Clutch problems, bad slip at anything above 3k

[kzjordan]

Well i bought an 83 gs1100e and got it running great. Its a blast to ride and alot of fun. I planned on dragracing it once and a while at the local track. Today i was out on an old highway practicing my launches, and after the second launch the clutch started slipping really bad at anything above 3-4k rpm. The clutch doesnt make any noises at all. First thing i did was check all adjusters on case and handlebars and they look fine. Checked oil and that looked fine. So i pulled the cover and noticed that around the outside of the outer basket there were some rubbing/grinding marks. I pulled all the plates and they look good but the aluminum sleeves on the inside of the clutch springs that the clutch spring bolts slide into have deep grooves in them from the springs rubbing against them. What should i be looking for? Is this common?

 

[blowerbike]

basket rubbing/grinding is from a long bolt in a short hole.
the spring spacers get beat up from the springs...normal.
if this bike does not have a H/D backing plate kit installed on the back side of the basket then maybe the clutch slipping was a good thing.
if you want to do it right and keep your engine from getting ventilated then pull your entire clutch side all the way back to the engine cases and get your camera ready...
post back with pictures.
this is where you start.
if the bike is going to be ran hard...
any other option for you will result in a damaged/ruined engine and other internal parts and maybe a skinned a$$ from oil getting on the rear tire from the case getting holed.

 

[Nessism]

That wear sounds normal, but not necessarly good. Standard procedure is to measure the thickness of the fiber plates and compare to the standard (replace them as necessary), get new springs, and rough up the metal discs. If those things don't get it done, time to replace the friction plates since they tend to get hard with age and sometimes lack bite.

 

[kzjordan]

what do you mean the rubbing is from a long bolt in a short hole??? the rubbing can be noticed around the outside of the outer basket. As of now i have it apart to just the outer basket left in. Are you recommending that i pull the whole basket because i will see damage once i get it off??? Do you really think new springs and fiber plates will fix this?

 

[TheCafeKid]

what do you mean the rubbing is from a long bolt in a short hole??? the rubbing can be noticed around the outside of the outer basket. As of now i have it apart to just the outer basket left in. Are you recommending that i pull the whole basket because i will see damage once i get it off??? Do you really think new springs and fiber plates will fix this?

What he (blowerbike) is saying is that the 82/83 GS1100E's have a penchant for blowing their baskets to pieces. That is, the backing plate (riveted to the back of the clutch basket, loaded with springs to help cushion the side loading forces of the helical gearset these bikes were fitted with) springs get loose, and eventually, you grab a hand full of clutch, rack it into the next gear at redline, and let the clutch out and BOOOOOOOOM the backing plate explodes, launching your clutch basket, and other bits, into your crank, probably blowing a hole out the side of your cases, dumping oil all over the rear wheel, and you end up on your ass in the middle of the road, or the strip, wondering WTF just happened.

Usually, these baskets will warn you before this happens by making a bunch of racket as the springs loosen. Or you can check the fatigue of the springs by measuring them, and also checking how much your backing plate moves when you try to turn it against the basket.

The fix, recommended for everyone who 'runs their 1100E hard', even occasionally (cmon, its 27+ years old after all) is to have the backing plate replaced with a Heavy Duty model. This involves sending it off to one of numerous places to have the old removed, a new installed and the rivets WELDED to keep them tight.. the cost? Around $300 bucks.. The benefit? Your bike lives forever, as far as the clutch basket goes, and you dont end up dead..

 

[kzjordan]

thank you for clearing that up. Do you think this is what is happening to my gs, does it sound like its getting ready to blow? Im still unclear about the long bolt in small hole part

 

[Guest]

One more thing worth mentioning, is to pay attention to what oil you run...using oil with the dreaded 'friction modifiers' in it will also cause slippage...once that stuff impregnates your plates, they will have to be changed. In my case, simply throwing in a new set of OEM Suzuki springs, and scuffing up the steels worked...I would previously get a little slippage at 7 grand or so, from tired springs starting to head south.

 

[kzjordan]

thats what i was hoping was the problem but i get bad slippage as little as 3-4k and thats when i began to think it was much more serious. i got it up to 40 in 5th gear and decided to just pull over and go load it up

 

[Guest]

If the bike is new to you and you're not familiar with it's history, you will have to tackle issues systematically, if/when they arise....if the drive plates mic up within spec, just order a new set of springs, scuff up the steels, re-adjust the cable exactly as per the manual and try it....maybe the clutch was already on it's way out, and your hard launches accelerated it's demise.....but worth trying the above before throwing new parts at it, IMHO. If not sure when the oil & filter was last changed, might as well do this too, so you know what you're running. My $0.02.

