How many clutch plates on '83 1100e??

[crag antler]

According to one of the manuals and various part sites I should have 11 metal plates and 10 fiber clutch plates.

Looking at the picture, I count 9 fiber and 9 metal including the one behind the piano wire.
My clutch basket has 10 fiber and 10 metal.
Which is the order the plates should be in??
Suzuki says cork plate first, whic I belive them to mean the fiber plate??
Thanks.

[Boondocks]

If you have a Haynes manual, on p.49 the following illustration is shown for your bike:



When 11 driven (metal) plates are used with 10 drive (fiber) plates, a metal plate has to be inserted first and last, with fiber plates between. From the illlustration, the first metal plate may be held in place by piano wire and not slide out. This may be why you counted only 10 metal plates.

[crag antler]

I saw the same diagram in my manual but recounted once again.
With the plates out of the hub, I count 10 fiber and 9 plain.
Count the one behind the piano wire and I get 10 fiber and 10 plain.
What I can't figure out is,
how long has my bike been like this??
what fool would do this???
will it damage anything to reinstall like this???
I have never had any issues with the clutch so no one has been in there, as far as I know, the 5 years I've owned her.

[Boondocks]

It seems that the last metal plate between the pressure plate and the friction plate is missing. The '80-82 models use 9 each metal and friction plates with the pressure plate bearing directly on the first friction disc, same as yours. The fact that you've used it for 5 years with no problem would indicate that the extra plate isn't essential.

I don't know why anyone would have left out the last metal plate, it's anyone's guess. It should make the clutch pack a little tighter and firm up the grip a little when the last metal plate is inserted. With the same spring pressure, the more plates (less free space) are inserted the greater the force will be on the clutch pack when it is engaged. I would get another metal disc and put it in. They're inexpensive and readily available.

[crag antler]

Thanks for the help Philip.
I was wondering if I buy an additional metal plate, would I not have to replace all the other plates at the same time or not????
If not, I can easily get another plate\\/ \\/

[Jethro]

Thanks for the help Philip.
I was wondering if I buy an additional metal plate, would I not have to replace all the other plates at the same time or not????
If not, I can easily get another plate\\/ \\/

I'd bet the plates were replaced at some point.

The friction and driven plates from the 80-82 (the years that use 9 of each) are thicker than the 83. The clutch assembly is identical for all those years, it's just they added more plates on the 83 for the jump in power you get with the 83. I currently have the clutch pack from my 81 in the 82, becasue it was new when I took the 81 off the road. It's will work just fine. Only buy more plates and fibers if you are replacing the clutch. If you have a caliper, measure the plates and fibers. You should check the tolerance while it's out, but if it doesn't slip I wouldn't worry about it. I have the tolerances at home for both the thick and thin clutch packs.

If the previous owner replaced the clutch, they would likely have gotten a Barnett or Vesrah as buying all the plates and fibers aftermarket is less money than just replacing the oem fibers. Last time I bought one of these it came with the thicker plates and fibers (although I bought it for the 81).

[Boondocks]

Thanks for the help Philip.
I was wondering if I buy an additional metal plate, would I not have to replace all the other plates at the same time or not????
If not, I can easily get another plate\\/ \\/

You're welcome, Doug.

You don't need to replace the other plates if they are correct type for the '83 model as Jethro indicated. You could buy just one plate, but make sure that it's the thinner one for the '83 model.