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Clutch rattle

  • Thread starter Thread starter figman
  • Start date Start date
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figman

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I have a 1983 1100E. I recently purchased bike and po had replaced clutch recently (barnett) and bike seems to have excessive clutch rattle at idle. Is this normal? Any suggestions? Clutch does not slip and bike shifts well.

Thanks
 
Im only one guy but you may here an echo in here.....

Ditch the Barnett........Ditch the Barnett.......Ditch the Barnett

I think the problem I had with mine was I used the stock (weak) springs and regular 10w40 Valvoline oil. The thin Barnett steels and fiber plates chattered and notched my clutch basket. Then it started slipping and spun a couple fiber plates down to bare metal. Didnt last but 12k miles.

Pull it out and take a look. Its easy to get out and look at. Heres the story on Cliffs web site. http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/clutch_odds-n-ends.html

Your rattle could simply be a loose hub nut
 
Last edited:
Likely nothing to do with the new clutch, more likely weak springs on the back of the clutch basket. Most prominent at a slow idle. A lot of them do it, the fix is to send the clutch basket away to have new springs fitted.

Oh & I agree... with above post (beat me to it) I haven't heard good things about the Barnett with the extra plate.

Dan :)
 
Check to see if the center nut holding the hub is loose. After that, REMOVE the Barnett clutch & replace it with STOCK Suzuki plates! Ray.
 
tas850g said:
how would you know if the steels and fibers are barnett?
Click to expand...

I can't comment on the Barnett steel discs, but I know that the Barnett fibres have a greater area between the grooves cut into them, ie there are less grooves than the stock fibres.
On my 850, I only run the Barnett fibres on the Suzuki steels, along with the 3 of the HD springs. I found that 6 Barnett springs were too heavy, and that a mix of 3 stock and 3 HD was a good balance.

I also suspect that the 6 springs on the rear of the basket are weak and that they are causing the rattle. When the hub nut is loose, it usually compromises the smoothness of the clutch bite.
 
salty_monk said:
Likely nothing to do with the new clutch, more likely weak springs on the back of the clutch basket. Most prominent at a slow idle. A lot of them do it, the fix is to send the clutch basket away to have new springs fitted.

Dan :)
Click to expand...

Yep, Stan at Gardner Racing Concepts can help you out if the springs are loose. He'll install a heavy duty clutch kit with better springs and a thicker backing plate that's welded in place vs. riveted. http://www.schnitzracingstore.com/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=5057389&showprevnext=1

and http://www.grccranks.com/

Looks like this once you get it back:

DSC02393.jpg
 
Thanks for the info guys. Clutch work for sure in the near future.
 
I got the same damn problem................for years. I removed the clutch,
checked everything out and even retightened the hub nut, but it still ratlles at low RPMs. Drives me crazy !!

Next is to completely go over the clutch again and to spotweld those springs onto the plate, (and weld the backplate as mentioned) as mine were loose in their cavity.
 
Ken

Ken

Next is to completely go over the clutch again and to spotweld those springs onto the plate, (and weld the backplate as mentioned) as mine were loose in their cavity.
Click to expand...

Ken,
U dont just weld teh rivits. The backing plate is replaced with a heavy one. See Ed's post. U can also pic up one of teh clutches on e-bay for about $125-$150 used.

http://www.theflyingbanana.com/clutchhub.htm

Still selling the ESD?

Jim
 
posplayr said:
Ken,
U dont just weld teh rivits. The backing plate is replaced with a heavy one. See Ed's post. U can also pic up one of teh clutches on e-bay for about $125-$150 used.

http://www.theflyingbanana.com/clutchhub.htm


Jim
Click to expand...

Hey Jim,

I don?t think it?s necessary to replace the back plate if the stock springs are going to be shimmed and reused. At least I hope not?or maybe I should say I'm not planning to on my clutch hub rebuild.
 
Hi Jim,

How was the Escondido rally ?? Thanks for your e-mail reply. I'm thinking about keeping this bike because it is a rare and only manufactured for one year back in 1983. I would like to do the GSXR front conversion complete with a new front-end while keeping the "old school" integrity of the esd architecture intact.

The clutch issue I will look into more in-debt and to resolve the rattle that
is more irritating than related to performance. I'll look into this more when I tear it down completely and go over everything with the engine removed, the frame electroplated (maybe power-coated), and everything gone over including painting the bodywork to its original color and artwork,
and again the front-end conversion. The 530 chain conversion is a must for these older classic machines.

Your 1982 GS1100e is the classiest naked GS bike around. It is amazing what you did to it that turns heads wherever you go. I've not seen a
bike like yours that is so meticulously clean and far from stock. It is an
awesome bike which I;m sure everyone at the rally were amazed to see
it. If there ever was an award for inginuity, your bike is it.

Pos, take care,

Ken :D
 
figman said:
Thanks for the info guys. Clutch work for sure in the near future.
Click to expand...

There's no reason you can't run it as is for a while.

The clutch rattle is merely annoying. You can get the updated hub and be ready to change it out -it'll only take an hour or so. Just lean your bike against the wall, pull off the brake and footpeg and pull the clutch cover.

Just don't drop anything down into the transmission while you have the bike tipped over.

As for the Barnett clutch, many here have had bad luck but I've had mine for 20 years. It definately builds up your left hand and it's a bitch to find neutral. So, once I get the "new" 78 on the road, I'm going to do the half Barnett/half stock fibers and springs as 49er did and see how that works.
 
As you probably were going to, PLEASE keep us updated on the clutch rattle issue. I have the same issue and it is very annoying. I/we know it isn't a performance issue but the looks/questions i get are annoying.

Thanks!
 
tas850g said:
As you probably were going to, PLEASE keep us updated on the clutch rattle issue. I have the same issue and it is very annoying. I/we know it isn't a performance issue but the looks/questions i get are annoying.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Should have mine fixed in a month or so. I will update when resolved.
 
Hi Figman,

We would all appreciate your reply when your clutch rattle is resolved.
As mentioned, it is more annoying than anything. I've had to explain
to people that this is Suzuki's first-entry in the diesel motorcycle realm.
And that the noise is typical of diesal engines.....lol !!

It shuts people up to move-on....until they hear it at a gas station after
you have pumped regular unleaded gas.
 
Carbs out of sync will make the rattle worse. I synced the carbs on my 1000G and it virtually went away. They were badly out of sync though. The PO had set them, but never set the lock nuts...
 
jadesystem said:
Hi Figman,

We would all appreciate your reply when your clutch rattle is resolved.
As mentioned, it is more annoying than anything. I've had to explain
to people that this is Suzuki's first-entry in the diesel motorcycle realm.
And that the noise is typical of diesal engines.....lol !!

It shuts people up to move-on....until they hear it at a gas station after
you have pumped regular unleaded gas.
Click to expand...


Clutch rattle is fixed. PO had someone install clutch but for some reason the retaining nut had worked loose and was ready to come off. That would have been a catastrophe. I have no idea why the retaining nut was removed in the first place albeit I am certainly no mechanic.
 
Clutch rattle is fixed. PO had someone install clutch but for some reason the retaining nut had worked loose and was ready to come off.
Click to expand...

APE sell a hardened nut that is not as likely to loose, About $30 but worth it.
 
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