'07 250XC-F with Rekluse - Question

[ktmchick]

I have a 250XC-F (well, now it is a Thumper Racing 300) with a Rekluse. For the past 10 months I have been trying to get it adjusted so that it engages right off idol. I have tried all of the various settings, but with no luck. I have also gone through 2 sets of friction plates. We have suspected for a while that there is too much pressure being applied to the plates.

Our suspicion was confirmed last night. We removed the clutch master cylinder from the bike and started the bike and put it in gear. It immediately engaged off of idol. We also noticed that you have to push pretty hard on the master cylinder to get the throw out rod to fit inside when reinstalling the cylinder.

So we decided that we would shorten the throw out rod in order to relieve some of that pressure. We ended up grinding about 2 mm off of the throw out rod and now the clutch engages perfectly off of idol.

However, now when the bike is just sitting in neutral and if you pull in the clutch lever multiple times, it pumps up. It never used to do this, but the pressure is relieved as soon as you get the bike going. Does anybody know if this is a normal characteristic of the rekluse or did we screw something up by shortening the throw out?

[odonnks]

I'd have to guess that by removing the 2 mm from the throw-out rod the hydraulic system will pump up until there is resistance pushing back on the throw-out.

Then once you apply some throttle and the Rekluse balls 'ramp' outward and that additional force on the throw-out pushes the clutch fluid back into the clutch master cyl.

The clutch hydraulic system is really no different than a braking system. Add air or spread the brake pads a little and it takes a few pumps to get the pressure to the point that the caliper grabs the disk.

By removing the 2 mm you created a small air gap that needs pumped out before the throw-out hits the pressure plate.

Was the installed gap correct?

Is this a Rekluse Pro or Z-start?

[r1rider871]

Did you call Rekluse? They have great customer service and I am sure they will have answers for you to correct your problem.

http://www.rekluse.com/contact.shtml

[ktmchick]

Was the installed gap correct?

Is this a Rekluse Pro or Z-start?

It is a Pro and the installed gap is correct. I think your theory is right. At first we only took off 1 mm and the clutch did not pump up, but the Rekluse still did not engage correctly. So then we took off another mm, and that is when it started to pump up.

Did you call Rekluse? They have great customer service and I am sure they will have answers for you to correct your problem.

http://www.rekluse.com/contact.shtml

We called a few months ago, and they really did not have a solution to the problem. So we kinda took things into our own hands. At first we thought it wasn't engaging correctly because my friction plates were worn. So we threw new plates in. But after just a few rides (no more than 8-10), the friction plates were really worn, and I had to put the adjustment plate in. The Rekluse was also making a squelching noise almost everytime I took off from first gear or in any technical area where I would be lugging first gear. So that's when we thought of this solution. I'll find out tomorrow if it is a good solution, but seems to be 100 times better than it was.

[r1rider871]

It is a Pro and the installed gap is correct. I think your theory is right. At first we only took off 1 mm and the clutch did not pump up, but the Rekluse still did not engage correctly. So then we took off another mm, and that is when it started to pump up.

We called a few months ago, and they really did not have a solution to the problem. So we kinda took things into our own hands. At first we thought it wasn't engaging correctly because my friction plates were worn. So we threw new plates in. But after just a few rides (no more than 8-10), the friction plates were really worn, and I had to put the adjustment plate in. The Rekluse was also making a squelching noise almost everytime I took off from first gear or in any technical area where I would be lugging first gear. So that's when we thought of this solution. I'll find out tomorrow if it is a good solution, but seems to be 100 times better than it was.

The noise in first gear is normal. It can be reduced by the oil used. What oil are you using? I think Rekluse recommmends the Rotella. I am running Amsoil and get the noise, but it doesn't hurt anything. Some KTM's do this even without the Rekluse. I think it has something to do with the metal on metal plates that get installed first. My friction plates are not showing any abnormal wear. The noise is only in first as you described too.

[ktmchick]

The noise in first gear is normal. It can be reduced by the oil used. What oil are you using? I think Rekluse recommmends the Rotella. I am running Amsoil and get the noise, but it doesn't hurt anything. Some KTM's do this even without the Rekluse. I think it has something to do with the metal on metal plates that get installed first. My friction plates are not showing any abnormal wear. The noise is only in first as you described too.

I would get noise in other gears as well, and it progressively got worse. We did not think it was a normal thing because when we first installed the rekluse, there was no noise, but as the friction plates wore, the noise got worse. Put in new friction plates, and the noise went away, but came back. The bike did not make these noises prior to installing the Rekluse, nor did it go through 2 sets of friction plates in a year.

[r1rider871]

I would get noise in other gears as well, and it progressively got worse. We did not think it was a normal thing because when we first installed the rekluse, there was no noise, but as the friction plates wore, the noise got worse. Put in new friction plates, and the noise went away, but came back. The bike did not make these noises prior to installing the Rekluse, nor did it go through 2 sets of friction plates in a year.

Yeah, that doesn't sound right then. First gear would be fine, but not if your hearing it all the time. Going through friction plates that fast sounds like the clutch is not fully engaging either. I can see your logic of shortening the throw out now.

I am running the LHRB and dropped the clutch all together so my setup is a bit different then yours.

Also did your kit come with the Rekluse Throw-out spacer? Did you install the Belleville (concave) washers and if so what direction did you install it in?

Where is engagement taking place when you pull in your clutch lever? Close tot he grip or far away or in the middle somewhere?

[ktmchick]

Yeah, that doesn't sound right then. First gear would be fine, but not if your hearing it all the time. Going through friction plates that fast sounds like the clutch is not fully engaging either. I can see your logic of shortening the throw out now.

I am running the LHRB and dropped the clutch all together so my setup is a bit different then yours.

Also did your kit come with the Rekluse Throw-out spacer? Did you install the Belleville (concave) washers and if so what direction did you install it in?

Where is engagement taking place when you pull in your clutch lever? Close tot he grip or far away or in the middle somewhere?

On the 250F, the kit comes with a spacer and then an oil damn that are both installed over the end of the stock throw out bearings. We estimated that this amount added about 2mm to the total length of the throw out. Before we cut the throw out, it engaged pretty far out on the clutch lever. Now it engages right in the middle, which is where it engaged before we installed the rekluse, so seems more normal. I am thinking that maybe we took a hair too much off of the throw out and the problem with the lever pumping up can probably be fixed by taking less off. The throw out's are only $8, so maybe we'll get a new one and try again and see what happens.

[Flynall]

FYI,

I have a Rekluse Z start in my 07 KTM450EXC. It has 7,800 miles on the original friction plates. They've worn about 0.003 inches so far. I've had a new set sitting in the cabinet for more that a year and still haven't needed them.

RH