Adding a set of heavy-duty clutch springs is a fairly simple and inexpensive thing to do. I did this in preparation for aftermarket exhaust and Thunder Air Kit/Stage III rejet. These mods will add substantial torque that has been known to cause some clutch slippage. I followed the instructions on Blacktop's page. I encountered some things that were not completely discussed there so read carefully. You'll save a lot of time by learning from my mistakes!
I purchased my clutch springs from Hellriser Customs. I ordered the right side crankcase cover gasket from my local dealer for $13.
Park your bike in a garage or other suitable workplace. You'll be removing a lot of bolts and other parts that you'll want to keep track of. Start the engine and let it warm up for about ten minutes. We want the oil nice and warm before we drain it. Remove the right side-cover also as it'll help you gain access to the exhaust acorn nuts on the rear jug.
After shutting off the engine, I put the bike up on my Toolman lift. This makes it easier to get to the oil drain plug and filter. I found that during the whole project it was nice to have the bike sitting up straight too.
Once the engine was warm. I broke the oil drain plug free and slid the drain pan under the bike. Next I removed the plug and let the oil drain into the pan. I was due for an oil change so I removed the filter as well. I find that if I go to the right side of the bike and reach under with my left hand, I can get a pretty firm grip on the filter. I did not need a wrench to remove my filter. Your mileage may vary. I replaced the filter with a new one and reinstalled the drain plug with a new crush washer.
Remove the two acorn nuts from each header pipe. Next remove the two nuts from the exhaust bracket. With a little maneuvering, the pipes will come right off. My pipes were a little warm so be careful!
Take a look at the picture here. It shows the crush gasket. If you didn't know any better you'd think there wasn't a gasket in there at all. The copper "ring" shown is the gasket. A small flat head screwdriver will work to get it loose and then you can use the needle nose pliers to remove it. Do this for both heads.
Remove the two bolts that hold the right footpeg to the frame. I have a Cobra engine guard. I also needed to loosen the right side clamp for the engine guard. This will let you move the footpeg assembly around enough to gain access to all the bolts that hold the crankcase cover on. Also remove the rear brake spring. It's not shown in the pic, but if you look at the pic and move left it'll be the first spring you see.
Remove the bolt that holds on the clutch cable bracket, then remove the cable and ferule from the clutch lever. Remove the remaining 13 8mm. bolts that hold the crankcase cover on.
Carefully remove the crankcase cover. Pay special attention not to damage the gasket. Here's where you learn what NOT to do.
I was getting a few pics of the pickup in there for a different mod. I removed the two bolts that hold it on to get a better look at the mounting brackets. Then I noticed that the wiring passes through a rubber seal on its way out. When I grabbed the seal and gave it a little pull, the gasket tore. Up until this point I was thinking about not changing the gasket at all because it was in great shape. Too late now, it had to be changed. Well, I spent the next 2.3-3 hours scraping off the old gasket. Let me tell you it was NOT fun. So don't do what I did.
Something else you might want to check out at this point is the little lever in the cover. If you actuate it as if the cable was pulling it you'll see how it works. The little actuator can fall out so don't lose it. If you have to put it back in, make sure it's in properly. If you work the little lever and feel the slight tension from the spring then you put it back in right.
Loosen each of the 4 bolts in a crisscross pattern. I did it in 1/2 turn increments. The springs are loaded, but they'll be almost 100% unloaded when the bolts get loose. In other words don't worry about springs flying out in every direction. Once the plate is off, just take the springs out and set them aside.
I took a minute to compare the new springs with the old ones. If you compress them with your fingers you can tell the new ones are a little harder to compress.
Now just put your 4 new springs in and reassemble everything. Use a crisscross pattern while tightening the 4 bolts. Keep the plate "level" as you tighten the 4 bolts. Torque to 9ft/lbs.
When replacing the crankcase cover tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern. This will ensure even torque all the way around and thus a good seal. Failure to do this may result in warping the cover.
Remember to use new crush gaskets for the exhaust. Most importantly, remember to refill with oil! I think you'll be pleased with the results.
Except for the gasket ordeal which was my fault this was really easy to do. The clutch lever is slightly harder to squeeze but not by much. I thought the clutch might feel grabbier but it didn't. It does seem to engage just a little sooner than before. I'll let you know if the clutch slips after the Thunder Kit is installed.
