Barnett spring conversion

[genecarroll]

I picked up a new to me 2001 max. I noticed the clutch pull was noticeable harder than my other maxs and my lever is nearly all the way out to grab. There’s no slippage but harder to ride for sure. I decided to investigate and pull cover. I know I was told before purchase it had a new clutch. But also found Barnett spring conversion in there. What can I do to get my clutch to grab closer to grip like most maxs I’ve owned.

 

[DreamV4]

Maybe you have aftermarket lever. Post picture or compare to ebay levers. Buy adjustable levers.

 

[genecarroll]

Maybe you have aftermarket lever. Post picture or compare to ebay levers. Buy adjustable levers.

They’re stock levers. I have 3 vmaxs in the garage right now to compare.

 

[TK3333]

The clutch on my 2000 has been the way you describe since the day I took off the showroom floor 22 years ago. This includes 1 new slave cylinder, 1 master clyinder rebuild and 1 clutch plate/disc replacement with Seans hd kit. So it sounds normal to me.

 

[Fire-medic]

Answer me this: when does it release on the pull to disengage? How much free-play is there? (Two questions awaiting answers)

 

[DreamV4]

File part of lever pushing piston.

 

[genecarroll]

Answer me this: when does it release on the pull to disengage? How much free-play is there? (Two questions awaiting answers)

It disengages pretty much instantly. And there’s really no friction zone. It’s been bled. No leaks. Stainless line.

 

[Fire-medic]

There should be a bit of free-play before you get resistance on the clutch lever. 2007 Yamaha V-MAX (VMX12W1) Clutch | Ron Ayers

Since you have other Vmaxes, you might try to switch the Barnett pressure plate to another bike, and see if installing an OEM pressure plate & diaphragm spring changes things. Then install the Barnett ass'y. onto the other bike, and see if the 'right-now' nature of the clutch pull transfers to the bike it's now on.

 

[maleko89]

Barnett does increase lever effort by about 20%.

 

[DreamV4]

Barnett does increase lever effort by about 20%.

Comparing to new OEM or weak old spring?

 

[maleko89]

Never had a weak spring induced slipping clutch. Only bad plates and friction disks or with hydraulics issue (old fluid, lines, bad slave). Current spring had 20K on it with no slip before it was converted to Barnett. My old '89 had 60K with original spring before I went to PCW just because. Original spring was fine.

 

[genecarroll]

Never had a weak spring induced slipping clutch. Only bad plates and friction disks or with hydraulics issue (old fluid, lines, bad slave). Current spring had 20K on it with no slip before it was converted to Barnett. My old '89 had 60K with original spring before I went to PCW just because. Original spring was fine.

I don’t have slippage at all. My issue is with it grabbing when the lever is almost all the way out. Every max I’ve ever ridden has had you start moving with about a quarter of the lever out now it’s more like 3/4. I know I can try and find adjustable levers so my fingers aren’t so far out. I’m just curious as to why it’s doing it. I’d rather not have to grind things down to help.

 

[genecarroll]

I don’t have slippage at all. My issue is with it grabbing when the lever is almost all the way out. Every max I’ve ever ridden has had you start moving with about a quarter of the lever out now it’s more like 3/4. I know I can try and find adjustable levers so my fingers aren’t so far out. I’m just curious as to why it’s doing it. I’d rather not have to grind things down to help.

Well I moved pressure plate from one bike to another and it seems to work flawlessly. Only difference I saw was the clutch plates in the one I’m having problems with. I can tell they’re new as I was told but aren’t the normal I’ve seen.

 

[Fire-medic]

I suspect your friction plates are fractionally thicker, and the 'stack dimension' is a bigger thickness than the OEM measurement. That could account for the difference in clutch throw at the lever. That's only my theory, as I believe a hydraulic clutch is 'self-adjusting.'

 

[DreamV4]

Hydraulic freeplay comes from piston, pushing fluid out of small hole. Remove cover, slowly pull lever and watch stream from small hole. Find video on youtube.