Soaking clutch plates

[Stewy138]

I am about to replace the clutch drive plates in my TM125.  I recall something about "soaking" clutch plates, if someone could explain that one please...

Thanks,
Stewy.

[oldyzman]

Stew, just get a shaoolw dish put fill it to about 25mm with the gearbox oil you intend to use put the fibre plates in there one at a time so they get fully soaked. i leave them there for about a day. then just remove them and assemble the clutch assy as usual. I can only guess If you assemble them dry you run the risk of having dry spots between...
Cheers Brett

[matcho mick]

should always oil "wet" clutchplates on assembly,instant free cluch on startup!!,while we're clutching this subject,(for those who don't know ),majority of steel clutch plates are stamped out,they will have a sharp edge,face that sharp edge out,(or in the direction of lift),far better to have a smooth return courtesy of springs,lessening the chance of clutch slip on notchy basket,(which can be dressed),suppose you could also dress off the sharp edge on the steel plates too  ,

[brent j]

Something I found with my TM125. The book says use engine oil (forget the grade) but don't use car oil. I found I had clutch slipping problems with the TM and my XR200. I changed to motorcycle specific oil and lo and behold no more clutch slipping. It seems the friction modifiers in car oil cause the problem.

And to prove the exact oposite, I've run car oil and even SLICK 50 type stuff in my XT500 and a TL250 in the past and never had a clutch problem.
I do run M/C specific oil in the XT now and the clutch does feel better.

Brent

[oldyzman]

Yep, totally agree with the friction modifyers.... in car engine oil. I think car auto trans fluid for two stroke m/c gearbox is good stuff, i know some guys who use it in primary oil which includes multi plate wet clutch... in Harley davidson drag race bikes.
Brett

[brent j]

The other oil I’ll try one day in the TM gearbox is TORCO MTF (manual transmission fluid).
We ran it in a clutch type transmission (LENCO) in a drag car and the wear on the clutch packs was reduced by about 80%. The shifts felt much more positive and the drive was certainly better.

Brent

[Freakshow]

The trans fluid seems to etch .  everytime i have pulled apart a 2ee that had Auto trans in it , the bearings and mating surfaces seem to have this light hone, etch look to them.  Not sure if that means its chemical or that means its abrasive ? but it does do this strange thing to metal urfaces.

[brent j]

Freaky, The TORCO MTF is not like ATF. It’s a 40wt gear oil with additives to make it suitable for use with clutch packs.

I know the problem you refer to with ATF and I’ve heard it suggested that it’s fuel or water getting into the oil. Maybe it’s due to the ATF being very thin and allowing the bearings to chatter? I really don’t know myself.

Brent

[Stewy138]

Thanks Guys.  With the TM and TS engines one (or more ?) of the gearbox gears is pressed on the shaft.  I am hoping the problem I have is indeed the clutch and not the gear slipping on the shaft.  Thanks Brent for the tip on the oil, that may be the answer.