Cure for the grabby/groaning clutch

[08hyper]

For some of you that are experiencing a grabby or groaning/squealing clutch,
I have the fix, especially if you have a enclosed cover.

The clutch plates in time will get grungy & sticky with use, which will cause noise, and grabbiness, and if you are a track day rider, hard rider, or just slip the clutch alot in traffic, you may have overheated the clutch, which can take the tension out of your convex steel plate in your clutch pack.

Buy a new convex steel plate from Ducati, part# 19010241A you may have to order this, as many dealers don't even know it exists, cost about ten bucks.

So here's the fix, take off the screws, springs, and pressure plate, remove all the steel & friction plates, (KEEP THEM IN THE EXACT ORDER THAT YOU TOOK THEM OFF!) as the pack has "mated" to each other. At your local auto parts store get a couple cans of "brake clean spray" and one at a time spray the plates & wipe them down, remembering to keep them in order, now reinstall.

Start with the 2 steel plates first, then 1 friction, then install the NEW convex steel plate, tossing out the old one, the convex plate will have a small punch mark on one of the teeth, (hard to see, but its there) this punch mark faces out, towards you. The convex plate should be the 3rd steel plate from the bottom, or you did something WRONG! Now just finish up the rest of the plates in the order you took them off.

Your clutch should be good as new, and if you take apart the clutch pack, once in a while, and spray her down with the brake clean, you'll get the max life out of you clutch! Happy clutching! Aloha Alex

[Petethepup]

Thanks. Also, at every 3K oil service, pull the outer cover, start motor, blow air through the plates whilst squeezing & releasing clutch lever. Wear respirator or at least mask.

[motoxer311]

Good write up.. Thanks both!

[08hyper]

Just for clarification, there is NO asbestos in any of the Ducati clutches,
(no longer legal) so there is no life threating dust, or particles, when blowing out
the clutch, but just as (Petethepup) says, wear at least a throw-away
filter mask, and a pair of safety glasses, when blowing out anything dusty for your own safety.

Aloha Alex

[hyprduc]

I added the Barnett clutch pack to my slipper and it is like day and night form the stock pack. It is very niceeeeeeee!

[Treadmarks]

Originally Posted by Petethepup

Thanks. Also, at every 3K oil service, pull the outer cover, start motor, blow air through the plates whilst squeezing & releasing clutch lever. Wear respirator or at least mask.

I do this to my clutch (open cover) and brakes every two weeks and am surprized at how much dust comes out of there.

[HyperPete]

Is this all relative to why my clutch fluid is now almost black? (standard HM, closed cover)

is the black/dark fluid harmful or should I do something about it ?

[08hyper]

Originally Posted by HyperPete

Is this all relative to why my clutch fluid is now almost black? (standard HM, closed cover)

is the black/dark fluid harmful or should I do something about it ?

Its normal, the fluid will get darker, as its exposed to engine heat from the
slave cylinder, and there's not much fluid volume in there anyways.

You will notice that the rear brake cylinder wil get dark also, for the same reasons. (heat & lack of volume)

You should change it to maintain top performance, as brake fluid has a tendency to absorb moisture, I already changed mine twice, and I have about7500mi on my bike. Aloha Alex

[berndt]

make sure you have free play on the lever
even though it is hyd, it still must have free play to properly manage engagement.
1.5mm locking screw on the lever and a 7mm screw on the lever /M/C.
This free play adjustment is not on the predelivery or maintenance schedule.
Biggest change to clutch feel I have experienced.
Ducati warrantied a clutch for me because mine was way way wrong.
This should be a sticky on this page along with other known warranty issues.

[abrisebois]

Changed the convex plate in my 999 and the difference was amazing. Before the replacement, the clutch was grabby with very little feel. Now, nice smoth engagement with little to no chatter. Also, lever feel is greatly improved.
Thanks again.