EVO Extra Plate Clutch & Spring Question

[96FLSTF]

Try to explain this best I can and be as short & sweat as possible. Bike is a 96 Fatboy I had since new. I put 60K miles on it without any major issues. Nothing special in the motor, ev27 cam, various breathers, se ignition, 42 mikuni, & pythons. Also one of those easyboy clutch dodads to make the cluch pull easier for the old arthritis. I never beat the bike but didn't baby it either. Been up & down the east coast and today wouldn't hesitate to go coast to coast with it. Never had the heads off, replaced the lifters at 55K only because of the miles, and a starter. Ands still today it burns less oil than my 05 RK and starts 1st time, every time at the push of the button.

So couple years ago when my son turned 16 I put him on it, me on my RK and we did an 8,600 mile, 28 day ride around the country. coast to coast and every sight to see inbetween that I could think of. In gridlock traffic in sturgis the oem original clutch started dragging like it wouldn't disengage. I figured plates were warping and gave the clutch adjustment at the cable a couple turns that took care of the problem for the rest of the trip. I figured the extra leverage of the easy boy clutch provided actually less movement of the clutches so they really did not fully separate and heated up while dragging.

Once home my son (Against my better judgement) replaced the clutch and spring with a Barnett Extra Plate Kit to include the Barnett Heavy Duty Spring. Immediately we had a problem the the clutch could not be properly adjusted because the easyboy clutch further reduced movement and prevented separation of the plates, so the easy boy clutch came out. It now take 4 men and a boy to pull the freaking clutch in. To the point that in traffic it is no longer enjoyable to ride. Now for the 2nd issue is during up shift (More so when cold) you have to blip the throttle to get it to shift, sort like the old trick of shifting a manual car without using the clutch. I have tightened up on the clutch adjustment at both the cable and at the clutch without much improvement.

Since all this started my son has joined and serving in the Marines. I have coverted the old fatboy with new skins to a stalker that he likes alot and added a few other things while he was deplayed to iraq. He's home now but based in NC busy drag racing his new hyabusa. Even though this thing is officially his I ride it for kicks when weather is nice and I don't feel like riding the RK.

So now I'm thinkin to pull out the extra plate kit and install the oem style from either harley or after market. And reinstall the easy boy clutch piece along with an oem diaphragm spring. I don't have the original parts so I gotta get new. My 1st question is the diaphragm spring plate part #37871-90, Could I use one i had laying around out of my 05 RK part# 37871-98? 2nd I have recently been running mobil1 in the primary. Could the mobil 1 prevent proper plate separation? Question 3, the Harley paper clutch kit is like almost $200 while aftermarket kevlar or carbon fibre clutch kits (Not the extra plate) are half that. Which is better?

Any & all recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Gene

[bladerunner]

 I had a similar  problem with my 02 dyna . Short story .  Turned out to be the clutch basket  wobbling on the bearing . Bearing could be  pushed in and out by hand. I replaced the basket , problem solved . barnett  xtra plate carbon ,with  vpc 92......bladerunner

[96FLSTF]

Thanks for your response Bladerunner. That reminds me sometime ago a tech had told me that if the primary chain was too tight that the clutch won't work / disengage. Maybe along the same lines as the basket wobble you mentioned. I personally haven't looked at the primary chain adjustment since my son installed the clutch. There is also an M-6 in there too.  He was new at wrenching at the time and did the work his self at a local indy shop where he worked part time & they were supposed to be teaching him. I bet the primary is too tight. We'll see tomorrow.

Gene 

[PaJoe]

When I installed the 113 in our  old '90 I added the Barnett heavy duty spring to my stock clutch with 107,000 miles on it. I also added one of those Burly easy shift type arms and the shifting was easier than stock - but - like you I could not get enough movement to fully disengage the clutch, so it came out.

I then changed the clutch cable and it helped a little - I still have a hard time if I get stuck in traffic (carpal tunnel) but it is not too bad other than that. If you have not changed the clutch cable in a long time, you may want to try a new one, a new clutch cable will work a little eaiser than the old worn out cables.

I recently purchased a new Energy One extra plate kit but did not get around to installing it, they have clutch kits for less than $100.00 . They do not recommend using any type of synthetic oil in clutches, you would do better with Type F  automatic transmission fluid  - Energy One also recommends  B&M Trick Shift automatic transmission fluid if you don't want to use Harley Primary oil.

[96FLSTF]

Thanks PaJoe, Yes its a new cable in addition I even lubed the cable. Later today I'm gonna swap out the oil with some atf or the older original Harley Primary oil I had several extra bottles laying around I wanted to use up. I have heard the atf improves separation of the plates. I can pull the lever, its just a pain in the arse, but the biggest issue is upshifting to 2nd mostly but 3rd & 4th too is that it just don't wanna shift without blipping the throttle. The clutch grabs to soon when letting the lever out while The cable is adjusted as tight as I am comfortable with. That little gap or space between the cable & lever bracket is almost 0 Like there is not enough movement or travel in the clutch.

Thanks
Gene

[1997flht]

I know the feeling, had sort of the same issue with my 1997 flht. Over the winter I installed the later style clutch basket with an easy pull kit. The clutch works absolutely flawlessly, easy to pull, easy to find neutral. I bought the clutch assembly off e bay for around $275.00. This was a direct fit, didn't have to change anything but the clutch assembly. Good luck

[Clintster]

I run the extra plate clutch with CF from Barnett with the stock spring 02 RK and VPC 92 T.  I have the Barnett HE cable and Burly EZ and the thing works great.  I wonder if you would do better using a lighter spring?