Clutch Motor squeals when clutch is engaged

I couldnt get to the bearings cause I couldnt find the right size socket to get that center nut off. The one that the spring goes over.
 
I guess you are a lucky guy then, for solving your problem. Some people remove that clutch cable holder/adjuster that screws into the engine block and put gobs of grease inside the hole to get grease on both bearings. You may have got some on the bearing but I don't know how!
 
I am having similar issues as kcpoloman stated. My question is it necessary to address this , meaning will it be detrimental to the motor if i just leave it. I ask this as it seems quite involved for a newbie, as myself. I have got the bike running , it does great. but have never disassembled the clutch before. just want to make sure nothing goes bouncy bounce like someone mentioned with ball bearings.

Basically was wondering how difficult it is to do , i have adjusted the clutch , flower nut cleaned that area but never taken the whole clutch out before.

the engine was like this out of the box, just curious
 
these are light clutches, it may be that you are engaging too fast instead of easing it in or it may just be slipping a bit all the time which is adjustable
 
It only makes that sound when. First pedaling to start as far as I can tell .
If it is slipping a bit how do I go about adjusting
 
It only makes that sound when. First pedaling to start as far as I can tell .
If it is slipping a bit how do I go about adjusting
Open clutch gear cover. It's the largest one on the bike, right side.
Looks like this:
clutch.jpg

(bikeberry image)
See where he's pointing? That philips head screw is what you remove first. Now pull the clutch lever in and lock it.

The silver plate and 'flower nut' should lift from the clutch pads. If the plate isn't springy when you press on it (as in it pushes back out when you take your hand off) then you are missing a spring under the plate. The plate should be pressed in by hand and the flower nut turned clockwise to tighten it, go as far as it will go, then turn back just until a cut out in the nut matches one of the screw holes. Replace retaining screw and cover.


On occasion you might have too much play in the clutch cable and squeezing the lever won't disengage properly. First when adjusting the clutch it's a good idea to pull the cable through the clutch arm on the left side till the cable doesn't have slack with the lever out, this does not mean tensioned, like pressing in the arm so it would normally spring back out if let go. Just remove the slack. Then adjust the flower nut as described.

They make a variety of retaining nuts or bolts for the cable to go on the end outside the arm, it usually is best to use one instead if relying on the screw in the arm alone. You may even have spare bicycle parts, some brakes and derailleurs use a small bolt with a drilled hole and a washer and nut to hold the cable in place. One of those and a stack of washers can substitute for one and is good backup.

Expect to adjust the clutch again the sane way after break in, cables and parts stretch and seat.
 
Thanks Frankenstein

Yet it appears I may have given a lack of explanation or again do not know what I am doing. I have adjusted it a few times on all three parts of the clutch areas, clutch handle, clutch arm, and clutch flower nut. I felt I had fine tuned it satisfactory. And it seems to work great when I disengage ( I think I have that in right order now) clutch and pedal , and in all other aspects of it use. I only notice this weird sound when doing the initial start of the bike.

Maybe as others have stated, I am not going fast enough before engaging , thereby putting a little undue stress on it, however once it is going rather it be in idle mode or cruising down the road I do not hear anything out of the ordinary. Then again those little engines do make a bit of sound so not sure if I would notice if it was slipping still.

I am hesitant to remove the whole clutch shaft to grease bearings being it is brand new. But I do not want to damage anything either. So I am sort of at a Impass at the moment.
 
Thanks Frankenstein

Yet it appears I may have given a lack of explanation or again do not know what I am doing. I have adjusted it a few times on all three parts of the clutch areas, clutch handle, clutch arm, and clutch flower nut. I felt I had fine tuned it satisfactory. And it seems to work great when I disengage ( I think I have that in right order now) clutch and pedal , and in all other aspects of it use. I only notice this weird sound when doing the initial start of the bike.

Maybe as others have stated, I am not going fast enough before engaging , thereby putting a little undue stress on it, however once it is going rather it be in idle mode or cruising down the road I do not hear anything out of the ordinary. Then again those little engines do make a bit of sound so not sure if I would notice if it was slipping still.

I am hesitant to remove the whole clutch shaft to grease bearings being it is brand new. But I do not want to damage anything either. So I am sort of at a Impass at the moment.
The grease in the bearings might do the trick. Squeaks or rattles can be a clutch plate without a spring behind it, it's a simple spring that helps push the plate away when the clutch is used.

Can be very new pads burning in as well. Something I do normally on new pads or motors is start the motor and hold the brakes while slowly letting the clutch go till the pads start burning/seating in. Give it a bit of gas as long as the engine is cool enough to help really heat those clutch pads up. After about 500 degrees most oils and greases start to boil out of the pads and helps get that nice clutch feel.

Don't let the motor overheat obviously.

Set clutch arm tension and plate adjustment, ride it a bit. If it feels like it slips at all then ride around safely untill you feel that the slip won't get (or cant) worse. Continue this until the pads are bedded and slip is eliminated.

On a jackshaft this slip is easier to detect, while trying to pedal start a slipping clutch is very evident. At high speeds on both drivetrains you may feel like the engine is reving faster than it should for the speed. A slipping clutch will slip on heavy torque and at high speeds with lots of wind drag. Proper adjustment fixes both.
 
I am having similar issues as kcpoloman stated. My question is it necessary to address this , meaning will it be detrimental to the motor if i just leave it. I ask this as it seems quite involved for a newbie, as myself. I have got the bike running , it does great. but have never disassembled the clutch before. just want to make sure nothing goes bouncy bounce like someone mentioned with ball bearings.

Basically was wondering how difficult it is to do , i have adjusted the clutch , flower nut cleaned that area but never taken the whole clutch out before.

the engine was like this out of the box, just curious
It's pretty easy. Go for it. Nothing went bouncy bounce on mine. The bearings were sealed in, or held in, not really sealed. Getting the lock nut off takes a lot of force, that is the hardest part of the job.
You could do with a small syringe to pump a bit of grease into the bearing through the grease port (little hole on the back). I have read it can spill/spin out onto the clutch pads if you use too much or try to get less pedalling resistance with a too thin grease.
I think, iirc, I was advised to re-grease about every 300 miles. There's nothing to lose by greasing a bearing that you think may be dry, even if it is not actually the source of the squeal you've been hearing. Everything to lose by just leaving it though, I would think.
I knew mine was dry because it was actually seized up when I got the (generic non Grubee) engine kit out of the box and started messing with it. After breaking the stiction I could hear the dry scratchy metallic sound of a bearing without grease. This was heard when turning the sprocket while the clutch plate was removed.
This is not meant to contradict the earlier replies but I did this on my engine and it seemed like a good idea to get it done early. I have not actually found a source for a spare clutch hub -> ring gear bearing.
 
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