Looking for Clutch help - '03 AC400 Man Tran
 

Today I took my clutch assembly off and put in a new set of plates (fiber ones) I take the bike out for a run and it seems to be working good, then it starts knocking, almost as if something was slipping inside the clutch.
I got the bike home under its own power, but know that something is not right. I pull the cover off and discover the starter clutch nut (LH thread) backed itself off loose. I don't see any damage or anything broken.
I tighten it back up to spec and filler up with oil. Start up the bike, shift into 1st and it stalls out the motor. I figure I need to adjust the release so I turn the bolt back. Now I have nothing...no gears. So I go the other way on the adjuster. It locks up in 1st & stalls out again. When I get it to where its not locking up, I have no forward or reverse gears.
I have taken it back apart to see if I had something wrong, but can't find anything.
when reinstalling the 4 springs on the basket, I made sure there was no space between the clutch plates. The plates are in the right order( fiber, steel, fiber,steel....ending with a fiber)
Can anyone offer a suggestion to what might be wrong? I've had this thing apart 3 times, reinstalled according to the service manual but the same problem. I didn;t scribe the plates but can get them in with no spaces.
The plates are supposed to be drawn up snug to each other when the 4 springs are tightened in, correct? The "one way " race with "outside" stamped on it is supposed to face out, correct?
How about the clutch release arm...it is supposed to be inline with the bearing/fork?

Thanks for any help here as it's dead it the water right now and its too frustrating to go through the same process with no success.

It has been a while since I have done this but I remember there being some holes or alignment markings that MUST line up on the hub and pressure plate. Does that sound familiar?

If the hub and pressure palte are not seated correctly things won't move as they should.

Swampy

Thanks SJ,
You're right, there is a "dot" on the hub & pressure plate, which have to line up. I have double checked these.
I've gone through everything multiple times and really am at a loss.
There is one thing that I'm not certain of, now I don't know if this makes any difference - the washer that goes behind the nut that holds the clutch assembly is a "directional" washer (slightly cone shaped)
I've been putting the washer on "cone up" .
If this was supposed to go the other way, could it be tightening the clutch in to much, not allowing it move when it needs to?

I measured all of the fibre plates with a caliper, and they are well within tolerances. The steel plates are all in spec, no warps, burns, etc. The 4 springs are also well within spec.
With the clutches off I verified that when put in gear the shaft is engaged. and releases in neutral.
I have it back apart now( I refuse to let it get the best of me:-))

If anyone has any other suggestions I'd be happy to check.

Thanks again for any help!

do you have a service manual I can sent you the pages for the clutch

Clutch issue solved***
 

Just thought I'd post this incase someone else ever runs into this issue.
There is a one way race on the starter clutch. I finally realized that it was an issue as it was locked (wouldn't turn freely either way)
Luckily I have a parts machine and swapped out the part and it worked properly.

This was a frustrating problem, as I tore it down 4 times before finding a fix.

***one other note....the specs in the service manual for torquing the clutch nuts are incorrect (in my opinion) when torquing the starter clutch nut (LH threads) it stripped the nut.

Thanks for the replies...

at the end after the last fiber plate there should be a cushioning plate with after market clutches if it does not say to use it then you need to loose it!! i think OEM is the only one that makes you keep it in.