what are the better clutch plates to buy for 850

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kerinorton

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I have had a go at searching this topic but have not been successful so here is another dumb question. What experience have members had with the various clutch plates out there? One of mine plates is very close to metal to metal and I am going to have to buy new ones before I do my next rally. I don't have problems with it now but it is worn.
Dereck.
I have a spare set of std linings for my 750 which I bought in Edinburgh in 1975, but have never needed yet. Not suitable in 850 though.
 
I am still using my STD bronze plates in my clutch, they have been working great since new, the clutch has over 130,000 miles on them, I had problems with them slipping in the early days but after running non motor oil they came good, I have run them dry when I had my belt drive and now I am back to running a triplex chain I run ATF type F oil and so far they are working as good as when running it dry.

But remember you still got to keep the maitenance up to them if you want them to last a life time.

Ashley
 
I assume your regular steel non friction clutch plates are still just fine, maybe deglaze them annually

ah, but on to friction plates

you could buy the cheap friction plates, made by Barnett, they are less than $20 each

and the major problem with them is that the tangs that locate the plates into the clutch hub are made out of thin aluminum and so they rattle about and the tangs get worn to spikey nibbons, and then you buy new Barnett plates, regularly

OR, you bite the bullet and pay a lot more for good quality genuine Norton friction plates, and they last and last

I am getting tired of buying Barnett plates and having to replace them too often so next time I will buy AN friction plates and quit trying to pride myself on saving money, I suggest you do the same
 
My favorites are Sur-Flex, the late style aluminum with fiber pads, not the early style thick all fiber ones. Not as grabby as Barnett but no slipping problems, even with a hopped up, high compression motor. I have them in my original, stock MkV 750 also.
 
I'm with Ron on this, I like Surflex. I'm running them in my 850. Still have the OEM plates in my 750, working fine. No issues.

Surflex is a good choice for your Ducati too. :)
 
I prefer the Sureflex plates also but I am currently using Barnetts in my bike. I have gotten around 35,000 miles from a set which was about the same as I got from the Surflex plates. The Sureflex plates didn't squeal as much as the Barnetts.

I use one original bronze plate in the deepest position. It was always that plate which chewed up the fingers the most. Jim
 
I like Surflex plates as well.
no slip because of Beltdrive. Got them on sale at Walridge. :wink:
Thomas
CNN
 
kerinorton said:
I have had a go at searching this topic but have not been successful so here is another dumb question. What experience have members had with the various clutch plates out there? One of mine plates is very close to metal to metal and I am going to have to buy new ones before I do my next rally. I don't have problems with it now but it is worn.
Dereck.
I have a spare set of std linings for my 750 which I bought in Edinburgh in 1975, but have never needed yet. Not suitable in 850 though.
Click to expand...


Visual inspection is only part of the deal, you need to measure the thickness. Please report back. I binned the bronze friction plates that have STEEL host plates and wore notches on the ($$$!!) hub. I switched to Barnett, alloy host plates will sacrifice before the hub splines. The engagement is smooth, linear with no slip, no drag. Be SURE to visit Dynodave's MOST helpful pages here: http://atlanticgreen.com/clutchpak.htm and http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm

Thanks Dave!
 
I am currently using Barnetts in my bike. I have gotten around 35,000 miles from a set which was about the same as I got from the Surflex plates.
Click to expand...

Jim, I am stunned that have 35 THOUSAND miles on a set of Barnett friction plates!

I have to buy new ones at least once very two years and that is low mileage.

Oh the plates and the friction pads look just fine, but the tangs that locate the plates are always worn away to almost useless little nibbins. I am told by various venders that this is common with Barnetts.

By the way, I do everything I can to not allow my plates to rattle around free, I do not slip the clutch
and I put it in neutral with the clutch lever out when coming up to a stop sign or light instead of pulling in the clutch and having the plates be free to rattle.

Jim, do you have any thought as to how your Barnetts last so long, do they not have the same thin aluminum tangs and that worn away in the hub center splines?
 
Hi Thanks for the reply's. Incidentally, I would expect the acceleration and retardation forces would do more to flog out the tangs on the plates than simply holding the clutch lever in.
Hi Jim. That is an interesting point about having a bronze plate on the inner end of the clutch. What do you think causes that. I must admit, although I have owned a commando for 41 3/4 years, I would have done more miles in the last 6-7 years than I did in the previous 36 years. Haven't seen all the problems yet , but mike bikes may have got to the stage where they are trouble free.
Also an interesting point about the softer plates being more gentle on the splines. I remember one of my tutors at polytech saying that soft wears out hard.
 
