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Clutch issues, how long is yours lasting?

Gen 4: 2011-15 
6K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  99vorsi 
#1 ·
So I noticed Saturday when I was bracket racing my 10 that my mph was a couple mph slower then normal I was running the same, 9.40's but instead of 146, I was trapping 142-143.

So I went on a ride today and it slipping in all gearing when I nail it, right at the 9K. That was my warning since the clutch is toast just like the last time I blew it 3 weeks ago. I just pulled it apart and the steels are blued and burnt, the fibers were pretty dry.

I only got exactly 500 miles out of the clutch and its all ready toast. I mic'd a couple fibers and they mic'd to .107 thou 5 tenths and the steels to .101 thou 3 tenths. Mind you this was while it was scolding hot. I had replaced the whole clutch steels, fibers, and springs last time with the KG Clutch Factory clutch kit from Schnitz. "Supposedly" it's the same place the OE and APE Trac King come from. The clutch was smooth at the track and the bike rode awesome with it till all these issues started again.

I can't find any solid information on what the fibers and steels should mic out to, to be in tolerance. I took a picture of the clutch basket and will upload it because I'm not sure what I'm looking for to tell if it's okay or not, does anyone make a billet basket with the Gen 4's?

Also I looked all over everything on the box and it didn't say anything about not using synthetic oil, just to soak the fibers for 2 hours prior to install and I had soaked my over night. I run an OE filter and Amsoil synthetic per the guy I bought the bike from had instructed.

I just got off the phone with Dwayne a little bit ago at Cycle Concepts and talked to him about a Gen 1 style drag pak clutch with their heavy duty springs for 200 bucks. Is it worth the buy? Am I going to get more then 500 miles out of it?


Also I've been kicking around getting the Brocks clutch mod, or even making one, (I'm a precision machinest) who has one? How did it improve clutch life? What difference did you seen with your ET and mph at the track?

This is frustrating I got maybe 25-30 passes total out of this clutch. I just can't afford to be dumping over 200 dollars every month into a clutch. Has anyone considered doing something like the R1 oil mod? Will having oil spray directly at the clutch cause slippage issues?

Thanks in advance guys.
 
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#2 ·
Damn you got a lot of issues!!!
I put down 18 passes in 1 night last week and was still ok for the next weekend.
The Brocks mod helps but it's mostly for engagement and bucking issues.
I get about 30-40 passes on mine before having to adjust the stack height with either a new fiber or thicker steel. I run a backdated clutch, 04-05, also.
I run OEM clutches with Brock's hd spring kit for 3 years now.
Best time to date is 1.40-5.73-125 in 1/8 mile on 87 pump gas.
 
#4 · (Edited)
they have clutch issues just as r1 yamaha in dragracing. clutch sits high and basically runs dry from its location. if drag racing one i would fit a small 12v oil pump tapped to oilpan and top of clutch cover directly above clutch to supply oil and cooling between and before runs. ck ebay for small 12v oil pump. some draw as little as 5w but flow 250 liters/hr. had this problem on the zx12 with closed hub clutch, dry and smoking hot between runs. dry clutch will not last anytime dragracing. one minute of oil on clutch between runs (4liters) would make a huge difference in launch and life. operate off simple 2 way switch. use a large tie wrap looped and cut to slipover bar and clutch lever to open plates to keep fibers/steels cool and oiled. been thru this and this was the answer. npt barbed fittings for hose from home depot and a little rubber hose will work. use the largest fittings and hose u can adapt to the pump as they flow good volume and u want to bathe the whole clutch in oil. no ones clutches are gonna last as run dry/extreme heat. only operate pump with engine off as not to affect oil level.
 
#5 ·
I've got Cycle Concepts gen 2-4 clutch pack in my bike for the last 2 clutches and I like them. I've got 2 of Cycle Concepts heavy duty springs then 4 of the brocks heavy duty springs (not the super duper heavy duty ones) and a brocks clutch mod too. I'm usually around 210-220lbs suited I usually let the bike cool off 20 min between passes and pull the clutch lever in once back in the pits and take the oil cap off to help it cool down a bit. I usually get a handful of track days before it starts slipping, think I had almost a half a summer of racing on the clutch that is still in my bike. When doing my burnout I try to lean the back tire back and forth and on the last side dip it down kind of far so hopefully oil gets to the clutch a little bit.

I've switched to running just the basic Rotella T 15w40 and change it out after every track day to get any possible clutch material out of my oil. It's cheap enough I don't mind doing it. I've read one fast guy ran motul 300v and that was the only oil he used that could keep the clutch to last a while.

I asked about doing the oil mod like the r1's have and when I asked I didn't get completely sold.
http://www.zx-10r.net/forum/f23/clutch-saver-line-249649.html

Maybe doing more like what gazx10 said above of having it on a pump that could turn on and off in the pits would be a better solution.
 
#6 ·
The man himself! C3L1CA! I was just reading your thread last night and saw that about zip tying the clutch lever. I do like gazx10's idea, the only consern I have with it is, if the bike comes up and comes down hard, I'm afraid it will bust the pump off. Have you done it gazx? If so where did you mount the pump?

I've looked at the clutch saver line for the R1, I was debating about fitting a AN fitting to the top of the clutch cover, use a 90 degree fitting and running stainless steel braided to an oil galley plug. Is there anyon the engine I could tap into that wouldn't starve anything? Like one that runs off on the mains or something?

Currently I have amsoil 10w-40 synthetic in it and it's expensive I'm paying like 11.99 a quart.

Are you changing your filter every time? I run twice a week at the track for test and tune on Thursdays and bracket Saturdays.
 
#7 · (Edited)
havent seen the r1 setup mentioned before. same principal, but i prefer not tap engine running oil pressure to do so. sure it's restricted but still. the switched pump is not and volume is what cools and lubricates. our zx12, we used to open the oil fill plug between runs also. it sat directley above the clutch and u could smell that burnt clutch stinking after a pass even with fresh plates. used these pumps before like on the 14 turbo i built. safe to tap pan on side at higher level as whole pan is full of oil, mount pump where convenient in safe location by hose to pan, reduces vibration on pump. locate pump below full pan lever as they are not good self primers. will not affect good battery or cranking. rubber line more flexible and sufficient as low pressure application with these pumps. yeah, 90 degree fitting on top of clutch. u can tap opposite side or rear of oilpan from cluth and run across or up behind cyl. for neater install. can tell u this works.
 
#8 ·
I was look at the back today on where to mount it. I couldn't really find anything solid, I'm anal too so I want to do a clean setup. Where at on the clutch cover did you put your fitting at? There's not much room on top thay won't interfere with the clutch cable.

Some good news though I went through all the fibers and found out all of the fibers in the KG kit where .108 around the fiber with even wear, except for the last two on the flywheel side, so I went through the old OE clutch thay I pulled out and found 2 that where right at .107.

Mic'd the KG steels and found that the two the flywheel side were .101 the rest where .111-.112. When through the OE kit and found all but 2 where .115. So I installed all the OE steels and used the 2 KG steels that mic'd the biggest.


Went out and tested it, that's the best this clutch has ever felt riding wise, made a top speed run and hit 192 then ran out of road, normally at 187 the shift light is blinking and it.acts like it's running out of revs, I still had almost another 1,000 rpm to go.

So we shall see how it does at the track tomorrow. Gazx you don't by any chance have a link to the scavage pump do you? I'd like to get the pump dimensions to see what I can figure out for mounting.
 
#10 ·
Lol you can't be serious.... The clutch is so high in the gen4 it never touches the engine oil.
 
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