RM 250 clutch issues.

jeffro503
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jeffro503
Edited Date/Time 7/30/2015 7:59pm
Hey guys , I posted this in my RM thread , but thought I may get a little more help in here.

I didn't notice this on the first two rides on my RM back in Sept of last year. Just started noticing it about 6 weeks ago when I finally got to start riding it. But my clutch is really weird on this bike. It isn't slipping ( yet ) but it only engages at about the last 10-15% of my throw on the clutch lever. I can't seem to run any slack in the cable at all ( which I always do on my other bikes ) because there is like NO SPRING tension what so ever to keep my cable bead in the little clutch lever inside my case. If I run any slack , it will just fall out. I have it set so it just barely has any tension at all , and in doing that my clutch will only engage at the very end of the throw.

I am ordering up a full new set of Barnett plates and HD clutch springs , and a new cable. Could it be that maybe my plates are just worn and haven't given out yet , or maybe my springs have lost their strength?
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mxtech1
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mxtech1 7/29/2015 7:08am
7/29/2015 7:08am
Obvious stuff first....Does it have the correct perch and cable for the bike? If not, you may not be getting enough throw on the arm.

Clutch plates are easy to tell. Pull them out and measure them. You will have a spec range listed in your manual. This probably is not the issue though.

You may need to check the clutch camshaft, push rod, the push piece and the bearing for wear.
pete24
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pete24 7/29/2015 7:47am
7/29/2015 7:47am
yes check all the clutch actuating parts and the lever arm that the cable goes into sometimes those wear pretty good where they contact the push rod, also look at where your clutch plates contact the inner hub and outter pressure plate there is probably considerable wear on those and the rod is to moving to far before moving the clutch pak, and do not use barnett clutch parts they are much harder than stock and will kill your basket, hub, and pressure plate real quick, we also use three cr500 springs and three stock springs to make it hook up better, really do urself a favor and send the aftermarket clutch parts back, the only thing thats going to work better in that bike than stock parts, is from a place named Hinson
HackMan162
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HackMan162 7/29/2015 9:03am
7/29/2015 9:03am
The pressure plate wears quite a bit on these bikes. Right at the point where the hole in the center is. Check your for wear. As pete24 says, stay with OEM or Hinson. On the basket, Wiseco is good stuff as well. Unfortunately, Hinson no longer makes a pressure plate or inner hub for the 06. I have tried to find NOS, but good luck on that. I got new OEM pressure plate and inner hub and had them hard ano'd. That was suggested by Hinson to help with the wear.

Use OEM plates and springs, new OEM cable, and replace the couple of small bearings as well as the actuator rod. These are all cheap, wear items. You will be very happy. In addition, as mxtech1 said, make sure you are using a clutch perch with OEM pull. I think only ARC and the new Works Connection ones are, besides OEM. I run the OEM perch with a couple suspension shims around an ARC lever and it takes all the up/down play out of it. It works amazing.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 7/29/2015 9:12am
7/29/2015 9:12am
Thanks for all this info guys! I haven't actually pushed the "pay now " button on motosports , so the first thing is I'll change the clutch plates back over to the OEM stuff. And from what I've read here and a few other places last night while doing reserch , it sounds like my little lever arm and possibly the push rod , , the little bearings and so forth are just worn. I haven't torn into it yet and plan to ride this next Saturday , but after that I'll tear her down. At least I have an idea / direction of what I should be looking for. Thanks!

