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Why do Ducati's dry clutch have a grinding noise? |
I ride an RC51 (Honda's version of Ducati Sport Bikes) and have always wondered why Ducati bikes have a weird noise with their clutch system? I know it's a dry system, but is that normal? The rattling sound is normal. Motorcycle clutches in general are "clutch pack" type arrangements which have several alternating friction and drive plates in a stack. This is as opposed to a car which has one clutch plate that grips the flywheel. When a clutch-pack type clutch is engaged, these plates stack tightly against each other to bind the engine output to the transmission input. When you pull the clutch lever in (disengaging the clutch), the plates are free to move around...this movement makes noise. This rattling happens in all clutch-pack type clutches; Ducati or no. Most bikes nowadays include the clutch inside the crankcase and they are bathed in engine-oil. This oil dampens the noise, and generally make "wet clutches" easier to use and operate as the oil lubricates the pack and makes things smoother on engagement and disengagement. They are, of course, very quiet. Ducati has decided to play up it's racing history and stick with dry clutches....wherein the clutch plates are free to rattle in the air, and thus the grinding/jingling/clattering noise you hear. Some people run "ventilated" clutch covers, with holes in them, to accentuate the "music". Under racing conditions, it has been said that dry clutches have several advantages: o Heat from the clutch doesn't heat up the engine oil (important in non-water cooled engines where oil is the primary cooling mechanism) o Abrasive debris from the clutch plates does not contaminate the oil, and thus hurt the engine internals o Rotating the clutch in oil creates drag on the clutch pack, and that drag consumes (very small amounts of) engine horsepower o If you need to change a clutch, you can do so very quickly without draining and refilling the engine oil On the downside, they are noisy, and generally harder to operate smoothly in day-to-day conditions. Personally, I love the sound...but I keep my dry-clutch covered. because its a dry 6 disc system. you have to remember that the clutch is adjusted so you dont have to pull the handle all the way in and it disengauges the clutch....i.e. almost touching Are you talking about the rattling sound from the clutch plates when idling in neutral? That's part of the appeal of Ducati's, along with the exhust note when the engine comes "on cam" at higher rpms. You can enhance that rattling sound even more by changing to a carbon fiber clutch cover that is perforated. I had a Monster 750 many years ago that had a standard wet clutch, and it was a small regret that I didn't get a Monster 900 which used a dry clutch. the rattling sound comes from the clutch basket,the standard ducati clutch has a small amount of free play that gets worse with wear. my 748 had the same thing and because i use it mainly for track days i fitted a v2 clutch basket and Kevlar plates.with the tighter clearances the noise is reduced.i fitted a Barnett race clutch to my girl friends 748 it still has some noise but not as much. 38 years riding and racing. Part of the appeal? Youre insane, take off your Duc glasses. The clutch is dry with a vented cover so the plates rattle and jingle togther, the clutch in your honda is bathed in oil and enclosed in the cases, so nicely silent. Ducati sells them because race bikes have dry clutches for quick changes. Theyre just marketing that way. They are impratical for street applications, plus they sound awful, and weaker than wet ones. I rode my friends 996s and everywhere I went morons kept telling me I need a valve adjustment. Thats normal all that rattling and embarrassing. |
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