Hi Zomby,
I am thrilled the clutch is working correctly. Please keep me posted on the durability of the modified clutch hub.
I also want to mention my concept about the clutch and a more powerful motor. All of my testing [2005 to current] indicates the more powerful the motor the less problems with the clutch. When a more powerful motor is used the shoes are thrown out with greater force, and locks the clutch quicker, switching the assembly from the weak point [the soft center bearing sleeve] causing the unit to turn as one piece. As I just stated the weak point of the clutch design is the soft bearing sleeve. Some of thier earlier versions tried to run needle bearings on a cast hub [no bearing race], and of course basic knowledge about bearings, especially small needle bearings, dictates that it might not work long. They next installed a bearing race to help, but instead of using a quality hardened sleeve, it looked like someone made them an a lathe [also a no no] with major tool marks and in my opion did a very poor job of hardening the sleeve. Of course many know that high speed needle bearings running anything other than a polished, hardened bearing race is very likely heading for problems. After many failed clutch assemblies, I modified a hub and sent it to Whizzer to show them a way to correct the clutch hub problems, however they went in another direction. Instead of using a quality hardened bearing race they elected to replace the 3 section needle bearing and 2 grease seals with ball bearings on the outside and a single one-way needle bearing in the center. First off they removed the grease seals, and I guess [not sure] they expected the ball bearing assembles would hold the grease in check, but of course the grease didn't have any problem "oozing" between the holes they cut in the hub to house the bearing. Some of the first hubs allowed so much grease to leak that it covered the shoes [my 2008 Ambassador didn't move forward at all out of the carton, and I had to clean the excess grease from the clutch shoes to make it operational]. Some of the holes were so big in the hub that the bearings fell out on the floor while servicing the clutch [removing all the grease from the shoes]. Instead of starting over and correcting the hole size, they used a punch and "peened" the aluminum around the bearing to hold it in place. Of course this method did little to stop the grease from leaving the center bearing. With a little research, I found a slightly thinner bearing that still allowed room for grease seals. Another surprize centers around the single section one-way bearing, In my opion it would have been wiser to stop and consider what happens when a smaller [steel] bearing in used in an aluminum hub. After a short time the clutch heats up and the aluminum expands more than the bearing, therefore the one-way bearing simply turned inside the hub and made it impossible to start the motor. I first discovered this problem when I rode my Ambassador to the gas station, shut off the motor, purchased gas, and then had to wait for almost 20 minuites for the aluminum hub to cool enough to hold the one way bearing in place [I was having major problems with the starter drive assembly at the time, and had to push start the motor]. BTW this is a very easy fix.
I must admit I was surprized when some of the later units starting having the sleeve slide off the hub. BTW is also an easy fix.
And now the good news, most, [not all] can be upgraded to work and last for a long time.
And I am sure that most, if not all, of the clutch issues have been addressed by Whizzer in the latest edition of their automatic clutch.
Have fun,
Quenton
