LewieBike
Well-Known Member
So-o, I thought I'd make a "how I done it.." review of a new clutch I bought to replace the old, janky clutch my bargain Amazon 48cc bike kit engine desperately needs to have replaced. You know, I could write an entire 4 page thread about all the gremlins I've chased on this benighted piece of junk. But let us just cut to the present and assume that there will be fewer issues after this gets installed. Frankly it's been running pretty good as long as I don't use the clutch much. I've had to bathe the ring gear's "interface" with the friction disc's mating "bearing" with heavy grease to keep the noise to a dull clatter.
Amazon link to clutch
So, the promise of this clutch is that it's got a pressed in precision deep groove metal shielded ball bearing and will supposedly last longer and work better. Considering that the clutch my engine came with was without any ball bearings, and the ring-gear/clutch friction pad carrier was just floating steel to steel to the friction disc with about 0.025" clearance between the two, was less than heartening. The darn gears made more noise than the engine did at idle. Once it got going I'd float the clutch lever to center the ring gear and things would quiet a bit. Not ideal it's not even a fair deal and I need to fix this now that riding season is here.
Challenges I face with this install: Apparently the Woodruff key slot in this clutch is narrower that stock, I'm hoping with my stock clutch the key is the same width. But I have some small files I can open the new clutch friction disc's Woodruff slot with. That's going to be fun. ( no, it is certainly not..)
The other issue is the original clutch's threaded area for the puller is buggered beyond recognition, so I'm going to have to brass drift the old clutch off, more otherwise unnecessary disassembly of the clutch actuator shaft side, so the clutch shaft can be punched over a bit. Been there, done that. And STOOPID!
So fun times. I'm going to place bets that I manage to get this working despite the issues, maybe..
Amazon link to clutch
So, the promise of this clutch is that it's got a pressed in precision deep groove metal shielded ball bearing and will supposedly last longer and work better. Considering that the clutch my engine came with was without any ball bearings, and the ring-gear/clutch friction pad carrier was just floating steel to steel to the friction disc with about 0.025" clearance between the two, was less than heartening. The darn gears made more noise than the engine did at idle. Once it got going I'd float the clutch lever to center the ring gear and things would quiet a bit. Not ideal it's not even a fair deal and I need to fix this now that riding season is here.
Challenges I face with this install: Apparently the Woodruff key slot in this clutch is narrower that stock, I'm hoping with my stock clutch the key is the same width. But I have some small files I can open the new clutch friction disc's Woodruff slot with. That's going to be fun. ( no, it is certainly not..)
The other issue is the original clutch's threaded area for the puller is buggered beyond recognition, so I'm going to have to brass drift the old clutch off, more otherwise unnecessary disassembly of the clutch actuator shaft side, so the clutch shaft can be punched over a bit. Been there, done that. And STOOPID!
So fun times. I'm going to place bets that I manage to get this working despite the issues, maybe..
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