Barnett Spring VS Mean Streak Spring (Judge's Washers)

[hammer]

I replaced the OEM with a Barnett washer 17,000 miles ago. It is simply a better feel and more positive shift for me and well worth it. I calibrated the Meanie spring against the Barnett and the Barnett is thicker. As far as I know the Meanie is the stock spring now for 1600 Nomads.

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by macmac

So far I have never changed a clutch spring yet....... I understand 'something' cuts the wafer spring, and so the wafer spring gets a slice taken out. But what that exactly is I am not sure of.

Do the Judge's washers also get a cut? I sort of assume they do, but are thicker and the cut only goes so deep, and once cut that's the end of the problem.

The tangs in the centre of the spring get worn down and flex rather than compress the spring. the washers take care of the spring wear.
I havn't had mine apart since I replaced the spring to check for wear, but I have about 50k on it so far and no sign of weakness .

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

What is the benefit of the Barnett clutch spring over the Mean Streak spring?

I have heard of people going without Judges washers. Are they really necessary?

The Barnett spring is a little thicker material than the Meanstreak spring.
The washers take care of the wear problem on the spring. On 05 and newer bikes Kawi made a change that helps deal with this issue.

[rolfe]

I used the Mean Streak Spring without Washers.

I did install a New Clutch Factory Friction Plate Set. And I reversed all my Steel Plates and "Removed 1 and Replaced it with a 2.0 THICKER PLATE".

In the Manual vn1500 vulcan nomad page chapter "5-16 CLUTCH"
1.6 mm
2.0 mm I used this one
2.3 mm

I believe that the Clutch is the same on the newer bikes ?

The Cost $67 Clutch Factory, $18 Gasket, 3 limiter springs and 1 Mean Streak Spring $37, Time ?

"Red" runs like a top next time I will try something different



**************Does anyone have the Thickness measurements of the Washers ? ************************

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[cheifman]

I just installed a new mean spring and the retainer for it as it wears at the same time. The clutch has never felt so nice. 02 Nomad 1500.

[ringadingh]

I measured all my discs and plates and they were all in spec, almost like new, so I just added the spring and washers.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by ringadingh

The Barnett spring is a little thicker material than the Meanstreak spring.
The washers take care of the wear problem on the spring. On 05 and newer bikes Kawi made a change that helps deal with this issue.

So it sounds like the Mean Streak spring, being thinner, would do better with the washers and that the washers may be over kill for the Barnett spring.

[Jared]

About how long did this take everyone to do?

[desertdog]

In my case it took a about a week, because I had to order the parts after I got the clutch apart, I needed new friction plates as the old ones had burned out. I put a Barnett spring in.

The first time thru, actual time taking it apart and re assembly, taking my time would be about 8 hours total for me. But I did it in stages and did not work on it all at one time.

Next time I do it, probably about 3 hrs. as I now know what I need to do and how things fit together.

I think that if you are more mechanically inclined than I am about 4 hours start to finish for your first time.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

About how long did this take everyone to do?

A couple of hours. The hardest part was scraping bits of stuck gasket off the side cover.

[cheifman]

I did mine in about a hour and a half to two hours. I just left it on the kick stand so i did not have to drain the oil. The longest part is cleaning the gasket surface.

[Cajunrider]

About 3 hours.

[Hacksaw]

Originally Posted by cheifman

I did mine in about a hour and a half to two hours. I just left it on the kick stand so i did not have to drain the oil. The longest part is cleaning the gasket surface.

same here

[rolfe]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

About how long did this take everyone to do?

Never working on a Nomad it took me "set up start to clean up finish" about 5 hours.

Since I had help from Our Vulcan Bagger Site, Gadget's Site, Texas Vroc Site, Sarge's, Shop Manuals it sure made life good.

I did soak my New Clutch Friction Plates in oil before installing.

[ringadingh]

I took about 90 minutes, I would still use the washers as they keep the spring from wearing down.