Lot of clutch noise. Jumpy take off?

[joetaco87]

Ive been noticing a lot of clutch noise in my 99 kx250.  I just rebuilt the motor and all the engine bearings but i did not do the clutch bearings.  I know clutch noise is normal but it gets loud sometimes.  I took of the clutch cover and the basket has a little up and down play, is that normal?  It also jumps when it takes off and no matter how I adjust the clutch it does this.  It  doesn't effect performance but its annoying trying to clutch it up technical hillclimbs and what not because it just wants to take off, theres no inbetween.  I also just put brand new plates in it and ive ridden it enough to break it in.  I just wanted some input before i empty my wallet on parts.  Thanks.

[hughes]

Did you check the clutch basket fingers for grooving?? The friction plates will notch or groove the fingers, also the inner clutch hub can be grooved from the drive plates. There could be a little,very little movement up and down on the clutch basket due to it riding a roller style type bearing with a sleeve between the bearing and the shaft.

[joetaco87]

Yea, i smoothed out the grooves with a dye grinder.  I took a friction plate and made sure i took off the exact amount on each finger.  That took care of the jumpiness when its in gear and the clutch is in.  There is up and down movement (more than very little).  I want to lean towards worn bearings or the sleeve they slide on.  Could the basket bore be worn as well?

[hughes]

The clutch basket itself I think has a steel sleeve press (bearing bore) into it for the bearing to ride on?? Hard to recall when I don't have the parts in my hand.

[joetaco87]

It does, i just didn't know if it was suseptible to wear.  Id figure the bearings would go first.  Ill spend the 60$ on the bearings and the sleeve they ride on and let every1 know how it goes.  Whats wierd is that ive never heard of this problem in any bike before, but my buddies 98 kx250 does the same exact thing 

[hughes]

Clutch baskets have rubber style dampers behind the ring gear that dampen the shock or load placed on the basket it self. Maybe they are worn and allowing the basket to slam around. I have never seen these dampers fail but who knows.

[joetaco87]

By the ring gear you mean the gear attached to the basket right?  Theres also a couple clutch assemblies on ebay between 50-150$.  I was thinking about picking one up.  They're used obviously but it has the basket, inner hub, pressure plate, the friction and steel plates and everything else.

[hughes]

See photo. These dampin the loads/shock placed on the clutch basket.

[gowen]

This issue is VERY common with Honda's. I've had about 10 CRs and most of them were the inner and outer basket grooving. My KX500 had the same issue, just not nearly as bad as the CRs and was fixed with new baskets.

[joetaco87]

gowen, your talking about the jump when you take off from a stop right?  My bike as soon you start releasing the clutch it jumps once and the bike starts moving, and it jumps a second time right before it is fully released.  Its annoying on slow technical hillclimbs and just annoying in general.  I kinda figured it was the basket i just wanted to doulbe check before i dropped the money on a new one.  Thanks guys.

[gowen]

Yes, it was while I was letting the clutch out. It was pretty d**n bad.

[joetaco87]

yea mine too, and while i let it out it sounds like its grinding almost.  I try and just dump the clutch if im on dirt to avoid it lol.

[hughes]

yea mine too, and while i let it out it sounds like its grinding almost.  I try and just dump the clutch if im on dirt to avoid it lol.

That noise could just be the friction plates chattering inbetween the grooves in the clutch basket. Drive plate will groove the inner hub.  Let us know where you end up.