CLUTCH DRAG SOLUTION ? (2016 430RR-RE)

[KRANNIE]

Seems like no matter what, the clutch drags when cold or hot.

Not sure if there is an adjustment other than the lever position (which I have set to maximum lever travel/disengagement).

I know on other brands (Yam) if you drill oil flow holes in the inner basket the plates stop sticking and the drag is greatly reduced., or, if you space out the bolt that compresses the springs, you get more 'travel' in the compression of the springs.

Has anyone come up with a way/method/trick to lessen the drag?

[redrider]

My 2016 350 RR RE is the same.

[twowheels]

, if you space out the bolt that compresses the springs, you get more 'travel' in the compression of the springs.

The spring compression is what provides the clamping force on the clutch plates when engaged. Spacing out the bolts lessens the clamping force and instead of drag you'll have slip.

Try replacing the anti-judder spring and plate with a "normal" friction at the bottom of the stack.

[GMP]

Travel is only increase by changing the hydraulic ratio(master or slave volume). Shim or spacers just change offset. Try what Steve suggests, I don't have a four stroke but it makes sense, these two stroke is less sensitive.

[ricoyam]

I have a '15 430 RS and while I haven't compared all the part numbers the clutch appears to be identical. I haven't noticed any drag or sticking issues at all.

I would start out by making sure everything there is working as it should. Some items that come to mind is checking the torque on the screws attaching the actuator/slave cylinder. Check for air in the system. I also don't recommend running a heavier viscosity oil than Beta recommends.
If the pressure springs are coil binding or if there needs to be more pressure plate travel, shimming the pressure plate spring screws out will help but then we start talking a design flaw. Since the problem does not seem to affect all the bikes it tends to rule that out. Of course it is possible there might have been some mis machined parts for the early '16 bikes.

There is an interesting combination of a pair of washers and a bellville spring on the inboard side of the clutch pack. Presumably to help break the clutch pack away from the basket. If you have the clutch cover off, it might be worthwhile to inspect those.

[KRANNIE]

I bring this issue up now because my metal oil pump gears will be arriving soon, and when I take the clutch off it will be an good time to do what is needed on the clutch.

I have never owned a hydralic clutch before....I assume there is no 'feel' to air in the lines like there is with the brake system..

The drag is substantial.

[ricoyam]

My first dirt bike hydraulic clutch was on my '98 KTM 200 which I still have. At first I was disappointed with a lack of feel compared to a cable but you get used to that. Since I ride a lot of vintage bikes I end up going back and forth a lot. I had a hydro clutch on my '97 Ducati ST2 so I had a bit of preparation on the lack of feel but a street bike clutch is nowhere near as critical as a dirt bike, especially a small bore where clutch slipping is required to maintain traction and keep the engine in its powerband.

Air in the system doesn't really feel different because it's hard to really feel the engagement point unlike the braking system where you definitely get a lower pedal or lever. I would do a thorough system bleed. A reverse bleed where you pump the fluid from the slave up to the master is the best. Be very careful with the brake fluid as it will destroy paint and plastics. I keep a hose or bottle of water handy for a quick rinse if spills occur. Very important is that brake fluid is also highly hydroscopic. Ake sure you can of fresh fluid and master reservoir are covered and not exposed to water splash.

Once you are certain there is no air in the system you can look at other possible defects.

One problem I experienced is when you fall. If the bike is in gear and the engine is still running its common that we go to pull in the clutch to pick up the bike without killing the engine. What this can do is allow the ports inside the master to be uncovered by fluid and push/suck air in rather than fluid.

If you get air when bleeding and the problem returns it might indicate a bad slave even though there is no apparent leak. They can gulp air without leaking fluid. This can also happen at the master but far less commonly.

Finally I try to remember to change clutch and brake fluids at least every two years. If you are in a wetter climate it won't hurt to doing every year. Since the fluid is so hydroscopic any water pulled in will accumulate in the calipers and slave cylinders causing corrosion. Worst case is the cylinders will corrode beyond repair and the pistons could seize up. In classic do as I say form I lost the rear brake on my KTM a couple of summers ago due to neglect.

[Moosehead]

I too had excessive clutch drag on my 2016 300rr. Turned out to be slightly warped steels in the clutch basket, just the steels and not the friction plates. Barely visible to the naked eye but if you take all the steels out and stack them up they sit tightly together in some spots and in other spots there are slight gaps between them. These tiny gaps between the clutch plates add up enough to space out the plates that they come in contact with the pressure plate thus causing drag. An excellent mechanic at my local Beta dealership picked this up and Beta swapped out the whole pack of steels and no more clutch drag. Hope this helps.

[ballisticexchris]

Hi there Bill, Another thing to note is to torque the clutch basket down to no more than 50nm. IMO, Betas recommendation of 70nm is way too tight. Rekluse even tells you that the clutch will drag if over torqued.

[super_rat]

For what it's worth my 2016 350 RR clutch dragged quite a bit when new. Now with 7 hrs riding slow, technical, clutch slipping trails and one tranny oil change the drag is almost gone.