Stronger springs in recent Grubee clutches

[Irish John]

I've just noticed that my recent batch of Grubee 4-stroke Honda kits have a noticeably stronger spring around the centrifugal clutch. This is a good omen and probably saves me drilling holes as per Cheetoh's method to lighten the clutch segments so the spring can hold them in at idle speed but just so as not to get too excited I can tell you that the clutches need to be hammered onto the shaft cos they haven't been machined properly to fit by sliding on. I've tried running a small round ******* file around the shaft hole in the clutch but that is not accurate enough so I'm just hammering them on. This isn't good but the clutches are made in the government factory where precision is always poor. One step forward and a giant leap backwards is how I think Mao Zedong named it.

 

[HoughMade]

A step in the right direction. Have you tried heating the clutch in an oven? When I am wrenching on my autos I have relied on putting control arms in the oven and bushings in the freezer to get a press fit with a standard bench vise rather than a press.

 

[Irish John]

Thanks HM but it would prob still be a tight fit and very hard to install because of it being hot and hard to handle. Hammering it on cold isn't a problem - it's getting it off again that's hard because, heat or no heat, it will get really tight when it cools. My small 3 jawed gear puller won't grip the back of the clutch until it is pulled out a fair way from the engine casing so the lugs on the jaws can fit in there and that is the problem. Let me tell you at this opportunity that drilling nine 7/32" holes as per Cheetoh's recommendation (he says 5\16" but that drill bit won't fit in the groove) is a fantastic improvement. You cannot harm the clutch - it can only improve it strong spring or weak spring makes no difference. I highly recommend you do this. I'm so impressed with it I'll send you a new clutch air mail gratis if you find it causes any probs. I can't bear to think of clanging noises on any decent bike build.

 

[HoughMade]

Right now I am thoroughly involved in my lighting system project- next stop- revisiting the clutch.