Clutch slippage

[damark115]

OK, If this were my truck I would know the answer. I read about built in clutch slippage from Kawasaki on my Nomad. I was driving the other day and thought I felt some in third gear. So I slowed down, shifted to second and stepped on the rear brake and nailed the throttle at the same time. Sure enough the motor revved up while I slowed a bit. I am now babying the poor bike around everywhere hoping not to smoke the clutch.
Will a spring change fix my issue? Is the clutch gone? Is this normal and I just forced the issue?
It seems to drive fine and no problem grabbing 80 MPH on the highway. Decent acceleration.
It is a 2000 FI with 19,000 miles. Running Rotella T Syn oil. (swapping back to dino oil).
Mean Streak springs? Judge washers?
I will be doing my own work. I printed out Gadgets page on it.

[macmac]

Yup...... Mean Streak springs? Judge washers. Everything else is fine... Don't fer git the case gasket.. and some oil...

[dogdoc]

sounds like the clutch is just starting to slip, your clue to replace springs(Mean streak if you can get it). judges washers might take weeks to tract him and get them in your hand. those change to no slipper clutch if thats what you like. Hopefullly plates are fine if you baby it they will be. like mac said gasket, oil, filter, little labor.

[Scoot]

yep to all the above. If you want the Judge washers I have Robert (Judge) Oglesby Home phone number........just pm me.That may speed things up unless he's out of town.

[ringadingh]

The clutch will feel a lot more positive after you replace it with the meany spring and Judges washers, Its a pretty simple install to do yourself.

[damark115]

Thanks again everyone. I will be ordering the spring Monday along with the appropriate gasket set.
I will try ordering the Judge washers. Scoot I will PM you if I have an issue.
Wondering how close I am at that point to lowering the motor to fix the pesky cam plugs.
May be worth it.

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Damark115

Thanks again everyone. I will be ordering the spring Monday along with the appropriate gasket set.
Wondering how close I am at that point to lowering the motor to fix the pesky cam plugs.
May be worth it.

Id guess maybe halfway, you don't think a light coating of silicone will work. Even then its not usually a permanent cure,but it is a lot easier.

[damark115]

I may try the soap trick or silicone until I tear it down in the late fall. Just a thought if I was close, I might go all the way. Kinda like when I did the swing arm service while I changed the rear tire.
I just didn't know how much further. I would hate to lose a couple days riding due to having it all apart.
Thanks

[bluesman]

I just bought a '05 nomad with 10,000miles on it. Took it out on the highway for the 1st time the other day and in top gear at 60mph when I throttle it up the revs go up but the bike speed doesn't. It eventually does, speed goes up and revs come down. No apparent slipping when accelerating thru the gears - very apparent at higher speeds in 5th gear. Read gadget's post - wondering if anyone else has experienced this at only higher speeds.
Any thoughts or advice? I'm not very mechanically inclined and don't trust many repair shops.

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by bluesman

I just bought a '05 nomad with 10,000miles on it. Took it out on the highway for the 1st time the other day and in top gear at 60mph when I throttle it up the revs go up but the bike speed doesn't. It eventually does, speed goes up and revs come down. No apparent slipping when accelerating thru the gears - very apparent at higher speeds in 5th gear. Read gadget's post - wondering if anyone else has experienced this at only higher speeds.
Any thoughts or advice? I'm not very mechanically inclined and don't trust many repair shops.

Its sounds just like the previous posts in this thread, thats how mine started to slip also, but it will start slipping in the lower gears as time goes on. You can check what is involved on gadgets sight to get a better idea of what youll get into.

[mdgeorge]

I just went through this with my 03. It seems this is real comman with Nomads. I was fortunate that the dealer fixed mine under warrenty.
I can tell you , having done this several weeks ago, it makes a tremendous difference in acceleration. Not only upper gears, but 1st and 2nd, I just didn't know how bad it was. It may be that the clutch plates are worn. Mine were still good, but the dealer said they are usually burned at this stage.
Good luck.

[flavor]

There are many Nomad riders who put quite a few miles on the Nomad without clutch issues.

I wonder what the average amount of miles the Nad gets before clutch issues start appearing.

[macmac]

I don't think there will be a 'common' for clutch slip.

There are wy too many varriables. The way the clutch gets used, how long it is held in, how fast it is released, the spring, the heat the spring in the oil is under, and how how it ever got.

The one typical ting is in the high gears when it slips it will ne noticed more.

And when it slips you want to get it fixed asap of you want to save the clutch plates.

The same thing goes for cars and trucks other than there isn't anything to save.

Wet clutches don't wear like a dry one does. But you sure can burn one up if it is ignored.

[dogdoc]

I was looking up the clutch spring numbers for Nomad and mean Streak in dennis kirk and they are the same number.

[blowndodge]

It still amazes me how many people hold in the clutch at red lights. 15 years of motorcycle drag in the IDBA and countless burned clutches has taught me that holding in the clutch places extra loads on the entire basket, plates and springs. JMO but it's based on lots experience.