1up3down said:
I am currently using Barnetts in my bike. I have gotten around 35,000 miles from a set which was about the same as I got from the Surflex plates.
Click to expand...

Jim, I am stunned that have 35 THOUSAND miles on a set of Barnett friction plates!

I have to buy new ones at least once very two years and that is low mileage.

Oh the plates and the friction pads look just fine, but the tangs that locate the plates are always worn away to almost useless little nibbins. I am told by various venders that this is common with Barnetts.

By the way, I do everything I can to not allow my plates to rattle around free, I do not slip the clutch
and I put it in neutral with the clutch lever out when coming up to a stop sign or light instead of pulling in the clutch and having the plates be free to rattle.

Jim, do you have any thought as to how your Barnetts last so long, do they not have the same thin aluminum tangs and that worn away in the hub center splines?
Click to expand...

I don't know what I would be doing different other than running a bronze plate in the rear position. That was always the plate that wore the fingers out fast. The rest of them wore much slower. I also shuffle the plates around about once a year.
Maybe the high ratio primary drive helps.
I do put mostly highway miles on my bike. I do very little in town riding anymore. Jim
 
ashman said:
I am still using my STD bronze plates in my clutch, they have been working great since new, the clutch has over 130,000 miles on them, I had problems with them slipping in the early days but after running non motor oil they came good, I have run them dry when I had my belt drive and now I am back to running a triplex chain I run ATF type F oil and so far they are working as good as when running it dry.

But remember you still got to keep the maitenance up to them if you want them to last a life time.

Ashley
Click to expand...

Hi Ashley, are you referring to cleaning the every now and again. I think mine are fibre on metal but cant remember now. I know with my 750. if I don't use it often, the plates rust to the discs.
Regards, Dereck
 
kerinorton said:
Hi Thanks for the reply's. Incidentally, I would expect the acceleration and retardation forces would do more to flog out the tangs on the plates than simply holding the clutch lever in.
That is an interesting point about having a bronze plate on the inner end of the clutch.
Also an interesting point about the softer plates being more gentle on the splines. I remember one of my tutors at polytech saying that soft wears out hard.
Click to expand...

Soft does wear out hard but that is because the soft material embeds abrasive particles that wear out the harder part.

It doesn't seem to apply to clutch plate as the aluminum plate is easier on the clutch center. Jim
 
Derick

I pull my clutch plates out once a year if I had no problems with them just to clean them and to make sure there is nothing wrong, its just a rouitine part of my maintenance, I still running my stock plates but I have just replaced the clutch centre this year because of wear but thats not bad for 39 years of owership and well over 130,000 miles and I have replaced the pressure plate a few years ago because it lost its pressure.
I have also brought a few complete clutches and housings from Ebay for the right (cheap) price, one is going to be put on my project bike and the other will go to the next swap meet to sell, one has bronze plates the other has Barret plates.

Ashley
 
I fitted a Barnet clutch plate pack from Matt at CNW. Dropped straight it with correct height etc. the clutch plate pack is a lot lighter than with the stock bronze plates and thus takes a lot of rotating weight off of the long suffering gearbox mainshaft. Clutch action is superb.
 
I used the same pack, same result. Along with a change to the Venhill cable, it is now a one finger clutch, smooth and quiet.
Also changed the Barnett plates in another bike recently . There was 25,000 miles on those plates and they were noisy but still working OK . Those plates showed about ten thou of wear per plate( thickness), so not much left on them.

Glen
 
Barnett offers two types and I do not know why.

These work fine but squeel like a pig when starting out.
what are the better clutch plates to buy for 850


These work well, last a good while, reasonably priced and don't squeel like a pig when starting out.
what are the better clutch plates to buy for 850
 
pete.v said:
Barnett offers two types and I do not know why.

These work fine but squeel like a pig when starting out.
what are the better clutch plates to buy for 850


These work well, last a good while, reasonably priced and don't squeel like a pig when starting out.
what are the better clutch plates to buy for 850
Click to expand...

The segmented plates -which I have- do squeal.

The solid plates are high grip and make the clutch operation a little more sudden. They are the plates that gave Barnett clutches a reputation for breaking things. Jim
 
Peel then Trixie ran the solid Barnetts and still working a treat with about 2ok miles combined. Very close clutch adj, like 1/8th turn out, no grab, easy to feather and never slips or makes noise. These have only be run in dry belt or chain ATF though so may be a fluke.
 
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