UK Monster Owners Club Forum - View Single Post

slob · 31-03-2020, 08:02 AM

7: With the clutch back together, and the springs seated and tightened carefully, test the action without the engine running:-

A: Pull the clutch lever right in with one hand, and then gently rock the pressure plate with the finger-tips of your other hand. You should see that all items (pressure-plate/centre, plain plates, friction plates and basket) are free to move independently, within their limits of play.

B: Now start releasing the lever while still rocking to-and-fro. You will see the pressure-plate and all the plain and friction plates start to bind and move as one, but that unit will still rock within the slots of the basket.

C: As you let the lever out finally, you should see that the whole unit goes solid, such that the tabs will no longer rock within the basket slots. Any remaining movement is now inside the gearbox.

8: Replace the clutch cover and start the engine in neutral. Silence!!

Now test-ride the bike with caution to check that you can find neutral as easily as before. The dimensional change with this mod should be compensated by the hydraulic actuation, but there will be slightly more lost motion as the plates bed and flex a little. If you have a problem, either abandon the mod or check ways of increasing clutch lever travel by incremental adjustment of the lever screw (Caution!), bleeding the hydraulic line or bending the lever blade out.

Now to the theoretical drawbacks of this mod.

A proportion of the clutch spring end-loading is now being transferred to the basket, which means that the bearing in the back of the clutch basket mount is seeing an unfamiliar endload.

In addition, action and reaction results in loading of the alloy clutch centre against its steel retaining washer, which interface is dry. The clutch centre incorporates the cush-drive rubbers that smooth the power pulses, especially at low speed, and this loading could reduce the effectiveness of the cush mechanism and accelerate wear at this point. Personally, I can detect no difference in the feel of the power pulses before and after the mod, but there will be more wear as the centre and retainer fret against each other. Perhaps a PTFE shim at this point might be a good idea.

I feel the wear issues are genuine, but doubt that they are significant. Many Ducati riders have covered substantial mileages using one form or another of this modification without problems, and I’m sure all would agree that the silence and reduced wear on the clutch tabs and slots are well worth the risk. In any case, it will take only minutes to revert to standard, should you come to decide otherwise.

Please note that this is simply free advice from an owner/rider, and you make this mod at your own risk.

Nick Woods,
Norfolk, UK,
May 2006, revised Feb 2020.

31-03-2020, 08:02 AM	#4
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,712	7: With the clutch back together, and the springs seated and tightened carefully, test the action without the engine running:- A: Pull the clutch lever right in with one hand, and then gently rock the pressure plate with the finger-tips of your other hand. You should see that all items (pressure-plate/centre, plain plates, friction plates and basket) are free to move independently, within their limits of play. B: Now start releasing the lever while still rocking to-and-fro. You will see the pressure-plate and all the plain and friction plates start to bind and move as one, but that unit will still rock within the slots of the basket. C: As you let the lever out finally, you should see that the whole unit goes solid, such that the tabs will no longer rock within the basket slots. Any remaining movement is now inside the gearbox. 8: Replace the clutch cover and start the engine in neutral. Silence!! Now test-ride the bike with caution to check that you can find neutral as easily as before. The dimensional change with this mod should be compensated by the hydraulic actuation, but there will be slightly more lost motion as the plates bed and flex a little. If you have a problem, either abandon the mod or check ways of increasing clutch lever travel by incremental adjustment of the lever screw (Caution!), bleeding the hydraulic line or bending the lever blade out. Now to the theoretical drawbacks of this mod. A proportion of the clutch spring end-loading is now being transferred to the basket, which means that the bearing in the back of the clutch basket mount is seeing an unfamiliar endload. In addition, action and reaction results in loading of the alloy clutch centre against its steel retaining washer, which interface is dry. The clutch centre incorporates the cush-drive rubbers that smooth the power pulses, especially at low speed, and this loading could reduce the effectiveness of the cush mechanism and accelerate wear at this point. Personally, I can detect no difference in the feel of the power pulses before and after the mod, but there will be more wear as the centre and retainer fret against each other. Perhaps a PTFE shim at this point might be a good idea. I feel the wear issues are genuine, but doubt that they are significant. Many Ducati riders have covered substantial mileages using one form or another of this modification without problems, and I’m sure all would agree that the silence and reduced wear on the clutch tabs and slots are well worth the risk. In any case, it will take only minutes to revert to standard, should you come to decide otherwise. Please note that this is simply free advice from an owner/rider, and you make this mod at your own risk. Nick Woods, Norfolk, UK, May 2006, revised Feb 2020.