Ducati Monster Forum

Anyone knows if it is possible to ease the clutch on my S4R? It is difficult to have my bike on 1st gear when I am at a stop light... my hands are sore after some city traffic. I appreciate any input!
THanks

Aftermarket slave cylinder...go visit the Accessories and Mods board.

This is not great advise but after a car pulls behind you or if your between cars put the bike in neutral and give your hand a rest.
Of course this eliminates a quick response to get in gear and out of there if there is an emergency.

Keep your eyes on your mirrors if you are in neutral in case you need to move fast for what ever reason.

Sometimes you need to stretch your hand.

+1 on the aftermarket slave cylinder


Another thing you can do is pull 2 of your clutch springs out.

I've run my bike with 4 of 6 springs ever since I bought it and have never felt the clutch slip.

I have to give it a rest at stop lights.... but I wish the hard pull could be similar to a wet clutch.
Will installing the aftermarket Slave cylinder make it at least 50% easier to pull the clutch?

I don't think you'll get 50%...maybe 20

There are 6 springs in the clutch.. if I remove 2, like suggested above, won't it cause it to malfunction?
Maybe doing the slave cylinder AND also removing the springs will make it at least 50% easier?

The poster says his doesn't...just make sure you pull 2 springs opposite each other.

I think you're going to have a hard time reducing the effort by half.

I replaced three springs with some softer stainless steel ones,now it's not so bad on traffic.

did you do this yourself.. or a shop did it? I wonder how much they would charge to install the valve and remove/replace springs

Had the shop did it,the springs are inexpensive,make sure they alternate putting the springs,hard,soft etc...Price of the installation is cheap down here in the Philippines so you really can't compare.

Springs are really easy to replace. Take the cover off, take the springs off. Done..

As long as it does not slip under hard acceleration. I have heard lots of people doing this with out having any issues.

You will build up your muscles and get use to it in a few months  ;)

Actually my hands hurt right now from my hour and half commute home LOL

+1 to removing two springs.  Never had a problem in the three years I've been running them that way.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2502129082_babe637af5_m.jpg)


 :)

I started a workout routine for my forearm... haha.. just kidding

Just bled my clutch, removed 2 springs. Rear wheel still is standstill on 1st gear. =D i say its almost 35% easier to pull.

What do you mean with bled your clutch?

what is the difference between the 30mm bore instead 28mm for the slave cylinder? is it better to go bigger to help reduce the pull?

Removing two springs is a safe idea I have done it on many bikes and have yet to have a problem (dry clutches hardly ever slip) The more power you have the more you will test this theory but if it does slip just put them back.

Aftermarket slaves are a good option but you are playing with hydraulic ratios and there is no free ride. So, you may find it harder to get neutral at a full stop if you go for the larger bores. for some this is not a concern as you can select neutral as you are slowing to a stop.

Aftermarket spring are stiffer not softer from what I have seen, barnetts and stainless steel springs are about the same rate. they are good springs that look good in an open clutch but definitely not softer. Often the shop I worked at would sell a aftermarket clutch slave followed by a open clutch cover and stainless spring kit and the end result was a stock clutch pull    easier + harder= oem

So from what you have experienced is it correct to say that the best way to make the clutch pull easier would be to:
1) Remove 2 springs and keep the stock springs.
2) Replace the slave with the biggest bore available.

That's the best you can do.

Basicly. but you should get stainless springs just because stock springs get worn pretty easily. They rust if you just look at them and think of water.

By bleeeding i ment i changed the clutch fluid. My clutch gets heavily abused in NYC traffic, so the fluid is worn, and full of moisture. With your bike on a rear stand, you can start your bike and throw it in first with the clutch in. If your wheel starts spinning like nuts, then its slipping, and your bike will stall if you remove 2 springs. Ofcourse if your clutch is worn to begin with, no amount of clutch bleeding will help.

On a sidenote, i went to go bleed my brakes, and mid way thru i realized i had no more DOT3. at the same time, i forgot what i was doing with my hands and let go of either a brake lever or a wrench so i have air in my system and no front brakes.  [bang]

Too large a bore can make it hard to get neutral, FYI
start with the free mod, remove the springs first and try it.

That makes sense. I will. Thank you for the help! This forum is the best resource ever!
Thank you He-man and everyone else helping out! [thumbsup]

What do you do with the 2 bolts after removing the springs? Put them back in or leave out?

Put them back in, just past "snug"...

Or leave them out.  Without the springs and caps they do nothing.  If you have adjustable levers you can compensate for the shorter throw with the  bigger bore slave by adjusting the lever out, but that will also affect your grip by making a longer reach. 

Stainless springs are primarily a cosmetic upgrade, I have never seen a dry clutch spring failure and that is with  years of race bikes with open covers as well as about 50000 miles on my own bikes with open covers.

Rusty looking? yes
worn by the surface rust? no


For me the stiffer springs (stainless) were never a good enough trade off due to the harder clutch pull.

Cosmetics are such a personal thing that if you like them and understand the ups and downs of owning them, by all means go ahead. There is no right or wrong here just preferences

There is a discrepancy in opinions as to leave them in or take the bolts out after removing the 2 springs. If removing them doesn't cause any harm, then that may be the safest thing to do?

get a longer lever

 

I would leave them out.  They are more likely to loosen up without the spring supplying tension.

I would put them back in. Reason being that the holes could get dirt, sand, anything in them that would crud them up and you wouldn't be able to get the bolts back in later if you want to...

Thanks guys.. but again... everyone has a good reason to say leave them in or take them out. What is it going to be? I left mine out

I took mine out today and went for a ride. I must say that I feel the clutch much much easier. I was impressed. Thanks a lot for the advise

Okay guys we got her to actually take them out. do we start a new thread about the dangers of removing them? [evil]

Just kidding.

It is a good safe mod to do  ;)

Problem solved,stainless or no springs...

To be or not to be... to leave the bolts in or not...  [bang]

Leave them out.

They can't fall out that way, and if you need to put them back in you can clean the threads with a tap.

Will do! Thanks Ducvet

I wanted to share info I received from Arman at madduc. He recommended this:
"for better clutch leverage use:
1) 19mm. brembo master
2) stm slave cylinder
3) Softer clutch springs
...and that will make your clutch very soft."

but, where do you find springs that state to be softer than the stock ones?
Is the brembo master pricey?
and in order of importance.. which of the above mods is the one that makes the most impact on reducing effort when pulling the clutch?

This thread should be in the FAQS  [thumbsup]

You're confusing the vet with the painter   ;D

It may very well end up there when you make all your changes and can report on the results.

This is a good point.  How about some of those little screw hole plugs you can get at the hardware store?

locktite.

or 120psi blast of air.

Anyone?

I'm not sure which of those would make the biggest individual difference.  The master will be somewhat pricey, I think more than the slave.  I've never heard of softer springs, and you will get the equivalent by removing two as discussed earlier.  Bang for the buck, I'd go for the slave and removing two springs.  Leaving two screws out will also lessen your rotating mass, making huge improvements in motor spin-up.   [cheeky]