So I'm out riding and as I'm trying to leave a stop light, I hear an awful screeching sound from the clutch in addition of having way too much free play in the clutch lever. So I think oh no, there is air in the clutch again!! I get home, drop the bike at my local shop to be looked at and the mechanic tells me that the clutch nut was WAY too loose! I just had the clutch replaced by a different shop and now I'm wondering if either the first shop didn't tighten the clutch nut sufficiently or if the clutch nut became loose after a track day and a 1,000 mile trip . . . . has anybody had any issues with a loose clutch nut like that? I should mention its an aftermarket STM slipper clutch . . .
sixfive
loose clutch nut
So I'm out riding and as I'm trying to leave a stop light, I hear an awful screeching sound from the clutch in addition of having way too much free play in the clutch lever. So I think oh no, there is air in the clutch again!! I get home, drop the bike at my local shop to be looked at and the mechanic tells me that the clutch nut was WAY too loose! I just had the clutch replaced by a different shop and now I'm wondering if either the first shop didn't tighten the clutch nut sufficiently or if the clutch nut became loose after a track day and a 1,000 mile trip . . . . has anybody had any issues with a loose clutch nut like that? I should mention its an aftermarket STM slipper clutch . . .
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he said nut and red circled it.
it should not have come loose on it's own. bad mechanics suck.
it should not have come loose on it's own. bad mechanics suck.
This nut should be tightened with an impact wrench (rattle gun), and have Loctite on it.
Unfortunately the design of the mainshaft means the shaft is splined where the threads for the nut are, so care should be exercised to not strip the nut thread. The hexagonal (conventional) nuts for most slipper clutches have less thread engagement than the stock Allen-type nut.
A clutch locking tool can be made by drilling and bolting together some old plates, but is not absolutely necessary if you have a good impact wrench/rattle gun.
Unfortunately the design of the mainshaft means the shaft is splined where the threads for the nut are, so care should be exercised to not strip the nut thread. The hexagonal (conventional) nuts for most slipper clutches have less thread engagement than the stock Allen-type nut.
A clutch locking tool can be made by drilling and bolting together some old plates, but is not absolutely necessary if you have a good impact wrench/rattle gun.
The mechanic at the shop that found the loose nut researched it and said it should have been tightened to about 120 ft/lb of torque! His impact wrench was at the lightest setting and it came loose right away, telling him it wasn't installed correctly. And no sign of Loctite or anything the like . . . No wonder it worked its way out. What if I would have waited a bit longer? I can just hear the crunching going on the moment everything comes apart inside the clutch cover . . . YIKES, that could have been scary to say the least . . . !
Unfortunately the clutch, and particularly a slipper clutch, can tend to rock slightly on its splines - particularly with rough gearchanging, whilst at the same time getting hot.
Not blaming you for the failure, or excusing the mechanic, but tightening the nut for the slipper clutch has to be done judiciously with the shallow hexagonal nut engaging on the splined thread.
The splined thread can act a little like a thread tap. Those hex nuts probably need to be replaced fairly often on the slipper clutch.
This is one area where the stock (deeper) centre nut is actually superior (safer to reuse) than the slipper clutch one.
Not blaming you for the failure, or excusing the mechanic, but tightening the nut for the slipper clutch has to be done judiciously with the shallow hexagonal nut engaging on the splined thread.
The splined thread can act a little like a thread tap. Those hex nuts probably need to be replaced fairly often on the slipper clutch.
This is one area where the stock (deeper) centre nut is actually superior (safer to reuse) than the slipper clutch one.
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