Most of the dirt bike riders are enjoying their time racing and going off-road. But when their bike suffers from a malfunction even though it is a small one, they suddenly rush it to the bike shop and get it repaired. As a rider, you should be able to fix your bike even in little ways to avoid spending unnecessary expenses. Replacing the clutch is one of the must-learned techniques.
Getting an OEM service manual for your bike is a must-have especially if you’re new to fixing your bike. The factory manual contains different instructions, manuals, maintenance intervals, tips on adjusting the suspension, diagrams, explanations and other stuff to help you get through with whatever the problem of your bike. This is considered as a stepping stone in being the mechanic of your own bike. Take your time to read and understand the contents of the manual.
First and foremost, before tinkering with your bike, make sure that the bike itself is cleaned. Hosed/ Shower it with water and ensure that no foreign things are present at the external part of the bike. You don’t want that dirt to get in the way of your tinkering and they might cause more problems if left unclean. Also, make sure that your workstation is cleaned as well. A messy workstation will result in disturbance and other unpleasant things. It is better to work where you can feel comfortable and at ease.
Once all is set up, it is time to take out the clutch of the bike, over the right side of the engine, the clutch cover is located. Most of the covers consist of 5 bolts holding it together. (Honda CR125) upon removing the cover, you will be able to see the baskets/plates that are usually secured by 5 more bolts. In this part, you may need a special tool that will hold the clutch to avoid it from spinning while you are loosening the bolts.
The plates and all of the disks will emerge together with the pressure plates. After this, you should check the basket for wear or notching. If there is no notching observed or nothing is seemed to be broken, it can stay as is. After that, you can measure the plates and springs to view what is in the specs. Consult your OEM manufacturer’s manual for the value of the minimum thickness of the metal plates.
Next is to measure the metal plates if they are still in sync with the spec. it is still free to use so long as the plates don’t show any discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration is present, you may need to change the plates. Sometimes, you can just replace the fibers/ friction plates as usually they are the ones that wear faster.
Most of the clutch plates are soaked into the oil before putting them back into the bike. This is done so that they won’t be dry when you try to run and test your bike. Dry plates will result in an increased chance of damaging the clutch. Prepare a bucket, pour a little engine oil, and one by one put all the plates and the disk in it. Make sure that each piece is coated or all the pieces are covered in oil.
You may now assemble them together on the bike. Start off with the friction plate and in an alternate manner until all of them are fitted in. there’s one more friction plate than metal disk, so you’ll start with and end with one. Following the plates and disks, you may proceed to place the pressure plate and springs in. you will also need something that will be able to hold the clutch assembly again so you may be able to torque the bolts. Refer to the service manual for the appropriate torque specs.
For the final step, put the cover back on and fill it back up with oil. Prior to testing the bike itself, try to pull in the clutch several times and allow yourself to feel that everything seems all right. Warm the bike properly, this is the first start. Let it idle for several minutes. It is okay for the clutch to drag at this point. Once the bike is warm; test the bike by riding it a few times and make sure that everything on the bike is functioning well. After this, you are ready to go. It is recommended to change the oil after a few hours of riding. This is done to remove any shavings from the newly installed parts of the engine.
