The Hodaka Club Forum

Inspecting and spiffing up my clutch - 100B - I noticed that there were places where the bolts had gouged into the metal plates rather deeply. The clutch was always draggy and grabby and I'd put that down to having been out of action for maybe forty years.

Upon trying to reassemble it I ran across some difficulty and finally discovered that the holes in the cover, while 'clocked' properly, are not the same distance from the inside edge; IOW the whole bolt pattern is shifted off to one side. The plate must have been off center on the drilling jig when it was made.

Anyone seen this? I could file out the plates to accept the bolt without hanging up - they're partly there already - or just get a new cover which is hopefully on center. Given that the bolt's only job is to hold the works together, which it's been doing, is it worth getting a new cover or are they all rather a mixed bag?

Hello, Please is it possible you can supply some pictures of said cover inside and out, via my e-mail [email protected] Hodakapartsidaho.com Bruce Young, upon seeing pictures, to the info you sent I might be able to help you or at least send you to a location that can. Please let me know 1--208--571--2823 Idaho

Take some pics & let us see what you’re referring to on your cover. At least we can then talk from a common reference! Victor

Hmmm very interesting. I'll see if I have any here that I can compare. Maybe they're all a little off, I've never noticed it.

Zowie! I downloaded the clutch cover photo and printed it out at close to actual size. Then I semi-accurately measured hole locations as shown on the attached diagram. I had trouble believing what I was seeing. Sooooo, then I went to the basement parts mine and found an ACTUAL clutch cover to measure. The diagram shows the vernier caliper measurements on the actual part. It seems clear that the clutch cover is not a true precision part. However, since they have been quite serviceable on thousands upon thousands of Hodaka engines, it seems that the delivered precision is, um, "good enough". At least for most parts. Oh, getting back to measuring the nearly actual size photograph - I came up with roughly twice the dimension variations as the actual part. I'm thinking a different cover might indeed improve things a bit. Also, if you are a Hodaka Club member, there is an article on "blue printing" the Hodaka clutch to achieve smooth operation in a past issue of the Resonator Revisited.

Keep us informed as you continue work on this clutch - OK?

Ed

ED, First Merry Christmas to you and yours, I like the way you went about determining the measurements on this clutch question, I have one question, since you found the cover plate is not as precise in the measurements of the holes cut into it., does it matter that much, as long as the screws and springs, disc, and oil are doing their jobs all is right with the world. Because of the parts mentioned, does not all parts in a clutch during much of its use "free Float" , all suspended in oil. As long as all adjustments are correct and the clutch works, properly, is the perfection of the drilled holes not that critical as long as all other items within a clutch are adjusted correctly and working. What do you think. I may be wrong, but it designed to "float" within its inner and outer rings or covers. Bruce

I'm going to file out enough space for the bolts to pass through and move on. The thing is a sandwich and the exact angle of the screws is not critical; all that matters is that they don't hang up on the steels. That said, these ones are so far off that the fiber plates are almost rubbing. Free float wasn't happening.

At $18 for a new cover I'm almost ready to replace it, but I could file out the space in a short time and all would be well until some future owner scrambles the plates.....hmmmm

I've tried . . . but I just can't "get on board" with the concept of filing out the screw holes in the cover. The holes are going to get pretty large (especially on the cover you have) -- and how are you going to provide the mating chamfer for the flat heat screws after "moving" the holes?

A replacement cover just seems to be a much better idea. (my 2 cents)
Ed
PS: As a new member to the Forum, you don't have much information with which to judge the adequacy of the advice offered up to you from various sources . . . so I'll give you a bit of my history. I worked in the Promotion Department and then in the Service Department at PABATCO/Hodaka back in the 1970's. (That doesn't necessarily mean that all my advice is good enough to "take to the bank", but there is some considerable level of experience behind the advice.)

I'm not filing the holes; just filing the gaps in the teeth on the steels where the bolts pass through. Yes, filing out the holes in the cover would be pretty dumb and the hard way to do it. You could drill and countersink seven new holes but that's more work than the cover is worth, although using the other threaded plate as a template would make it easy enough. I agree on a new cover; just didn't want to order a new one and find they're all more or less kooky. I'll file the plates - just to get on with it - and then find a used cover I like the looks of down the road to have ready the next time I take the clutch off.

JPark, if you ever need a cover or misc parts for your test clutch, to help with the cover issue please don,t hesitate to contact us Hodakpartsidaho.com 1--208--571--2823 we will be happy to send you parts and pieces to examine and work with at no charge, just cover shipping. Bruce Young

Captain, I can hear you. There goes my last opportunity to hip someone to the miracle of creative Dremeling before the new year.

I know it's been about a year and a half since this was posted, but.......I finally decided to pull the primary cover and replace the kooky clutch cover plate.

It now works like it should- yipee!- and even the lever pull is smoother. You have to wonder how many other ones got drilled off centre. Something to check for when you're blueprinting a clutch.

Like so many such things , I'm amazed at how long it took me to get around to it when it's such a quick and basic repair.

word

Glad you worked it out! The new cover was the best way to go for sure! Nice to hear it eliminated the problem. Victor