clutch problems

outlawstock27 · 04-02-2011, 12:10 AM

Ok I have an 87 suzuki vs700 intruder. It has 27000 miles on it and I just replaced the friction and steel disks on it. But it still slips after I reach 50mph. What could be wrong with my bike and how do I fix the problem? I am mechanicaly inclined but haven't worked on bikes much. Can anyone help me with this thing?

CookinBeans · 04-02-2011, 12:56 AM

I guess the most obvious guess is you're using car oil? Castrol GTX and the like were great 20+ years ago, but they (and all brands) changed formulas to work with todays car engines. You need a motorcycle-specific oil.

After that, I think clutches wear in after a while, so maybe give it a little more time? Also- how much "play" do you have at the lever? There should be about an eigth of an inch free-play.

primalmu · 04-02-2011, 01:12 AM

Does the clutch need adjusted? Did you put the clutch springs back in the same places they were originally? Being 20+ years old, you might need new springs anyway.

outlawstock27 · 04-02-2011, 07:44 AM

Oil, well it has about 10 miles since the last change. And no, I didn't use regular car oil. I am using OEM Suzuki oil. I did think about that prior to changing everything. The clutch springs, well I have ordered them and they should be here in next few days. I just didn't know if there was anything else I could do. Could my slippage problem be comin from somethin else?

Lurch77 · 04-02-2011, 08:45 AM

I think everyone has mentioned the most common problems. Modern non-motorcycle oils have friction modifiers in them that can cause a wet clutch to slip. You are using a cycle oil, so that is not the issue. The clutch springs may be weak from old age, you have those on order. Hopefully that solves it. And lastly, be sure to check the clutch adjustment. Get a Clymer service manual for your bike if you don't have one. It will pay for itself quickly. It will walk your though proper adjustment of the clutch, as well as almost everything else you might want to do:

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WintrSol · 04-02-2011, 12:41 PM

+1 on the springs. On another forum, that has been found to be the most common reason the clutch begins to slip. You can go over 100K miles on the friction discs, but the stock springs take a set early; best replaced with a non-Suzuki, like those from EBC.

DachshundUberAlles · 04-02-2011, 08:37 PM

You might want to check for wear on the RH and LH pushrods as well. A quick check you can do before you do anything else is to slip the clutch a bit. Sometimes a quick heat up will help them seat in. It's worth a try before you tear back into it and won't cost you any wear if it doesn't help.

04-02-2011, 12:10 AM	#1
outlawstock27 Motorcyclist Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 7	clutch problems Ok I have an 87 suzuki vs700 intruder. It has 27000 miles on it and I just replaced the friction and steel disks on it. But it still slips after I reach 50mph. What could be wrong with my bike and how do I fix the problem? I am mechanicaly inclined but haven't worked on bikes much. Can anyone help me with this thing?

04-02-2011, 01:12 AM	#3
primalmu 2005 Bandit 1200S Join Date: May 2008 Location: Starkville, MS Posts: 4,303	Does the clutch need adjusted? Did you put the clutch springs back in the same places they were originally? Being 20+ years old, you might need new springs anyway. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

04-02-2011, 12:41 PM	#6
WintrSol Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florissant, MO Posts: 2,561	+1 on the springs. On another forum, that has been found to be the most common reason the clutch begins to slip. You can go over 100K miles on the friction discs, but the stock springs take a set early; best replaced with a non-Suzuki, like those from EBC. __________________ '68-7? CB450 and '05 S50 Boulevard

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04-02-2011, 12:56 AM	#2
CookinBeans Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Asheville Posts: 1,045	I guess the most obvious guess is you're using car oil? Castrol GTX and the like were great 20+ years ago, but they (and all brands) changed formulas to work with todays car engines. You need a motorcycle-specific oil. After that, I think clutches wear in after a while, so maybe give it a little more time? Also- how much "play" do you have at the lever? There should be about an eigth of an inch free-play.

04-02-2011, 07:44 AM	#4
outlawstock27 Motorcyclist Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 7	Oil, well it has about 10 miles since the last change. And no, I didn't use regular car oil. I am using OEM Suzuki oil. I did think about that prior to changing everything. The clutch springs, well I have ordered them and they should be here in next few days. I just didn't know if there was anything else I could do. Could my slippage problem be comin from somethin else?

04-02-2011, 08:45 AM	#5
Lurch77 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Northeast Wisconsin Posts: 1,436	I think everyone has mentioned the most common problems. Modern non-motorcycle oils have friction modifiers in them that can cause a wet clutch to slip. You are using a cycle oil, so that is not the issue. The clutch springs may be weak from old age, you have those on order. Hopefully that solves it. And lastly, be sure to check the clutch adjustment. Get a Clymer service manual for your bike if you don't have one. It will pay for itself quickly. It will walk your though proper adjustment of the clutch, as well as almost everything else you might want to do: Amazon

04-02-2011, 08:37 PM	#7
DachshundUberAlles Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 846	You might want to check for wear on the RH and LH pushrods as well. A quick check you can do before you do anything else is to slip the clutch a bit. Sometimes a quick heat up will help them seat in. It's worth a try before you tear back into it and won't cost you any wear if it doesn't help.