Primary squeak

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jerry Doe

Jerry Doe

Admin
Joined
May 21, 2003
Messages
2,359
Hi all,

When i pull away on my 750 i hear a squeak from the primary. I am running a dry clutch with RGM belt drive. I am using the clutch stack from Matt. It has been doing it for 800 miles now.

I pull away and it squeaks and sometimes when down shifting hard it squeaks.

Before you say it is the belt rubbing, i think not. I took primary cover off and adjusted the belt with it running. It was kind of riding close to inner crank pulley, but not touching. I tried to adjust it very slowly to get it running in the center. It wont stay in the center. I had it so 1/4 turn on g-box adjuster moves belt from one side of the front pulley to the other. I then adjusted it in center. I hope that makes sense. I have the tension correct and a dual g-box adjuster.

I think it is the clutch plates bedding in and squeaking due to having no oil. I thought it would have stopped by now (800 miles). It does not slip when i am riding.

Has this happened to anyone else with a dry clutch?

Cheers
Jerry
 
Yes. For years I had an annoying squeak when taking off with my Norvil belt drive then somebody at a rally with the same noise said it was from the dry clutch plates. Never been a problem and now that I know what it is it isn't an annoyance. It has been trouble free for so long that I can't remember what I have in the clutch but I do have the stack modified for height with a a mix of bronze and Barnett plates I think.
 
I am pretty sure that is it in my case too. Hopefully it will get better with miles on. It seems to be happening less when bike is warm, or perhaps its just me accomodating how I pull away to minimize the squeak..
 
My bike always did it with the dry Barnett plates.

Then I bought a set of the high torque bronze plates and was really happy that the squeal was gone -for about the first 10 thousand miles anyway - but now the chirp has come back just like it did before. Jim
 
I have the RGM belt drive set up (dry) and the squeak to. I have adjusted the stack height to give a really light pull at the lever and there is no sign of any slip so I just learned to live with it. There are worse things to worry about as the saying goes.

Oh I guess we will get another looooong clutch reply now ...
 
Yes, my bike is geared a little taller than most so it requires a little more clutch slipping to get underway. Still waiting for that extra wide ratio TTI gearbox....[/quote]

Shoot. I would have thought by now you would have designed and built a variable ratio gear box Jim. :P
 
Clutch Rod Seal for Norton Commando
by David Comeau August 2000, updated Jan 2004
General Information

SNIP

7. A common side effect on dry belt drives that the clutches will "chirp"on engagement similar to Ducatis'.

Squeal= long "chirp"
Happens with OEM solid fiber friction plates too (I don't and won't run Barnetts)
The info has been out there for 16 years :mrgreen:
 
comnoz said:
pete.v said:
This is the type that don't.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-Commando ... zg&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...


Both squealed in my bike. Jim
Click to expand...
Ya, but your bike are different............in a good way.[/quote]

Yes, my bike is geared a little taller than most so it requires a little more clutch slipping to get underway. Still waiting for that extra wide ratio TTI gearbox....[/quote]

We spoke of this some time ago and you agreed that the postage stamp type tended to squeal more. I went back to the other type and all was and is well.
 
Hi Jerry,

This is what you get for messing with the world famous Norton Oil Bath primary. :)
 
dynodave said:
Clutch Rod Seal for Norton Commando
by David Comeau August 2000

7. A common side effect on dry belt drives that the clutches will "chirp"on engagement similar to Ducatis'.
Click to expand...

So THAT'S where I read about the chirp when considering installing belt drive and your clutch rod seal. It was in my perforated memory bank somewhere.
So when I heard the chirp on my bike I was happy, all happening according to plan.
 
I am pretty sure I know how to easily solve the chirp squeak problem, the clutch friction plates (not the steel driven plates) are "too dry" in a dry belt primary and the noise happens when they slide into/with the steel non friction plates.

I ruined two sets of new Barnett plates quickly ground friction areas away until it dawned on me to lightly coat the next set of friction plates with a light oil rag, ATF or whatever is fine

This allows a small enough amount of oil penetration on the friction areas to eliminate the chirp squeak thing without fouling them enough to cause slipping.

Since doing so some 8 years ago I have no tweet or chirp from my primary, no kidding, I really do believe this IS the solution.
 
1up3down said:
Since doing so some 8 years ago I have no tweet or chirp from my primary, no kidding, I really do believe this IS the solution.
Click to expand...

DAMN! - can I borrow your puller again. :mrgreen:
 
A quick update on this. I ordered the clutch plates that you recommended Pete. They did not send me the solid type as advertised they sent "postage stamp" type . So I emailed them and now they dont reply to me for a return. My clutch is still squeaking so I will live with it.

pete.v wrote:
This is the type that don't.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-Commando ... zg&vxp=mtr
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

turboboy
Case to primary studs
Replies
4
Views
826
turboboy
turboboy
Peter Waller
Crankshaft primary side end slightly out of true and bent.
Replies
6
Views
629
marshg246
marshg246
NORTSTER1974
Outer primary cover
Replies
16
Views
680
NORTSTER1974
NORTSTER1974
olympus
Alton Primary Oil Leak... Finally found
Replies
5
Views
860
olympus
olympus
T
Primary oil sucked into engine.
Replies
13
Views
1,361
o0norton0o
o0norton0o
Back
Top