Are Clutches a known weak point?

[hjp1968]

Hi
I have just got back from a nice ride out in the country. I just started to speed up as I had just got through the section the Police hang out on the A46 there is a nice long lefthander and then a nice long right hander. As I started to go into the left the bike made a funny noise and lost a little power then I was into the right hander and thats when the back wheel stepped out ( I felt like I was Harga!) It settled back into line and I thought I had got a rear punture or something. My friend on his Blade catches me up and waves at me to slow down, something I was already doing! We stop and I see that the right hand side of my bike is coated in oil including the wheel (Photos tto follow as they are on my mates phone at the moment). Anyway we track the oil down to this

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[hjp1968]

The worrying bit is that a little bit of the back plate that holds the spring in place has gone missing. There is evidence that someone has been in here before me (Lots of Hilamar) so maybe the bit wasn't there in the first place so this was why it failed? Anyone else ever heard of such a problem? So now I need a new clutch basket and a clutch cover anyone got any going cheap?

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[Mincehead]

Hmmm, signs of transmission abuse I`m afraid.Clutchless changes, stamping down through the box too, they`ll all take their toll.
Had you been doing any of those things prior to it happening?
Those backplates are machine stamped to fashion the shock absorber springs recesses, they`ll take some abuse it`s true but a 270 degree crank parrallel twin cannot be bashed down the box like a four pot!
Did you find the missing `slice` of backplate material inside the cluch casing or has it disappeared?
Someone`s definately been in there before, it looks like friggin ketchup on that mating face! Maybe a previous owner did the initial damage, took out the offending sheared off piece of backplate and punted the bike on knowing it would definately lead to the loss of the spring one day?
You may never know for sure.
I have a brand new clucth cover but it wasn`t cheap, bought it from a Yamaha dealer selling off redundant stock, got quite a few bits and pieces off them to keep as spares.I think you might find there`s one on Ebay, been a week or so since I was on there though.

[hjp1968]

Hi
No I wasn't abusing the box before it happened, I had just gone done two gears from top at about 65-70matching the revs etc. No different than any of my other bikes I have or have had. I've been riding now for 25 years and have had nearly 30 bikes but this is the first I have ever seen like this and the first I have ever heard about!
I have not found the slice of metal yet, the sump will be coming off tonight (hopefully) and I hope I will find it there, if not god knows where it is, but as you say it might never have been there. There is lots of orange goop around, in fact there was no clutch cover gasket and the clutch main nut was difficult to get off as the thread is slightly damaged, all points to the clutch being removed before so it could have been damaged before and put back and sold on quick as you said.
I'll keep looking for the bits I need, there were some clutch covers on Ebay a while back but none now of course, I'm just worried where I'm going to get a clutch basket from, do any other bikes fit?
I now have the photo if the rear wheel just after I stopped, I can't believe I stayed upright to be honest, even with the damage (which doesn't seem as bad as it could be) I feel I am a very lucky chap!

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[Kayla]

Blimey! I'm glad you're ok, that could've been nasty.

[Mincehead]

Yes, very lucky to not be fetched off with that amount of oil over the tyre.Although, rear wheels breaking away are far easier to deal with / keep the bike in control than fronts, same as punctured tyres.
Well, I reckon the clutch was already `broken`by the previous owner and that the shock absorber spring was simply hanging on in there.
You might not find the sliver of back plate.
TRX`s don`t have problems with clutches in general, slipping is about the only thing I`ve heard of, again mostly from a bit of abuse.
I find the TRX clutch a bit grabby at times but mostly very smooth in operation.
I hope you soon find some parts to make her well again.

[hjp1968]

Hi
I've been searching on Ebay for the bits I need and there is nothing in the TRX selection, however there are covers and a clutch in the TDM section. From my limited research if I get a TDM 850 4TX cover it is the same. Can anyone confirm this? And what about the clutch basket can I use a TDM one and if so what model? (I'm guessing a 4TX again)
Thanks, I just want to get my favourite bike going again!

[sanddune51]

Hope any bikers following you later that day survived the oil your TRX dumped
Glad you stayed on though and hope you'll be able to repair it without too much grief.

Mark