cleaning the clutch plates

Next thing on the list to do is a look into the clutch - I think i may have a bit of clutch slip going on and hopefully its just contaminated plates.
I've had a search on here and a read of the manual but a still a few questions . .
Using the clutch compressor to remove the big circlip can i just release the tension, remove the compressor and pick the plates out ?
Do i need to slack the clutch cable off any when i take that nut of the other side (end of the clutch basket) does the clutch rod just pull out ?
Are there any booby traps in there that I need to look out for ? This seems to be a common point of maintenance - is it worth putting the push rod seal in there or better just running a little less gear oil ?
cheers for putting up with a newbie !
Stu

You have it all right. Dyno Dave's clutch seal is a very worthwhile bit to add.

grandpaul said:

Dyno Dave's clutch seal is a very worthwhile bit to add.

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+1 on that! Since I installed mine, the ATF I use in the primary stays uncontaminated. I would not, IMHO, consider running less than the recommended volume of gear oil in the gearbox.

There's nothing much magic in the clutch basket, just the setup and the riders book pretty much covers that if you follow it closely. Once you take the diaphragm and large clip off, the pieces just come out, a magnet helps, but I manage usually with a fingernail for the fiber plates and a small screwdriver for the plain plates. It's a matter of balancing them as they come out, but easy. If you don't need to mess with the rod or clutch lever, just don't touch them, they can stay and nothing will change. I've got the seal on the way for mine.

Make sure the clip is fully seated when you re-install things.

Dave
69S

When you tighten down the compressor tool, you want to just put enough pressure on to flatten the diaphram a bit. Usually the tool and diaphram will start to rotate from the torque on the wrench, this is the signal that it is free of the circlip. Once it is free to rotate you can remove the circlip and pull the tool with diaphram out. Leave the tool attached until you put it back together. I don't know what kind of plates you are running but I have found that 3-M High-Strength Brake Cleaner works really well on fiber plates.

Russ

PS-pay attention to the clutch actuator when it goes back together!

It looks like a fairly straightforward process then. I had the primary cover off for the first time last week and wondered if the whole primary - chain, alternator, sprockets etc would have to come off to get into the clutch basket and get at those plates . . .
I read somewhere that the bronze plates can soak up and leach out a bit of gear oil once hot. This would correspond with the slight clutch slip I get towards the end of my commute, high speed in top 2 gears, but maybe the fibre plates can do that too. Looking forward to seeing what is in there at the w/e - cheers for the pointers.
Stu

Once you take the primary cover off, the clutch diaphragm is right there. Nothing else to remove. You should get a manual if you don't have on. I think there's one in the Technical Information at the top of the Norton Commando Mororcycles page.

Dave
69S

. . well, an update for anyone (like me) doing this and learning the basics as they go . .
Primary cover came off real easy and the rubber gasket stayed on so a smear of silicone grease and hopefully it'll hold good for more miles. The fluid (ATF?) came out fairly slow and not too much so caught most of it. I also noticed 4 split half casings from the rollers of the primary chain . . Things otherwise looked okay in there so I'll maybe run that chain till end of the summer and i can replace thru the winter along with fibre plates and a clutch rod seal. The clutch diaphragm tool went on good - tightened up slowly till it just spun around freely and peeled the circlip out - no probs. Plates out (bronze) and showing daubs of gooey thick oil so culprit found. Cleaned off the plates and all splines with petrol and and old toothbrush, teeth etc looking good - no notching.
Everything back together as was and feeling pleased with myself, pulled in clutch cable and snapped off the nipple at the lever I guess i should've seen the cable, actuator lever and clutch push rod running back'n'forth smoothly before replacing that adjustor nut, just assumed the adjustment would be good if i left it alone. Maybe better to have broken a tired cable in the shed than out on the road tho. New cable arrived this morning so looking forward to getting the job completed and everything back together again. Pulled the petrol tank off for the first time yesterday also (ready for the cable going in) - there is a lot of old looking wires scrunched up in there which doesn't inspire confidence - not all original colours either . . but that is another thing again.

I also noticed 4 split half casings from the rollers of the primary chain .

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Huh? Please elaborate.

2 of the many steel rollers that shroud the individual chain pins on the triplex chain had split leaving 4 halves lying inside the bottom of the primary chaincase. The chainwheel teeth all look to be in undamaged condition but obviously a replacement chain is due - is this a wear issue or just a bad chain ? Not sure, the chain seems to be at correct tension and nothing else amiss.

stu said:

2 of the many steel rollers that shroud the individual chain pins on the triplex chain had split leaving 4 halves lying inside the bottom of the primary chaincase. The chainwheel teeth all look to be in undamaged condition but obviously a replacement chain is due - is this a wear issue or just a bad chain ? Not sure, the chain seems to be at correct tension and nothing else amiss.

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Sounds like a wear issue. I broke a primary chain, luckily with no collateral damage. Chain sees a great increase in forces as it comes off the clutch drum, and this is where it will likely break, sending it into a pile between the clutch and crank sprocket. Inspection of the chain showed one of the 4 plates had cracked, creating a weak link. once the adjacent plate broke, the chain separated.

Coincidently, I also broke a Primary chain on my Ranger, do to a poorly assembled Renold chain - one of the plates was improperly riveted. Unfortunately, the chain broke by bending the remaining plate, which then broke out the primary at the front of the drive sprocket ( Matchless primary cases are really narrow).