Need help with bike clutch

[venusion]

I own a Suzuki GSX400F '94. I am experiencing problems with my clutch not releasing when my bike is running. I have stripped my bikes clutch and would like to know if anyone can tell me how many friction plates and how many fibre plates should be installed. I currently have 7 friction plates and 8 fibre plates. I have a diagram of a wet clutch of a similar 400cc motorcycle and on the diagram it shows only 7 friction plates and 7 fibre plates... Should I remove one of the fibre plates from my clutch?

[erik]

I own a Suzuki GSX400F '94. I am experiencing problems with my clutch not releasing when my bike is running. I have stripped my bikes clutch and would like to know if anyone can tell me how many friction plates and how many fibre plates should be installed. I currently have 7 friction plates and 8 fibre plates. I have a diagram of a wet clutch of a similar 400cc motorcycle and on the diagram it shows only 7 friction plates and 7 fibre plates... Should I remove one of the fibre plates from my clutch?
I had a look at
http://www.suzukicycles.org/GSX-series/

and in the EBC Brakes catalogue.
http://www.ebcbrakes.com/

Are you sure it's a 1994? What is the first bit of the chassis number? If it's GK74A then I think it should have the same clutch as my bandit going by the EBC catalogue, in which case there should be 8 friction plates and 7 steels. If they're the original plates, the inner and outer ones should be cork and all the rest should have a paper surface. The inner one should be 6mm wide, all the rest should be 9mm.

If you removed one friction plate, you'd have to remove one of the steels as well. It's pretty unlikely that someone would put an extra plate in there.

Have you checked the steel plates to see if they're warped? You need to lie them on a flat surface like a granite benchtop, then try to slide a feeler gauge under them at different points around the plate. If it's the same as the bandit, a 0.1mm gauge shouldn't be able to slide under it without touching it.

I had a bit of fun earlier this year trying to figure out why my clutch was dragging - tried changing oil, measuring the plates, replacing a few of the steel plates which were a tiny bit warped. Nothing helped much until I tried replacing the friction plates. The old paper plates from my clutch looked like they were really smooth (glazed maybe?) I'm not sure if it's because they were so smooth, maybe they were sticking to the steels too well, or maybe one or two were a bit warped, I'm not sure. But changing the friction plates fixed it and was only NZ$100 or so for an aftermarket set of plates.

My advice is check the steel plates for warping. If they are warped, replace the warped ones. If you want you could put it back together and see if it's fixed. If it isn't, try replacing the friction plates. Or you could just replace the friction plates straight away.

There's a couple of threads of my clutch problems:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=52792
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=8562.0

I've attached the pages about the clutch from the gsf400 manual.

[venusion]

The fibre plates are brand new... They were installed recently by someone who serviced my bike... That is when the problem started. I have checked the friction plates and there is no warping. I take it they are also new. Thanks for the manual pages they are very handy. Is there anything else I can check to see what is causing this problem. I have checked all the things you did on your thread but still no luck. What will heppen if I take out one of the friction & Fibre plates?

[venusion]

Thank you for all the help...

I found that one of the fibre plates was the incorect size. I bought the correct plate and istalled it now the problem is solved. Thanks for the manual pages it solved a lot.

You dont perhaps have the pages for the carbs as well?

[erik]

That's good to hear :)
I couldn't think what to suggest after your second post.

I've got the complete bandit 400 manual, I'm not sure if it's the same engine/carbs as your bike. I'll send you a pm.