All 5-speed Big Twin clutches for ’90 and later will fit 6-speed conversions - select the appropriate clutch for the year of motorcycle - ’85 - ’89 bikes can use a ’90 6-speed conversion with a 039001 clutch and a ‘90 pushrod.
’85 - ’89 5-speed Big Twins can be converted from a tapered transmission mainshaft to a splined transmission mainshaft by using a 1990 mainshaft and pushrod. Use 1990 shaft only - the 1991 and later shaft has a smaller diameter through 5th gear. Our 039001 clutch will then fit this application.
Sportsman Superclutches will fit other manufacturer’s belt drives designed to use the corresponding stock HD clutch.
On Karata drives with a cover over the clutch on the rear pulley - the cover on a 4” Karata pulley will clear the Sportsman Superclutch, the cover on a 3” Karata pulley will not clear the sportsman clutch. The Kevlar plates run well dry.
5-speed in 4-speed Big Twin conversions - use ‘79 mainshaft to align clutch and engine sprocket shaft correctly. Later shafts move the clutch farther outboard and prevent proper alignment. When using the ‘79 mainshaft and pushrod, select the clutch as though the transmission were still the original 4-speed. There currently is no splined mainshaft for the
5-speed which will locate the clutch in the proper location for the 4 to 5-speed conversion.
’84 - ’90 Evolution 4-speed Sportsters with charging system on the clutch - we have no clutch available at this time to use the HD alternator - see section 21.
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A. All Big Twin chain and belt drive Superclutches, Big Twin Sportsman Superclutches, Sportster belt drives, and Sportster chain drives with lockups
There are 4 springs available for these clutches. In order from lightest to heaviest they are short gold PN154406 (light), long gold PN154401 (standard), Red PN154402 (medium), and Gray PN154403 (Heavy Duty). We recommend the Short gold springs for engines below 75 horsepower where the rider needs the very lightest lever pull possible. We recommend the long gold springs for engines up to about 90 HP, the red springs for up to 120 HP and the gray springs for engines over 120 HP. These are “safe” recommendations - you may be able to use less pressure with good results. Spring pressure requirements are altered by the riding style of the rider. A motorcycle which is shifted at wide open throttle will require more spring pressure than an identical motorcycle which has the throttle rolled closed during shifts. If a spring choice is not specified, Sportsman Superclutches and standard Superclutches not equipped with a lockup are shipped with gray and long gold springs.
The spring pressure can be adjusted by turning the spring retaining nut to place the spring retaining collar below the surface of the pressure plate to shorten the springs’ compressed length. When the collar is flush with the pressure plate the spring’s compressed length is 1.250. The collar can be run as far down as .250 below the pressure plate. This will make the spring’s compressed length 1.000. 1.000 is the minimum length recommended for all springs to avoid the possibility of coil bind. When adjusting the springs, make sure that all 6 collars are set at the same distance below the pressure plate (±.010) so that the pressure plate is not pulled out of true by unequal spring pressure when released. If the pressure plate does not run true, the clutch will not release cleanly. If the pressure plate runs out .020”, this shortens the effective release travel by .010”. We recommend using a dial caliper to measure the preload depth. If you cannot use a dial caliper to measure the preload, each full turn of the spring retaining nut compresses the spring .036”, and 7 turns
equals .250”. Applying more pressure than necessary will not affect the operation of the clutch, but will make the lever
effort higher than necessary. The chart below shows the pressure produced by 6 springs. Heavier springs also have a
higher spring rate, so a gray spring set at 300 lbs will feel stiffer to the rider than a red spring set at 300 lbs. The exceptions to this are the 2 types of gold springs - the short and long gold springs have the same spring rate.
| Springs |
Light PN154406(short gold)(1.75") |
Standard PN154401(long gold)(1.875") |
Medium PN154402(red) |
Heavy Duty PN154403(gray) |
| Minimum Pressure (lbs) |
144 |
210 |
258 |
276 |
| Maximum Pressure (lbs) |
240 |
300 |
372 |
507 |
Clutches equipped with a lockup unit must be equipped with lighter springs than the same application without a lockup in order to take advantage of the adjustable lockup. When installing a lockup, we recommend starting with red springs set at 1.250 installed height and adjusting spring pressure higher or lower from there as the bike and conditions demand. Lighter static spring pressure will allow the bike to leave the line without spinning the tire, and must be compensated for by more counterweight on the arms to keep the clutch from slipping in high gear.
