Is this Clutch Friction plate inside out?

[R65Singh]

Hi All;
Working on my bike and after taking the transmission out i noticed that the input shaft splines only engages about half way into the clutch friction plate.  Then I looked at the pics at here to compare  http://www.suraklyn.com/r65_wiki/wikka.php?wakka=ReplaceClutch
I think the PO has installed the plate inside out...what u guys think? Here is a picture of the plate on my bike.
Is there any thing else to watch for if i need to disassemble the whole clutch unit?  Thanks.

[nhmaf]

Hmmm, now that is interesting !

I would say "Yes" - or else the friction disk on my R65 was installed backwards by the time that I took it apart, but I don't think so.  It looks like the wear pattern in the spline of the friction disk only shows that the transmission input shaft is engaging the rearward 40% of the spline length.   I wouldn't think that the bike would shift worth a darn like that, either?   I believe that the "hub" extension of the friction disk should be facing rearward, to fully engage the transmission input shaft.  This is as I found mine when I cracked her open a while ago - and I am fairly certain (but not 100%) that no one had ever gone in there before me..

Check the rest of my article in our forum wiki for lots of pics and info:
http://www.suraklyn.com/r65_wiki/wikka.php?wakka=ReplaceClutch

DO use new bolts and washers, and DO torque them up evenly.  You can probably get longer metric thread bolts from a local hardware store rather then buying BMW's overpriced 'kit' - the longer bolts are helpful to evenly compress the diaphragm spring (and evenly DEcompress it when taking the clutch apart) and I'd recommend using them for disassembly/reassembly - just don't forget to replace them with (3) proper bolts when after you've installed (3) of the new shorter ones in there !

I am a big fan of Honda Moly 60, though some have pointed out that one should probably mix it with a bit of 'normal' grease for longer lasting anti-corrosion protection.  Still, I think the Moly-60 paste is pretty sticky stuff and I'm (2) years running on my spline lube job as documented in the wiki page.

I'd also recommend using a clutch centering arbor - as in the wiki page - it is possible to reassemble things without one and have it all go together, but I am not usually that lucky, and one really DOES want to have all these things as perfectly co-axial as possible to avoid putting side loads on the transmission bearings or engine's rear main bearing.  

[Bob_Roller]

The clutch is installed backwards .

To remove the pressure plate bolts, you need to remove one bolt at each pair, then get I believe it's a  7mm bolt, about a half an inch or so longer than the bolt you took out, and nut to replace each of the removed bolts .

Screw the bolt with a nut already on it, in as far as the original bolt was, tighten up the nut, then remove the three remaining original bolts .

Start backing the nuts off, maybe a thread at a time, until the tension is released on the diaphragm spring .

You will need six new allen head bolts, and six external star lock washers, BMW parts only .

If the bolt head rounds out, you can drill the head off of the bolt, with a 1/4th inch, or a 5/16th's inch drill bit .

With spring tension on the bolt, it will pop off when you get close to drilling it off completely .

How do the mating splines on the transmission input shaft look ?

[nhmaf]

I also strongly suspect that you will need to replace that diaphragm spring after all this time of it being over-flexed from contacting the hub extension on the backwards friction disk.   you'll have to check/measure the  cover plate and pressure plate but with cleanup they might be re-usable if they haven't been abnormally worn from the backwards friction plate.

Hang in there - you can do it, buddy!   Goodness knows some of the surprises we all encounter when working on ~30 year old bikes !

[R65Singh]

Thanks Guys!!..I had a feeling that something was not right there.  The input shaft was only engaging less than half as evident from the wear pattern.  The shaft seems to be fine ...here is a pic of it.  Any suggestions are welcome and thanks for the encouraging words.  I never worked on a Beemer before so i am trying to be bit overly cautious.

[nhmaf]

The input shaft doesn't look too bad - though it does appear that maybe it might have seen a friction disk spline failure in the past as there appears to be a slight wear "ridge" in the last 1-2mm of spline next to the bearing/housing.  That may have been what prompted a PO to replace the clutch disk - and end up botching the job by putting it in backwards.   But, the splines overall still look to have a decent amount of height and still have pointy peaks, so that is good.   Is there any "play" in the input shaft (either straight in-out or up/down and side-side) that would indicate bearing wear?   Normally, with the shaft fully inserted into the friction disk hub, there wouldn't be any side loads to abnormally wear out that bearing the shaft goes through, but with just having the outermost bit of it engaged, it might have caused wear, and now would be the time to replace it if it needs it.  Otherwise count yourself lucky !!!!

If you can NOT get the shaft to wiggle as if it were slightly loose, and there is virtually no end-play (in-out) then I'd say you're OK to use it.  Just clean it up well and grease it like indicated inthe wiki page. If there are any "burrs" on the splines they may need to be cleaned up before re-install or will prematurely wear out the new friction disk.

However, from the pic, it seems that it should be usable.