Weak clutch at 12,000 miles.

[Anonymous]

I just got an 82 1100e last friday and low and behold, the stupid clutch is slipping. I priced the parts at the local shop and they want $220 plus just for the parts! I was wondering if anybody had suggestions to if this may work; I was gonna take it apart and rough up the disks a bit with some 120 grit and put in some stiffer springs. I don't know if the guy I got it from used the wrong oil, or if it's just a 21 year old clutch problem or what the deal is, but when I'm rompin' on it pretty good and shift, it really does slip pretty bad.
Or, are the 1100 g disks really that different? I know the steel plates are the same part number, maybe I could just buy 11 of those at a substatially lower price than $15.50 a piece.

[Anonymous]

If you have thr 9 disk clutch, I have a set of fibres and steel plates that i ordered last year by mistake. i put therm in for about 30 or 40 miles before i trealized the dragging was that they took up too much space in my drum. It doesnt make sense to me but when i went to the original 10 disk and steel plate setup, it worked fine. I think they are barnett disks also. $50 plus shipping if you are interested.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, 9 steel and 10 fiber I think. Is that the only difference between the E model and the G? It seems that the shop wants more per disk for the E so I was wondering if there was some difference in fiber disks somehow. Also, not to nit pick, but I read that some of the after market disks were different thicknesses and that could cause premature wear in the basket and such. I'm pretty good with cars, but I don't know a whole lot about cycles. I just don't want to screw up my bike. But if everything is kosher, hell yeah I wouldn't mind taking those off your hands. I can't find those steel plates anywhere but Suzuki, and they think they are made out of gold or something.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, 9 steel and 10 fiber I think. Is that the only difference between the E model and the G? It seems that the shop wants more per disk for the E so I was wondering if there was some difference in fiber disks somehow. Also, not to nit pick, but I read that some of the after market disks were different thicknesses and that could cause premature wear in the basket and such. I'm pretty good with cars, but I don't know a whole lot about cycles. I just don't want to screw up my bike. But if everything is kosher, hell yeah I wouldn't mind taking those off your hands. I can't find those steel plates anywhere but Suzuki, and they think they are made out of gold or something.

These disks are for a clutch that has only 9 fibers discs. And plenty of E models had 9 disk setups

[Anonymous]

So I take it the only way to know for sure is to take it apart. crap
But if you went back to the 10 disk and it worked, the barnets must be thicker than your stock disks eh? What bike do you have?

[Anonymous]

So I take it the only way to know for sure is to take it apart. crap
But if you went back to the 10 disk and it worked, the barnets must be thicker than your stock disks eh? What bike do you have?

Being barnetts had nothing to do withthe thickness - the 9 disk clutch has thicker fibers and steel plates Mine is an 1983 gs1100e. i believe that some 83s and all 1100s prior to 83 had a 9 disk setup.

[Anonymous]

The reason I ask is cause the suzuki shop manual lists 10 fiber and 9 steel disks up to 82. If you are confident they will work I'll get em. It may be worth the $60 or gamble, cause it will be a long time before I can afford to get a set from the shop. The bike is not at all unrideable, but stuff like that just bugs me sooooo much. Even if I aint running 8,000 rpms all the time, I need to know it's there when I want to, ya know?

[Anonymous]

The reason I ask is cause the suzuki shop manual lists 10 fiber and 9 steel disks up to 82. If you are confident they will work I'll get em. It may be worth the $60 or gamble, cause it will be a long time before I can afford to get a set from the shop. The bike is not at all unrideable, but stuff like that just bugs me sooooo much. Even if I aint running 8,000 rpms all the time, I need to know it's there when I want to, ya know?

i suggest you keep checking I dont need the money and certaintly dont want to sell you anything that you will not be able to use.

[Anonymous]

Well, did the shop get the count right anyhow? Is there 1 more fiber than steel disk? If I find that it will work, I deffinately will contact you about those plates. I need plates.

[Anonymous]

Well, did the shop get the count right anyhow? Is there 1 more fiber than steel disk? If I find that it will work, I deffinately will contact you about those plates. I need plates.

I want to sell the whole thing and the plates i have are for a 9 fiber setup and are definitely thicker than the 10 steel plate setup. both the fibers and the plates are thicket in the 9 setup.

[redliner1973]

you can take your clutch disks out pretty easily, just don't use the centre stand, use teh side stand, removed the bolts from the cover (watch how they come off!!!). you will lose aboiut a cup of oil, and remove the 6 bolts holding the springs and thats it. the first timer with any mech skills takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, just make sure you use a torque wrench on the spring bolts, they can be overtorque very easily, then you can see for sure how your fibre/plate set-up is... :twisted:

[SqDancerLynn1]

Since you don't know what kind of oil is in the bike I would change to a good 10/40 MC specific oil and see if the clutch still slips before taking it all apart

[saaz]

Change the oil to a known sort, and check the clutch adjustment.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, thanks for al the advice, I think i'm gonna put a bit stiffer springs in it too. I should be able to get a little more out of it I hope. Me so po'.