B. 077101 Sportster clutches
This clutch uses the same spring choices as above, but has spring cups .125“ shorter than the clutches listed above. When the spring collars are set flush with the pressure plate, the installed height of the spring is 1.125” and the collar can be set to a maximum of .125” below flush without encountering coil bind.
C. 079001, 079003, & 079005 Sportster clutches
Because of the space limitations of the 5-speed Sportster, these clutches use a very short very stiff spring with a limited amount of adjustment. Because of this the clutch is available with 3, 4 or 6 springs to suit the intended application. The 079001 uses 3 springs, the 079003 uses 4 springs and the 079005 uses 6 springs. The maximum installed height of the springs allowed by the cups and collars is .660”. The minimum installed height of the green springs which will allow for adequate pressure plate travel (.070) without coil bind is .570”. An installed height of .660” is achieved when the steel collar is .210” below the pressure plate and .570” when the collar is .300” below the pressure plate. The blue springs coil bind at any installed height less than .660”, so they are not adjustable.
| Spring |
Pressure
@.660 ht |
Pressure
@.630 ht |
Pressure
@.600 ht |
Pressure
@.570 ht |
3 Short Green
PN 154411 |
285 lbs |
315 lbs |
345 lbs |
375 lbs |
3 Short Blue
PN 154412 |
510 lbs |
coil bind |
coil bind |
coil bind |
4 Green PN 154411
|
380 lbs |
420 lbs |
460 lbs |
500 lbs |
2 Short Blue @ .660
& 2 Short Green @ >>> |
530 lbs |
550 lbs |
570 lbs |
590 lbs |
4 Short Blue
PN 154412 |
680 lbs |
coil bind |
coil bind |
coil bind |
6 Short Green
PN 154411 |
570 lbs |
630 lbs |
690 lbs |
750 lbs |
6 Short Blue
PN 154412
NOT RECOMMENDED |
1020 lbs |
coil bind |
coil bind |
coil bind |
The chart illustrates what spring pressure can be achieved in the 3 clutches. We recommend the 079001 / 079002
3 spring clutch when you must have low spring pressure for a light lever pull on a mid-range output motor.
The 079003 / 079004 4 spring clutch is the most versatile clutch for a large motor because of the relatively wide range of adjustment available, and is our first recommendation for hot-rod Sportsters. The 6 spring 079005 / 079006 was first built for a nitro fueled Bonneville streamliner where power was at a maximum and space was at a minimum and the clutch was operated by a compressed air cylinder. We do not recommend PN079005 / 079006 6 spring clutch for gasoline fueled motorcycles. Over 500 lbs spring pressure may cause failure in the stock release mechanism or cable.
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For all Big Twin, Belt Drives and Sportsters except 79001-79006 clutches.
|
|
Spring
Color
|
Blue
|
Grey
|
Red
|
1.875"
Gold
|
1.750"
Gold
|
|
Spring
Cup
Depth
|
|
|
Height
|
Lbs.
|
|
Collar
|
Spring
|
|
1.375"
|
Flush
|
1.250"
|
ea
|
79
|
44
|
43
|
35
|
25
|
|
x6
|
474
|
264
|
258
|
210
|
150
|
|
-.050"
|
1.200"
|
ea
|
95
|
52
|
46
|
38
|
29
|
|
x6
|
570
|
312
|
276
|
228
|
174
|
|
-.100"
|
1.150"
|
ea
|
111
|
60
|
50
|
41
|
32
|
|
x6
|
666
|
360
|
300
|
246
|
192
|
|
-.150"
|
1.100"
|
ea
|
127
|
68
|
54
|
44
|
35
|
|
x6
|
762
|
408
|
324
|
264
|
210
|
|
-.200"
|
1.050"
|
ea
|
143
|
76
|
58
|
47
|
38
|
|
x6
|
858
|
456
|
348
|
282
|
228
|
|
-.250"
|
1.000"
|
ea
|
159
|
84
|
62
|
50
|
41
|
|
x6
|
954
|
504
|
372
|
300
|
246
|
| |
| |
| |
|
1.250"
(77101)
|
Flush
|
1.125"
|
ea
|
119
|
64
|
52
|
42
|
|
|
x6
|
714
|
384
|
312
|
252
|
|
-.050"
|
1.075"
|
ea
|
135
|
72
|
56
|
46
|
|
x6
|
810
|
432
|
336
|
276
|
|
-.100"
|
1.025"
|
ea
|
151
|
80
|
60
|
49
|
|
x6
|
906
|
480
|
360
|
294
|
|
-.125"
|
1.000"
|
ea
|
159
|
84
|
62
|
50
|
|
x6
|
954
|
504
|
372
|
300
|
|
