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Ever see a worse clutch than this?

jzeroe

jzeroe

Just got it firing!
Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
20
Location
San Francisco, CA
(Longtime lurker; barely, if ever, post. Hello!)

I don't know if I am proud or appalled, but I just pulled this mess out of my bike:

hotspots.jpg


clutch.jpg


flywheel.png


Rivets stripped off, pieces of friction disc everywhere, more hot spots than Miami Beach, and the flywheel has steps in its teeth like a Mayan temple.

This is from my 1980 G5. I think the clutch is original, which would mean it has about 50K miles on it. I rebuilt the top end with Nikasils (bottom didn't need it) about 3K miles ago, and it the pulls like an ox now. Amazingly, this bike rode fine in town, just starting to slip at highway speeds. (A testament to how durable these old Guzzi are.) I've been dreading this job, but crabbing the frame really is a shockingly easy way to get at the gearbox.

Just thought I'd share; if you've seen worse, I'd love to get a peek!
 
That flywheel definitely needs replacement. I may have one from a T3 or CAII if you are interested.
 
Thanks man, appreciate it. I'll PM if I need it.

While I'm in here, any must-do upgrades you guys can think of?

I am more about durability and smooth riding than quick revving or gobs of power--so I don't think I'll lighten the flywheel.
 
Wow!

My '80 G5 has gone thru intermediate discs but nuthin like that.

Was it getn' grabby at release?

Looks like ya caught it before it stranded ya... or worse.

Alex
 
jzeroe said:
Thanks man, appreciate it. I'll PM if I need it.

While I'm in here, any must-do upgrades you guys can think of?

I am more about durability and smooth riding than quick revving or gobs of power--so I don't think I'll lighten the flywheel.
Click to expand...

4mm clutch disks and transmission input gear. All the seals, o-rings, and gaskets that are between the engine and gearbox. Perhaps shim the transmission for better shifting. If you feel like taking the gearbox apart, I don't know if the G5 has metal cage input and output bearings, but if not I'd put them in. Bearing number is 3205 and they measure 25 x 52 x20.6. You want open, metal cage bearings. Perhaps replace the shift return spring because you are so close. It is an inexpensive part that can leave you stranded.
 
I don't have pics to show right now, but my '00 Jackal clutch came apart (worse looking then yours) @67k miles. The fibrous material came apart, some off of the rivets, and the "spokes" of the carrier plate separated the inner from the outer. It was covered under they 3-year unlimited mile warranty back then.
 
It has happened a few times to me. Ripped the centre completely out of one, this one had maybe under 5000 miles on it , then did it again on the replacement. Bad batch as I have had 60000 out of plates before now.
And no, I am not a drag racer !1




Cheers
Min
 
I had one go like that on a Cali Stone. I reckon it went on a sudden gear change on the Splugen pass in heavy traffic. I made it all the way home via Roscoff. Any more than gentle throttle caused clutch slip, so avoiding that I got really good fuel consumption. That was a 2003 bike and the plate sheared in '05, with maybe 12,000 on the clock.
 
I'd go with a new(er) flywheel, new plates and long spline xmission input hub as John suggested. I'd avoid Sureflex friction plates and go with either the stock Stucchi or SD-tech replacements. As pointed out on the MG cycle pages, the hex drive tranny output shaft nut can be also used to replace the wacko 4-notch thing on the input hub. I may have had to grind off the locking skirt on the nut, but thought it was worth not having to buy a single purpose tool to put it back together.

Of course just noticed the age of this thread, perhaps moot by now. Oh well...
 
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