Hi guys, I've got my recently bought 2004 999 with 8000mls in for major service and have been told that the clutch is worn and needs replacing, at a cost of around £500. The service work is already costing me about £600 and so cannot really afford it at the moment. How difficult is it to replace? I also want to fit an open cover with a coloured pressure plate, does the clutch kit come with the pressure plate or is it supplied separately? Thanks.
Preasure plate supplied separately, unless you had problems with your clutch and you are capable of basic maintenance I would tell them to leave the clutch alone and do it myself. Steve
Dry clutches (as on the 999) are easy to replace BUT you may need a clutch holding tool (around £30) and a torque wrench (cheap ones sell for around £20, and they should be just about accurate enough). A new basket and plates can be bought through ebay for around £90 each. More often than not only the plates need replacing. It's not advisable to mix steel and alloy as the steel will chew up the alloy. The better combination (which is the one I priced up) is alloy basket + alloy friction plates (the 'plain' plates are usually steel). Make sure you build the 'stack' in the right order (get an online manual - free). Enjoy!
If the clutch is not slipping and the wear is mainly between the tabs and basket and hub, you can usefully extend the life of your clutch by using the quiet clutch mod. My clutch was chattering away even when riding along on a neutral throttle but not any more, it's now smooth and quiet. It's an easy job but if you're one of those people that actually likes the sound of metal hammering on metal, knackering your clutch, it's not for you.
+1 for the quiet clutch mod. Dead easy to do and and also minimises the slight growning noise when pulling away quick. Why Ducati did not fit the extra plate in the first place will remain a mistory to me. Unless your basket is is shot I would change the clutch plates yourself. There is loads of help on here if you need it too.
I did read somewhere that some Ducati dealers did start doing it but were discouraged from continuing because some customers had an issue with a jerky clutch action that was potentially dangerous. After a considerable mileage, the tabs on the friction plate could dig into the curve at the bottom of the slot and create a step, which the tabs could jump out of when easing the clutch out, causing a jerky action. Not what you want when slipping the clutch at a junction. The way round it is to radius the tabs to roughly match the curve they are sitting in, which I have done.
Yes, it is supposed to cause extra load but the sources I've read from say that it's pretty small and the bearing is easy enough to replace anyway. I haven't found any actual tales of the mod causing the bearing to fail, just that it is theoretically possible.
Will have to bow to your superior knowledge there but have you heard of instances of that bearing being compromised or is it just a theoretical possibility? I've read lots of posts by people who've done tens of thousands of miles with no problems...
wow...amazing response, thanks. I have been told that the clutch basket needs replacing also, so does that mean its too big a job for a diy? In which case could my local independant do it instead of a specialist?
Axe.. sod the specialist and the independent and do it yourself, piece of piss and theres vids on youtube that will help. Just a quick idea of whats involved! everything after 1.50 you dont need to do the bit you want is up until then, and its just a reverse of the what you did
Yes, the axial load on the bearing will be quite small but the bearing should be well capable of it and yes, Steve R is correct, it means splitting the cases to replace it. However, that said I'm a great believer in the quiet clutch mod. My previous ST4s did about 45,000 miles after doing the quiet clutch mod at around 3,000 miles. The original plates lasted 38,000 miles until the friction material wore out (is that a record?) and the basket and drum were still almost like new (alloy plates and alloy basket). The bike now has well over 50,000 on it with it's current owner and still no sign of the gearbox disintegrating. My 907ie and my son's 916 have the quiet clutch and have done the mode for quite a few others too.
Axe got to agree with what's being said here. The clutch is the introductory piece to Ducati home mechanics, and is where I got started, the next will be the clutch slave cylinder unless this has been already replaced. Get it back and check the basket to tab clearance, or if the clutch is slipping then do it yourself its about an hour or two's worth of work.
It looks like he's being told by the dealer it needs replacing, so I suspect the quiet clutch mod might sort it out on its own if he wants to do a quick, easy job he can do himself and save lots of money.
I do have a red Rizoma pressure plate and billet open clutch cover for sale. PM me if its any good to you
Never having built or prepped a single race engine and being a bear of very little brain, I have always failed to grasp why it is that the load changes adversely when you put a friction plate in first, rather than a plain plate. I'm guessing that it's something to do with load being placed on the basket, rather than the hub but I'd be very grateful for an explanation. Many thanks
