Clutch Grabbing when pulled in

A while ago I posted that my clutch, which I replaced 3 years ago, was grabbing and being a real PITA at stoplights, making it almost impossible to put into neutral.

I put in a new clutch cable, and re-adjusted the clutch lever (moving it back a notch or two) and STILL, it's grabbing. I filed the inside clutch basket and hub to ensure the new plates weren't grabbing on a worn spot - but it wasn't doing this with my old clutch - just the new one. I've also adjusted my clutch up-the-ying-yang to ensure it's not the cable. When it gives away, I can hear a little ping when the clutch breaks away (like it's suppose to).

So, question is, do I take it apart, again, file down the hub and basket, again, or is there something I'm missing doing wrong with the re-assembly of my cluthc?

Or is this simpler? Is it the oil? Is it the new cluch I put in itself that's causing the issue?

I'm getting fustrated - this is had been on-going for 3 years now since I put the new clutch in and I'm wondering if it's the #$$*#* new clutch and plates - maybe they're garbage/poor quality?

Any help/guidance would be appreciated because it's making daily driving my 83 Maxim 750 a PITA, difficult to put into gear, and almost impossible to stop normally.

 

Are the basket and hub worn enough that you can actually FEEL the depressions left by the plates? Filing is generally a bit harsh; you can clean them up with a stone; otherwise it might be time to look for replacements.

What brand/whose clutch components did you install?

As for oil, any good conventional 20W50 is fine as long as it doesn't say "energy conserving" or somesuch. If you use "motorcycle oil" you'll be fine.

 

Hey fitz - thanks for the ideas. You could feel the slight divits - mind you - the human finger can detect One-Thousands-of an inch deviation. I filled most of them down from the micrometers that were there.

Why would a new clutch cause this and not the old clutch?

Yeah, my oil is conventional non energy conserving 15W40.

I only have 26'000 miles on the odo - the basket and hub shouldn't be worn that much to need replacement should they?

 

Sounds like it's just too tight. I know you said it's not the adjustment but I bet that's what it is. On that model, is there a locknut adjustment on the cable just above the clutch cover? Tighten so that the clutch is pulled more out when engaged. You know it's right when there is no grab when the lever is fully depressed and there is no slippage when riding at redline >

 

Interesting thoughts Pseudonym - I would agree - but this is an intermittent problem when its cold, and when it's warm, the issue occurs 100%. I knew about the adjustment nut above the clutch box - and they're another adjustment at the lever. I've tried tightening both to ensure it's just that. Thanks for the suggestion though - appreciated.

If it sticking when I pull in the clutch (and I'm rolling foward), if I rev the engine, I can hear the cluch pop off (disengage). Something definately is wrong but I'll need to check it when the bike is still hot I guess.

 

Nope, you can find it cold. You just have to pull it down and look carefully.

First off, at 26K it is very possible to need a basket and/or hub, depending on the life it's had. I think the fact that it doesn't happen only cold is due to the oil not having warmed up yet covering up the problem.

If you can FEEL the indentations as indentations, not just smooth spots; if they're really indentations, and there is still any trace of them OR you had to remove a lot of material to get them smooth then you simply need some new parts, honest.

Clutch parts come up on eBay all the time; when I got my '83 550 it had a bent basket from a fall-over mishap; I got a whole clutch assembly from a 3900-mile bike for $20. All I needed was the basket. You should be able to locate a clutch from a lower-mileage parted out bike and use what you need. But if you've got divots it's not the new clutch's fault; it just revealed the problem.