C: Clutch Norton clutch conversion adjustment to stop slipping under load
- Thread starter gibbin82
- Start date
Simple things first. Check you have clearance at the pushrod. If that is OK pop the clutch cover off and check the springs are tightened correctly. If that is OK, remove the plates and see if they are oily or worn.
If your clutch is a Commando one with a diaphragm clutch spring I was plagued with clutch slip on my 1972 Combat Commando when oil contaminated the fibre (asbestos ) friction plates. A cure was a hardened clutch centre and sintered bronze friction plates. Check for notches in the drum splines and on the clutch centre splines. Notches might not help.
Good luck and keep us informed on progress.
Cheers
David
What makes you think it's a Norton Clutch ?.
Can you put some photos on the Forum ?.
There have been a lot of different Multi plate types, Some like oil, Some not.
I made my own, Old Type Norton and hand cut Sintered plates, When I was Sprinting.
But now for the road, I prefer the standard Vin' Clutch, You can get them very light at the lever and you only have to lift one plate. Cheers Bill.
Can you put some photos on the Forum ?.
There have been a lot of different Multi plate types, Some like oil, Some not.
I made my own, Old Type Norton and hand cut Sintered plates, When I was Sprinting.
But now for the road, I prefer the standard Vin' Clutch, You can get them very light at the lever and you only have to lift one plate. Cheers Bill.
If then if you increase spring pressure you go to the 'other side' and get drag you may need to increase your lift with a modified adjuster on the clutch lever pivot on the gearbox. If you really have a Norton clutch of the old type then the green un or the blue un article I made my first one from was printed before I bought a Vincent and that's a long time ago! So time to change!
Don't know if you know Vin's, But the first thing the book tells you is adjust the cable !, Via the adjuster on the outer cover, Kickstart side, If the arm is too close to the outer cover, It will slip, And as the clutch gets hotter
It can change. Cheers Bill.
It can change. Cheers Bill.
If you really do have an old style Norton clutch, say 1940 or 50s then I urge you to change it. When I raced and sprinted many years ago, I, and it seems Bill, and lots of us with aspirations to be racers change to Norton clutched. These were fine for racing and sprinting and so if you have one of those it should not slip. However, for road use they were a pain as in traffic, slipping the clutch, resulted in the plates getting hot and swelling and one lost all the adjustment and had a clutch lever which would pull back to the handlebars. I cannot speak for the later Norton clutches.
The Norton Commando clutches (diaphragm)are very nice and should not slip if set up correctly.
I had no luck with the earlier type Norton clutch on my ported 650SS. I tried everything including new plates, springs and running dry. It always slipped when the little 650 hit it's power band at 4 k rpm. I replaced it with a Newby Racing belt drive and dry clutch. Even that had to be set up with springs cranked way down to stop slippage.
A Vincent 1000 twisting on that early Norton clutch would have been way too much for that particular clutch, although it sounds like others have made them work on a Vincent?
Glen
I had no luck with the earlier type Norton clutch on my ported 650SS. I tried everything including new plates, springs and running dry. It always slipped when the little 650 hit it's power band at 4 k rpm. I replaced it with a Newby Racing belt drive and dry clutch. Even that had to be set up with springs cranked way down to stop slippage.
A Vincent 1000 twisting on that early Norton clutch would have been way too much for that particular clutch, although it sounds like others have made them work on a Vincent?
Glen
I had to clean the Sintered plates every so often, But it was the dragging and heavy clutch lever, Which I didn't like, Having said that, For Road Racing and Sprinting, It made the gear changing at high rev's so much better.
At one time I found some Square Springs !, No wonder my hands are now Beggered !.
One day Ian Hamilton, At Cadwell Park, Told me to try his Racer in the Carpark, Don't know why, He was much quicker than me !, But by the time I got to the lower carpark, It was unridable.
Like mine , You had to keep it cool, And get it into neutral before stopping, Not always easy !.
Cheers Bill.
At one time I found some Square Springs !, No wonder my hands are now Beggered !.
One day Ian Hamilton, At Cadwell Park, Told me to try his Racer in the Carpark, Don't know why, He was much quicker than me !, But by the time I got to the lower carpark, It was unridable.
Like mine , You had to keep it cool, And get it into neutral before stopping, Not always easy !.
Cheers Bill.