185s clutch

[79fordblake]

I adjusted the clutch on my 1981 185s the way the manual described. It seems like if I don't keep above a certain rpm it starts to slip and if I give a little more gas it grabs and goes. Is this the way this clutch is designed to work or do I have a problem? Thanks in advance.

[79fordblake]

Ok just to add to my previous post so I don't look stupid. I know it has a centrifugal clutch and won't grab till a certain rpm, but Ive never had a atc until now so I don't know if its within the normal limits or if its slipping to much. So I don't know if the shoes need to be replaced or not.

Ill take the cover off when I get time and see what it looks like. What should I look for to tell its worn? I know to look for wear marks in the clutch drum.

[Vealmonkey]

It is a combo clutch. Not only does it have a conventional clutch with plates and fibers, it also has the centrifugal part also! Kind of a treat to deal with at times. If you had old clutch fibers in your trike and you changed the oil for a more slippery synthetic, you may have just shot yourself in the foot. Synthetics seem to not work well with old used clutches, but better with new clutches, but I don't like running the synthetic oils because of that, unless you have a more modern set of higher quality clutch fibers. The adjustment for the clutches is for the standard clutch pack, not the centrifugal clutches, so you could have any one of several problems. Try doing a "search" on 185s clutch or centrifugal clutch and start doing some reading. There are many threads on this very subject already. Also it seems that some centrifugal feet are just a tad too big for the housing and have to be sanded down to fit properly. But you will read about these things by doing a "search". Best of luck and keep us posted what you find.

[79fordblake]

I have changed the oil recently but didnt use synthetic. I also had the problem before the oil change. May not be anything wrong, I just may not be use to the way it works since this is my first ATC.

[Lukeatc185]

how bad is it? give us a little description, can u move around slowly or does it just catch and take off? you should be able to control your speed smoothly by toggling the throttle to higher rpms.

[79fordblake]

How slow do you mean by slowly? I cant really creap along, meaning I cant barely touch the gas and make it move. I have to rev some to get going. At first when I hit the gas the rpms come up then after a second I hear them go back down a little after the clutch catches. I could tell the other day I had to rev alot more to first get it going when I was pulling a few limbs(not big limbs, could have easily been pulled by hand).

[79fordblake]

Here maybe this short video will help. Started off in 1st you can hear when it takes a second to catch, shifted to 2nd you can hear when it catches. Stayed in 2nd slowed down a little went to speed up and you can tell it took a second to catch.

http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/e...t=MOV00025.flv

[Lukeatc185]

its hard to tell from the video, but the take off did not seem to bad at all, what gear were you in during the end of the video?

[79fordblake]

I stayed in second.

Maybe its just me.......maybe nothing wrong with it at all? The only other thing that I have rode alot is my 1999 Yamaha Big Bear 350. I might not be use to what the 185s does yet. I wish somebody that had one lived close by so they could ride it and see.

[Lukeatc185]

did you take that video today? if so take another but keep the camera off the bike and just show us the take off. its hard to tell with you filming on the bike.

[79fordblake]

This is about as good as I could do. Im using my phone and I didnt have anybody to hold it. I already had it in gear then just hit the gas. It was on a slight up hill grade. I dont know if this helps, but if I nail the gas it will pretty much flip over. The first day I got it home I didnt know how perky the engine was so I full throttled it and it about landed on top of me. Im more cautious now, lol.

http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/e...t=MOV00029.flv

[Lukeatc185]

from what i can see, its alright, i can topple over my 185s also you were walking beside it no problem.

[79fordblake]

Here is a pic of the little beast. I love this thing. Just got done takin it on a night ride. Im glad I found out that what it is doing is normal.



Ive had lots of fun fixing it up. Still doing odds and ends on it. Its going to be rode alot. Not hard though, I like to go slow and see the sights. I have the decals for the back fender ordered, should be in sometime this up coming week. Doesnt have the right decal on tank but it was on there when I got it and in good shape so I masked it off. Great runner, easy to start.

Best part, I got this little jewel for free.

[Lukeatc185]

looks awesome man. way better shape then mine. those tires look huge too

[Vealmonkey]

I hate to say it but that video doesn't really show anything at all. All you hear is a slight hesitation from one gear to the next and it doesn't prove anything. If you are shifting slow and holding the shift lever up or down too long, it will cause the same thing. The clutch plate assembly is actuated every time you upshift or downshift and if you let your foot off too slowly it will do the same thing. It really is a little trickier to shift these "auto" trikes than what people think. Try to pay attention to what you do and what the trike does when you do it. You really need someone to film you while you are operating the trike and you need to take a film from either side. Heck, you could be accidentally dragging on the brake with your hand or your foot while you are shifting and it will cause a slight lag. You may even have crappy wheel bearings or poorly adjusted brakes which can afftect how your bike performs or operates. Like I said before, it could be any one of a number of things.