As I’m rebuilding my KLR engine and stroking it, I’m planning to replace the clutch components. I’ve seen the reference to KLRChris Dirt Grabber clutch, EM’s Barret heavy duty clutch springs, but in my searches and reference not much other that EBC’s clutch kit - springs, friction plates, and steel plates - and am wondering what else might be out there that I’m not aware of. So I’d like a heavy duty clutch to make sure I can use the available power from the engine without undue wear or slipping. Any recommendations?
Read all of it. On something other than your phone. You should come away with the thought that the OEM clutch pack is plenty strong and some KZ1000 or Barnett springs are plenty good enough.
Read all of it. On something other than your phone. You should come away with the thought that the OEM clutch pack is plenty strong and some KZ1000 or Barnett springs are plenty good enough.
I read it. All of it. And thank you for pointing it out. It does seem the 2009 has a pretty strong clutch, but I’m still going to replace my friction and drive plates while I have it open. I just dont see a reason not to refresh the components while it’s all apart. I even bought EMs water pump rebuild components.
To me, it’s just common preventative maintenance. I’d replace a perfectly good working water pump in a car when I replaced the timing chain too - assuming the water pump was only accessible when the front cover was off.
I realize it’s probably not needed as what I have is working. Although it has a very easy pull and no slippage that I’ve detected.
I’ll just feel better - if nothing else - about putting new components in there. I’ll also check the basket while I’m there to see if it is notched or has any other issues.
When it comes to friction materials (brake pads and clutch fiber plates), it is hard to beat the OEM stuff on the KLR. If you're going to put a new clutch in I'd recommend sticking with OEM. An OEM clutch, even used hard, will probably go 100K miles.
The OEM clutch is especially robust. My bike has the lower KLR600 primary ratio. I had it out in the desert with a 14/43 sprocket set and beat the crap out of the clutch for three days. I dug trenches trying to get out of an uphill berm, slipped it hard while climbing a dry waterfall and a hill made out of baby-heads. I abused it roosting through dry washes and tried to dig a hole to China in one dry riverbed. Convinced that I had fried the thing after that hard weekend, I found that I had worn quite a bit less than .0001" off of the friction plates. The steels were in fine shape and as flat as plate glass.
There are at least 8 complete clutches in the Shed of Horrors ranging in vintage from '85 to '14. Short stacks, tall stacks, and the new screwed-up stack, not a single one of them has a fiber plate that is worn beyond the limit or a steel that is blued or warped.
I use Barnett springs in mine and an extended clutch actuator lever from Twin Headlight Ernie.
I already have carpal tunnel and pinched nerves in my hand. I’m on methocarbomol and pain medication, so keeping that clutch lever easy to pull and hold is important to me. I like the easy pull of the current clutch. Been surprised by just how easy a pull it has for a mechanical clutch.
I would suggest looking at KG Powersports / KG Clutch Factory. They are the OEM manufacture of the stock clutch, which works the best, and sold at a fraction of the cost of the OEM parts.
Wish I had of known that before I ordered a complete set. Ah well, I’ll price them out and see if it’s worth while to send the OEM kit back. I haven’t used them yet.
Thanks.
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