MOPED ARMY

Update:

-80g is not to light, I was just tired and it was late and I over tightened the screws causing one shoe to slip.

-PAZ springs don't gain you much on a 2 shoe.

-I've been running 80g shoes and 18/45 gearing for a few weeks now with no issues, and a top speed of 40+

-18/45 kills the low-end but the clutch helps, but what really helps is the 18t freewheel (I can cruise pedaling at 10+)

-with 80g shoes and stock springs as tight as possible (still allowing full range of motion) I think it's engaging just around 2000 rpm.

Bump...

2 in 4 months. I have a stock clutch for this reason. 18/45 slow taking off from a stop, but it flies down hills.

True about the stock clutch wear and tear.....but at the same time, 34.00 get you a new 3 shoe. Big deal. Get two at once and keep it on the shelf.

I've got one in my 80 Metra and I already know it's going to be done in a month or two. But....for 34 bucks....I'll just shred it and get a new one.

i think ur on the right path graham, I have never actually lightened mine to the point it was too light to function, but i guess being able to add and remove weight on the fly would significantly reduce clutch wear, cuz god knows i'm not gonna be swapping clutches all the time.

What if you tapped holes on a lightened clutch, and on the back plate also cut some holes so that you could remove and install the ballast screws without actually pulling the clutch just by removing the transmission cover? if u catch my drift.

the doppler clutch pulley has these weighted screws as well.

DAMN. that is a shitload of meat taken off there.

The "M" shape is because I used a band saw. Straight cuts only.

Plenty of two shoes to mess with for free around here.

im doing this with drilling holes, swiss cheese clutch. this should definately go in the wiki, there isn't much on this subject. i need a new camera.

With that much weight taken out, I have trouble imagining the clutch ever fully engaging. Maybe it does, but when I try to imagine the centrifugal force overcoming the push of the spring, it just seems too weak. Maybe I need to adjust my imagination.

i dont remeber the weight I took off. But if you are clever, you can do a buncha math and look at the pic to figure out the riddle.

i cut my 2 shoes almost exactly like what rafter has drawn in his pic, in fact i think i drew the sharpy outline onto the clutch arm on the left last time i was in sac.

I have no idea if its close to 80g or not but i'm gonna guess not or that that statement is false, even cut that extreme they still engage fully eventually, however, the plate will wear out faster and the pins will begin to bend outwards causing all sorts of bad things to happen, on a daily rider don't expect such a clutch to hold up for longer than a month.

Also yeah u can do this to a 3 shoe the trade off is 3 shoes are heavier but they grip more consistently and harder. right now in my puch i have a 3 shoe cut similarly to this, however i think it needs to have more material removed cuz it just doesn't spool up as well as the 2 shoe did.

and both clutches fall far short form the acceleration of a moby with a doppler clutch and variator so i think i might concentrate on tuning for low end w/o alot of clutch work.

Elliot did indeed draw those shapes.

How do you get those shoes off ? I couldnt find anything that would work to get that clip off so i just grinded a tad bit with them on.

I messed with my clutch other day. Ended making homemade clutch puller and retapping my clutch cause they were out of 6mm taps and dies.

I weighed shoes with just shoe alone and no spring or spring screw and they were 98.8 and 98.5 . I wen't at it with a dremel and i was making very minimal progress for the time, so i decided to drill the shit outta the shoe. I put like 5 holes in each clutch and got them down to like 81 g, and put them on, the difference was pretty big. Acceleration was alot better and i could feelit spool up a bit. After about 30 mins of riding i lost pretty much all power, could only hit a top speed of 20 and could barely go on the flats . I took clutch apart and the little ring that keeps the plate on front of the clutch wasnt put back right and was just flying around over the clutch assemble, like in the back maybe were the gears are. My plate that covers clutch was also loose and beating around in there lol. So i fixed all that and put it back on right this time and also lightened my shoes to 74 g each, with sprngs at 540 out, so i will report back with how it is.

Thx man, didnt see post till today.I'm prolly gonna take it out today so i'll be able to get a pic hopefully, been needing a digital camera for the longest time and still havent got one.

It seems to be running pretty well, but ive noticed my top end has suffered a little bit, is that normal? I'm geared at 14x45 though, but i think i will change to 15 or 16x45 today since ive found some torque.