Topic: 1974 cb750 ring around clutch basket is loose.

[Pbeattie89]

I am reassembling my engine right now, and I noticed that the ring around the clutch basket is fitting loose. Is that normal?

Also, the basket doesn't come off of the cush drive easily. It seems to be a bit of an interference fit. I had to use a hammer and punch to separate them and reassemble them. Is that common?

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[fizzlebottom]

Oh, I know about this one, so long as it is constructed the same as a CB650 clutch basket!

Similarly to how there are rubber dampers in the rear hub, the clutch basket has rubber dampers inside as well. There are 2 problems though:

1. Honda never meant for these to be serviced, thus they are riveted together in there.
2. Few, if any, aftermarket companies manufacture clutch basket dampers.

I replaced the ones in my CB650 with pieces meant for a CBX and had to cut them down to size. I got lucky, but I don't know if you will. I can't find ANYTHING regarding dampers for a '74 CB750, so the whole construction might be different.

So long as the rivets are holding together, this might be a situation you have to live with. I think most folks do that.

[Pbeattie89]

Oh, I know about this one, so long as it is constructed the same as a CB650 clutch basket!

Similarly to how there are rubber dampers in the rear hub, the clutch basket has rubber dampers inside as well. There are 2 problems though:

1. Honda never meant for these to be serviced, thus they are riveted together in there.
2. Few, if any, aftermarket companies manufacture clutch basket dampers.

I replaced the ones in my CB650 with pieces meant for a CBX and had to cut them down to size. I got lucky, but I don't know if you will. I can't find ANYTHING regarding dampers for a '74 CB750, so the whole construction might be different.

So long as the rivets are holding together, this might be a situation you have to live with. I think most folks do that.

It sounds like you're talking about an internal piece that's wearing out on the clutch basket. The part That is loose on mine is the ring that goes around the outside perimeter of the clutch basket towards the top of the picture that I posted.

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[fizzlebottom]

It sounds like you're talking about an internal piece that's wearing out on the clutch basket. The part That is loose on mine is the ring that goes around the outside perimeter of the clutch basket towards the top of the picture that I posted.

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Well then, color me wrong. I went on that whole thing because my reading comprehension didn't kick in.

[Pbeattie89]

It sounds like you're talking about an internal piece that's wearing out on the clutch basket. The part That is loose on mine is the ring that goes around the outside perimeter of the clutch basket towards the top of the picture that I posted.

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Well then, color me wrong. I went on that whole thing because my reading comprehension didn't kick in.

If you didn't read wrong. I wouldn't have learned about the cushions in the clutches today

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[HondaMan]

I am reassembling my engine right now, and I noticed that the ring around the clutch basket is fitting loose. Is that normal?

Also, the basket doesn't come off of the cush drive easily. It seems to be a bit of an interference fit. I had to use a hammer and punch to separate them and reassemble them. Is that common?

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Depending on the year, it might actually BE a loose ring, or the correct ring for the clutch. Honda used no less than 4 different clutch rings on this clutch basket.
-There is the type that floats and is captured between the top 2 cork plates, slotted in with the steel plate between the corks. Yours doesn't appear to be that one, though: those disappeared in the K1 engines (unless you got one that was recycled within the plant, like mine in my K2, which came with that ring AND 2 wired-in cork plates at the back of the stack).

-There is the kind that is spot-welded to about half of the basket tines to stiffen up those basket fingers a little bit.

-There is the kind that is spot-welded to ALL of the basket tines, to stiffen it up a little bit more: this type usually has the wider outer tabs on the very top clutch plate, which requires that the outer ends of the tine are notched to accept this wider-fingered cork plate. This type of clutch also came with a dual-steel pair of plates that are riveted together, either right behind the wide-fingered plate or (originally) set in between the 3rd and 4th set of plates. It lets the clutch slip a bit at start. These first appeared in the 1974 bikes.

-There is [finally] the type with the loose outer clutch ring, which is captured with little dents in 4 places that correspond to 4 wide, thick basket tines. I have seen these welded (spot-welded when made) and loose (just captured by the indents into the 4 tines), never having been welded in place. Yours seems to be this last one: if you can, try to check for broken spot welds in those dimples. If they aren't evident, then it was one of the unwelded ones, most often found in the F2/K7 engines. The K8/F3 engines often had them welded.

[Pbeattie89]

I am reassembling my engine right now, and I noticed that the ring around the clutch basket is fitting loose. Is that normal?

Also, the basket doesn't come off of the cush drive easily. It seems to be a bit of an interference fit. I had to use a hammer and punch to separate them and reassemble them. Is that common?

Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk

Depending on the year, it might actually BE a loose ring, or the correct ring for the clutch. Honda used no less than 4 different clutch rings on this clutch basket.
-There is the type that floats and is captured between the top 2 cork plates, slotted in with the steel plate between the corks. Yours doesn't appear to be that one, though: those disappeared in the K1 engines (unless you got one that was recycled within the plant, like mine in my K2, which came with that ring AND 2 wired-in cork plates at the back of the stack).

-There is the kind that is spot-welded to about half of the basket tines to stiffen up those basket fingers a little bit.

-There is the kind that is spot-welded to ALL of the basket tines, to stiffen it up a little bit more: this type usually has the wider outer tabs on the very top clutch plate, which requires that the outer ends of the tine are notched to accept this wider-fingered cork plate. This type of clutch also came with a dual-steel pair of plates that are riveted together, either right behind the wide-fingered plate or (originally) set in between the 3rd and 4th set of plates. It lets the clutch slip a bit at start. These first appeared in the 1974 bikes.

-There is [finally] the type with the loose outer clutch ring, which is captured with little dents in 4 places that correspond to 4 wide, thick basket tines. I have seen these welded (spot-welded when made) and loose (just captured by the indents into the 4 tines), never having been welded in place. Yours seems to be this last one: if you can, try to check for broken spot welds in those dimples. If they aren't evident, then it was one of the unwelded ones, most often found in the F2/K7 engines. The K8/F3 engines often had them welded.

Mine has no evidence of welding. It just seems to be held in by the indentations. It's good to know that it isn't broken. It just seemed odd to me.

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[HondaMan]

The loose-fitting ones have sometimes been blamed for the 'rattle' noise found in some engines: if the spark advancer's shaft is bent more than 0.006" off-center it makes the engine idle unevenly, and this ring can rattle, especially in a cold engine. The real issue is in the spark advancer's shaft, though. Once smoothed out, the ring stops rattling.

[Pbeattie89]

Ill check the runout once I get the motor together. It is a pretty quick and easy thing to check.

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