Clutch problem??

gil7247

gil7247

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Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
435
Age
64
Location
Muskegon Michigan
Last year I only got to run my new to me 02 Viper once and noticed that the clutch would engage very abruptly at about 5000rpm from a dead stop. Once rolling, it would run and engage smoothly like normal. If I'd come to a dead stop it would rev way up and engage hard again. I tore it apart, cleaned it replaced the primary spring with stock yellow/ white/ yellow (New)spring. I had the bushings replaced and they replaced the spider as the shop cracked my old one taking it off. In the off season added a clutch kit(turks) which consisted of stock weights with 4.5 g rivets in both holes, a new secondary green spring and 53/43 helix.
Now I'm getting the sleds ready and my clutch is doing the same thing. It revs to about 5 grand then engages hard then it will operate normally until I let the track come to a complete stop. Then it does it again.
I have a second Viper I bought this summer and it engages at about 4 grand and doesn't do this.
I dont know whats going on and what else I can do or change. Any advice would be appreciated.
Gil
 

are u sure the tach is accurate or make sure there is no surface rust on any of the moving parts in the clutch
 
I'm posive it's clean and the tach is right I rand it right next to my other 02 Viper that engages smoothly at 4000. This one engages abruptly almos with a jolt like the clutch is sticking, I dont know what else to change it's got all new components springs weight bushings spider etc...
 
maybe your belt has a flat spot in it,try a new belt or switch belts from the other sled.Eliminate one thing at a time.Check also the 2ndary if it is opening up or sticking.
 
Few things you could check over.....remove cover and spring and try closing the clutch by hand........put the cover on and see if it is sticking on the bushing as well.Check the centre to centre or clutch to clutch distance and try your other belt as well.

Have the weights been ground at the start of profile.


.
 
I've tried all that. I was talking with Super1c and I'm gonna try a different fixed sheeve. I'm thinking that the shaft on mine may have a groove worn in or burr that's hanging it up. My current clutch has 8800 miles on it and when I had the bushings replace they said it didn't look like it had ever been apart. They ended up cracking my old spider getting it off so they bought me a brand new one for no cost to me. So the bushings spider and all other components have been changed except the actual sheeves. I'll post my findings if this works. Thanks for the input guys. Gil
 
Have you checked it on the ground and in the air? And you're watching the sheaves close up on primary and open on the secondary? Maybe there IS a burr on the shaft but you would think it would cause the problem all the time.
 
The fixed sheave hole where the bushing goes can become egg shape after a while. Putting a new bushing in there will not solve the problem. Sounds like it is binding on the spider shaft. Does it move freely with the spring out?
 
I got thinking about it last night and looked at the exploded view of the primary. The sliding sheeve has a new bushing and slides on the spider which is also new. When I take it apart it slides smooth, but I have the cover off to do that. I didn't replace the bushing in the cover which appears to slide on the other end of the spider. I am going to take the cover off of my other viper and try it to see if that chages it. The sliding shoes and springs and wights have all been changed and are new also. When I figure this out I will post what I find and maybe save someone else this aggrivation. Thanks Gil
 
I highly doubt it is the spider cover that is causing the binding. I had the same issue as you and it turned out that the primary fixed sheave had mushroomed and the new bearing was egg shaped when it was installed on the primary fixed sheave. The hole distorts over time due to heat. I had about the same miles as yours when it failed.

My 2 cents.
 
I took it apart again as far as I can and it's defnately either something with the bushing or the 6 slider shoes, both are new. From what it appears is the bushing is pressed into the sliding sheeve and the spider shaft goes thru that bushing and is threaded into the fixed sheeve so the shaft that the sliding sheeve bushing slises on is actually one side of the spider. Is that correct? If so all those parts are new, but either the bushing or those shoes are alittle oversize or the spider shaft is and is causing binding. I'm gonna take it back to the dealer that put the bushing shoes and new spider on and have them look at it. If I do need a fixed sheeve for some reason I do have one available. Thanks for the response. Gil
 
Gil, I would remove the spring and bolt the cover back on, tighten it down as usual. Then try sliding it in and out. Maybe even kinda " snap" it outward, like the spring would do and see if it hangs up.

I had a helix that was binding on me last season, it would walk the bushing right out of it.
 
Thanks SRX I've got a good fixed sheeve coming and I'll bring it in and have them take it all apart and use the new fixed sheeve when they reassemble it. Hopefully that will do it.
Jeff, even with the cover and spring out it has lot of drag, I can barely slide it by hand. I took the other one I have apart and the sliding sheeve falls as soon as the cover bolts are out all by itself. Now that I know how easy it's supposed to move I know this one is really binding. Gonna have babbitts tear it apart again. They did it last year to put the bushing and shoes in and ended up buying me a new spider as they broke mine taking it off. Atleast now I know what it's supposed to feel like so when I pck it up from them I'll know if it's right or not. Thanks
Gil
 
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Hi gil,
Your PM box is full. I have that clutch boxed and ready to ship. I checked it out real good and the fixed sheave and shaft look in great shape. The movable sheave falls freely without any binding. This should work out for ya just fine. I wont get to the post office till wed when i go to town. Ill let you know when they think it will get your way. Chris
 
Thanks Chris I appreciate this. Ya my VIP apparently expired so I had to renew and I cleaned out my mail anyway. Thanks again Gil
 
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