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mx5471
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mx5471 7/29/2015 4:34pm
7/29/2015 4:34pm
Those RM clutches can have problems. On my son's bike, I have and AVS lever. It's an '08, and we had it since it was new. It was out of service for a couple years. I had to get a new frame, as it was cracked in many places. When I redid the bike, I put new OEM cables on. It was fine for a few rides, then the clutch started hanging up. We had an older RM, and the same thing happened, but we sold the bike, because we didn't need it any more. I wish I would have kept it. On the '08, I put a Hinson basket in it, and a new OEM inner hub and pressure plate in it, and the bearing. Clutch plates and steels were fine. He has ridden it a few times and says it's fine. I would just do the whole job at once and get it over with. Eventually, you will need to anyway.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 7/29/2015 7:56pm
7/29/2015 7:56pm Edited Date/Time 7/29/2015 7:57pm
Without tearing it apart yet , the clutch is still extremely smooth , which tells me there is little to no notching on the basket as of right now. I'm not sure , but I very well could have a billet basket in there already. But if not , do you guys suggest a new Hinson ( or possibly a Wiesco or Barnett ) basket , with OEM fiber and metal plates? Along with a new cable and possibly the little lever inside the case and push rod? I'd like to rebuild the entire thing and not have to mess with it , but then again I really need to open it up to see what may be getting worn out.
BAMX
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BAMX 7/29/2015 8:54pm
7/29/2015 8:54pm
Go with a billet basket. The OE ones wear quickly. Then OE or KG plates and springs. KG makes the OE stuff so knowing Suzuki's pricing, that would be the way to go.
jeffro503
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jeffro503 7/29/2015 9:30pm
7/29/2015 9:30pm
BAMX wrote:
Go with a billet basket. The OE ones wear quickly. Then OE or KG plates and springs. KG makes the OE stuff so knowing Suzuki's pricing...
Go with a billet basket. The OE ones wear quickly. Then OE or KG plates and springs. KG makes the OE stuff so knowing Suzuki's pricing, that would be the way to go.
KG? Not sure what that is , can you help me out?
NorcalVet
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NorcalVet 7/29/2015 9:40pm
7/29/2015 9:40pm Edited Date/Time 7/29/2015 9:41pm
Just do a quick search on ebay a couple times a week
- I bought one set of spare metals/ fibers for $30

Here's a '05 set for a good price...Ebay

When I'm goofing around and don't need a set, I've see them at 110-$125 for either my RM or RMZ

A lot of people post pro x or kg as oem replacements

... I just buy the real stuff or extras of wear and tear items

Just like a few extra plugs for the rm in my tool box
- like back in the day--- tubes, etc

BAMX
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BAMX 7/30/2015 1:39pm
7/30/2015 1:39pm
BAMX wrote:
Go with a billet basket. The OE ones wear quickly. Then OE or KG plates and springs. KG makes the OE stuff so knowing Suzuki's pricing...
Go with a billet basket. The OE ones wear quickly. Then OE or KG plates and springs. KG makes the OE stuff so knowing Suzuki's pricing, that would be the way to go.
jeffro503 wrote:
KG? Not sure what that is , can you help me out?
http://www.btosports.com/p/kg-clutch-factory-complete-clutch-kits
Bruce372
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Bruce372 7/30/2015 6:26pm
7/30/2015 6:26pm
All the aftermarket perches work funky on the suzukis. The only replacement is the magura hydro setup that works really good.

Imo the wiseco baskets are the best value, as are the wiseco plates as well as pro x.

The inner hub is an issue, since suzukis changed the splines several times and now they are hard to find from hinson. I know pro x make the hub cheap for the rm125.

Hack man has a great idea to hard anodize oem parts if you can find a service locally.

I've never had luck with the aftermarket plates, until using the wiseco ones recently I. My rm125
BAMX
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BAMX 7/30/2015 7:59pm
7/30/2015 7:59pm
Bruce372 wrote:
All the aftermarket perches work funky on the suzukis. The only replacement is the magura hydro setup that works really good. Imo the wiseco baskets are...
All the aftermarket perches work funky on the suzukis. The only replacement is the magura hydro setup that works really good.

Imo the wiseco baskets are the best value, as are the wiseco plates as well as pro x.

The inner hub is an issue, since suzukis changed the splines several times and now they are hard to find from hinson. I know pro x make the hub cheap for the rm125.

Hack man has a great idea to hard anodize oem parts if you can find a service locally.

I've never had luck with the aftermarket plates, until using the wiseco ones recently I. My rm125
Have you tried a Pro Circuit perch? I have one and it works good.

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