook, and always has 'typos'. *lol*
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aKa: Ducky

[John C]

I finds thaat tooo, dambn typods

[Mr C]

A slipper clutch basically releases when the rear wheel speed is in excess of the engine speed, or when the rear wheel is trying to drive the engine rather than the other way around - ie under haeavy engine braking - it does it with a series of balls in tracks which are flung outwards and work against the clutch springs to release the pack a bit as the clutch speeds up - that's a crap explanation but it's something like that

it doesn't work in the opposite direction as the clutch is never faster than the rear wheel when accelerating - if you know what I mean


the opposite is a lock-up clutch which has weights on arms on it which run against the inside of the clutch cover so that the faster it spins the more it presses the pack together

useful for massive power applications like turbos
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187.3bhp = 201mph

[kb-zxr]

[Yoshi]

Well I downshifted too many gears before letting the clutch out whilst slowing down to turn off a road the other day and i think the back wheel locked up or something or at least it felt like it. I pulled in the clutch, changed up and all was well, but it seems that if I hadn't pulled in the clutch quickly enough then I could have come off, if this what the slipper clutches prevent?

Because that is a good idea if it is!

Matt
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Present: GS650 Katana - Getting ready for summer touring!
Past: TS50, RS50, ZXR400, LT80, TS250

[John C]

[NSR125-Kid-UK]

[John C]