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By Jakub
#100330
I am new to Royal Enfield in general and Constellation in particular. In the winter I did rebore and oversize pistons, now with 400 miles the running in is coming to the end and I have started to drive more enthusiastically. And only now I have noticed clutch slipping on third and fourth. Previous Owner has changed three plates arrangement to four. The clutch is of the scissor type, free play on the pinion is about half turn, there is free play on the cable.
I was thinking perhaps new set of springs or is there some other solution?
By Rasp
#100331
What oil are you using in the primary drive?
I would recommend automatic transmission fluid (ATF) as it's less 'slippy' than conventional engine oil.
Rasp
By Andy C
#100346
Might be worth dismantling the clutch to check that the plates are not warped if all else fails.

Also worth checking the free length of the springs - assume that it has the correct springs fitted?

Worse case scenario is that a previous owner might have used an oil not designed for use with a wet clutch, if the friction plates are contaminated with that then they will slip.

Just a thought.
By Jakub
#100348
I did intensively search The Forum, turns out slipping on higher gear is fairly common for Enfields. To my undesrstanding there is no one dedicated cure.
So its a sum of little niggles. I have already replaced clutch cable, now I am going for new springs and perhaps new friction plates and back into original setup. Also back from ATF into recommended oil and smaller amount of oil. After all oil is there for cooling and I am not racing or going through town. Easy Sunday drive away from traffic is what I need.

Also when I think of it, on my other classic bike clutch slipping manifested itself by very difficult start. Once started there were no problems, here it's other way round, it starts and rides OK, it's happen only when I really open up.

I can't not to make one comment here. Royal Enfield owners should be extremely happy to have place like Hitchcock Motorcycles. I have two other classic bikes also catered for by some internet vendors. The level service I get there is nowhere near.
By Jakub
#100560
Answering myself, perhaps someone will encounter similar problem. I did installed three new plates and spring set from Hitchcock. With tools in my pockets I did long drive with countless stops and adjustments. No luck, either slipping or gearbox impossible to operate.

Did replaced set springs with stronger, bought individually ST181. Bingo. Now it works, perhaps sometimes gear change is little bit crude and clutch lever requires some force but I can live with it.

Don’t know if it matters but when assembling clutch front and pressure plates there could be small misalignment, more than 1,5 mil, turning round, measuring with calipers and adjusting clutch spring screws it’s possible to get plates more or less parallel. Don’t know if its relevant but I did anyway.

Also clutch withdrawal pin and cable requires separate adjustments, I had to replace brand new clutch cable because it was just tad too short.

All in all I am starting to like this bike, smiley face, smiley face.

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