 

[Guest]

Check the basket and inner hub for deep notches form the fiber tangs. If they are really deep it hangs up the clutch.
DO NOT race this bike without getting a HD backing plate on the clutch hub. Check Ebay after the race season is over for good hubs or send yours off to APE or Stan Gardner or get a billet basket with the HD backing plate.
blowerbike is quite tounge and cheek but he's been around these bikes for many years and he's telling you if you race this bike with the stock clutch BOOM!

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Here's a thread that may be helpful. Thank you Mr. bonanzadave!

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=125593



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[blowerbike]

i speak the truth.
he said (drag race)folks.
he was already doing hole shots.
follow on this jordon.
the clutch cover bolt right behind the ign. cover...centered.
its a through hole and the bolt that goes there is a special length and should of had a rubber washer on it.
when someone installs a longer bolt in that hole....
it goes into the clutch area and rubs the outside of the basket.
get it now?

 

[blowerbike]

why is it that every link a person post for this site comes back with an error just like the problems i had several weeks ago.

404 Not Found
The server can not find the requested page:

www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=125593 (port 80)
Please forward this error screen to www.thegsresources.com's WebMaster.

 

[Guest]

i speak the truth.
he said (drag race)folks.
he was already doing hole shots.
follow on this jordon.
the clutch cover bolt right behind the ign. cover...centered.
its a through hole and the bolt that goes there is a special length and should of had a rubber washer on it.
when someone installs a longer bolt in that hole....
it goes into the clutch area and rubs the outside of the basket.
get it now?

Hell even I get it now!

why is it that every link a person post for this site comes back with an error just like the problems i had several weeks ago.

404 Not Found
The server can not find the requested page:

www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=125593 (port 80)
Please forward this error screen to www.thegsresources.com's WebMaster.

The black hole called Ohio.

 

[blowerbike]

Hell even I get it now!


The black hole called Ohio.

there is nothing wrong with black holes
HEY,
your a buckeye transplant man!!!

 

[BassCliff]

why is it that every link a person post for this site comes back with an error just like the problems i had several weeks ago.

Just lucky, I guess?

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[posplayr]

thank you for clearing that up. Do you think this is what is happening to my gs, does it sound like its getting ready to blow? Im still unclear about the long bolt in small hole part

If you read the manual you will see one of the front middle clutch cover bolts is supposed to be short else it sticks all the way through the cases and rubs on the outer part of the clutch hub.

OK Sorry, I'm a little late to the thread tearing dopwn a gaggle of BST36SS's tonite

loo here for what your $300 is gonna get you. They come up on ebay for less than $150 ususally.

http://www.theflyingbanana.com/clutchhub.htm

P.S. note flying banna pulls a fast one and rewelds a stock 1000 plate and doesnt show doing a HD one.

 

[kzjordan]

well thanks everyone for the reply's. looks like im gona do it the right way and get hd plate and new springs. I put the old plates and springs back in today because i needed to move it to a different house as im in college and am moving out and cant have it at my place after this weekend. It seemed to grab better right away til i got about a mile down the road and it went right back to slipping at very low rpm's

 

[legaleli]

What he (blowerbike) is saying is that the 82/83 GS1100E's have a penchant for blowing their baskets to pieces. That is, the backing plate (riveted to the back of the clutch basket, loaded with springs to help cushion the side loading forces of the helical gearset these bikes were fitted with) springs get loose, and eventually, you grab a hand full of clutch, rack it into the next gear at redline, and let the clutch out and BOOOOOOOOM the backing plate explodes, launching your clutch basket, and other bits, into your crank, probably blowing a hole out the side of your cases, dumping oil all over the rear wheel, and you end up on your ass in the middle of the road, or the strip, wondering WTF just happened.

Usually, these baskets will warn you before this happens by making a bunch of racket as the springs loosen. Or you can check the fatigue of the springs by measuring them, and also checking how much your backing plate moves when you try to turn it against the basket.

The fix, recommended for everyone who 'runs their 1100E hard', even occasionally (cmon, its 27+ years old after all) is to have the backing plate replaced with a Heavy Duty model. This involves sending it off to one of numerous places to have the old removed, a new installed and the rivets WELDED to keep them tight.. the cost? Around $300 bucks.. The benefit? Your bike lives forever, as far as the clutch basket goes, and you dont end up dead..

That was an excellent description - well described but dramatic enough to underscore the risk. Well done!

 

[Steve]

why is it that every link a person post for this site comes back with an error just like the problems i had several weeks ago.

404 Not Found
The server can not find the requested page:

www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=125593 (port 80)
Please forward this error screen to www.thegsresources.com's WebMaster.

The black hole called Ohio.

there is nothing wrong with black holes
HEY,
your a buckeye transplant man!!!

Well, it just might be oHIo. :-k

I haven't been there since the first of the year, but will be back in just six days. :dancing:

I guess you could call me a "Buckeye", but I have not had any problems with links. Probably because I'm not in oHIo right now.

.