What clutch to buy?

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Dale
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What clutch to buy?

Post by Dale »

Bike is a 98 kdx 220. It's time to replace the clutch. Best brand? Best place to buy it? I had the engine rebuilt, do to the stock piston explosion, a few years ago. New crank, bearings, cases, cylinder...... you get the idea. Anything else I should replace while I'm doing the clutch? I love the bike and I have ridden it hard. I blow away my buddies RMX on any hill! Just need to give it some TLC.
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Best - I don't know. I'am running a Tusk clutch in my 380 for the second year and just took a look at it last weekend - holding up well and no compliants from me. Tusk clutch for KDX? - Don't know of anyone who has tried one.

Mark's KDX 200 clutch has always been just a little grabby although the plates are all flat and I did not see any other problems. CC has used a XR400 clutch pack +1 in his KDX 200. From a picture he recently posted it appeared the friction plates had a lot more surface area than the stock KDX clutch and I recall him stating that his clutch never complained when it got hot. Perform a search and see what pops up.

I for one would like CC to share a little more about his clutch upgrade.

P.S. TUSK is a RockymountainATV/MC brand name - some of their stuff is semi-poor quality and some of it is excellent quality IMO.
KTM 380EXC Mine
KDX 200 Mark's
TTR 125 L Wife's
KDX 200 Austin's
EC 300 Tyson's
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Dale
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Post by Dale »

Thanks Idaho. Really......no opinions on the best one to buy from anybody? Really???/
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Julien D
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Post by Julien D »

I for one would like CC to share a little more about his clutch upgrade.


I second that emotion... I've heard the rumors, but haven't found the details anywhere as of yet.
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

You might try HERE!

I haven't used 14 different clutches to have a realistic opinion based on any facts......but I guess that wouldn't be a REAL opinion then, would it?

I've tried several different brands of springs..found all of them to be insufficient according to specs..and that included brand new OEM springs.

I wasn't looking for 'stiffer' springs..just replacement pieces because mine were under spec length. Maybe the manual is incorrect, as no spring I bought was any good according to the listed measurement.

I used to get a good bit of clutch squeal without too much abuse until I changed to the larger friction plates. Haven't heard a peep out of it since.

FRP sells (did anyway) Vesrah plates in the XR400 'style'. As far as general 'feel' and actual clutch effect..they've worked fine for a handful of years.

I used one OEM plate on the outside of the pack so I could put the large spring/seat back in. Tried it both ways, with and without..preferred them in (as opposed to using ALL XR400 plates and NO conical spring/seat).


Works 'fer me!!!

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Dale
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Post by Dale »

Thanks CC. Not sure what I will do.
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Post by Julien D »

Hey CC, where exactly does that "conical spring seat" go? Behind the pack? as in, between the hub and basket? I find no description of it in my manual. Had it in a box of parts that came with the bike. The clutch that was in the KDX when I got it, was apparently not a KDX clutch. The back of the basket interfered with the main gear in a very nasty way.
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Post by canyncarvr »

>|<>QBB<
juliend wrote:Hey CC, where exactly does that "conical spring seat" go? Behind the pack? as in, between the hub and basket? I find no description of it in my manual. Had it in a box of parts that came with the bike. The clutch that was in the KDX when I got it, was apparently not a KDX clutch. The back of the basket interfered with the main gear in a very nasty way.
They're on the outside of the pack.

I don't know about 'description'..but it's in the manual, both in the parts pic a the front of the clutch chapter (chapter 5, page 5-2 in mine) and a 'make sure you do it like this' on page 5-13. The washer goes against the hub, the spring just inside it with the OUTside circumference touching the friction plate, the INside touching the washer. The spring is installed conVEX as viewed from the outside of the pack.

You had something other than a KDX basket? The baskets all look like they've been grinding on something..that, or, finished with a rasp.

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Post by Julien D »

Yeah, it was odd. When I first got it and patched it up, slowly rolling the bike back and forth in gear gave a nice grinding sound. so it was torn down again to inspect. If you look at the back of the clutch basket on the KDX, there is like an offset between the gear and the back of the basket. Or more accurately, the basket is angled out away from the gear around the outer circumference. The basket that was installed had no such angle, and the back of the basket itself quite noticeably interfered with the outside edge of the main gear. I tried extra shims and such, since the basket was in great shape, but nothing I could come up with would make it clear the main gear.

Fortunately for me, the stock parts were included in a box of crap that he handed me with the bike. It's easy to see the difference when you put the two baskets side by side. Perhaps it was a kx125 basket or something.

Thanks very much for the info, I will make sure I have everything in there correctly. Clutch works ok, but drags a bit. I've always assumed it's because of the basket is slightly notched, and it probably is.
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Post by canyncarvr »

Doubt you'll ever get rid of the 'drag' part of it. I haven't. If you get a fix for that, let me know!!

Clutches that push from the 'inside' always seem to work better than those that push from the 'outside'. I think that has nothing to do with the actuator being on the LH or RH side of the engine, but the TYPES of clutches that are either LH or RH actuated. But...I say that only 'cuz I have no idea why it would matter from which side of the clutchpack the pressure was released. I'm not saying it doesn't make the difference...just that I don't know what it would be.

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