Motorcycle Repair: 305 clutch, clutch assemblies, clutch pack

Question
Hi Bill, I just picked up a 305 superhawk that I'm restoring and I'm removing the clutch plates for cleaning.  Everything was going fine until I reached the last 2 plates and 2 discs.  They are held in place with thin wires that run the outside  of the drum.  The plates need to come off for examination and those wires look very difficult to re-install.  So far I've had advice to take them off and not re-install them as they were left out on later models. Engine # CB77E 314577.  Any suggestions?  Thanks a lot, Kevin

Answer
Kevin, just push the ends out with a flat screwdriver. If you don't bend them, they will go back in part-way and then you can hook the end with a scribe tipped tool and pull them the rest of the way back into the hole.

They are there to help separate the clutch pack, so the clutch doesn't drag when you have the lever pulled in and are trying to find neutral at a stop light. Without the retainer wires, the pack doesn't like to separate completely, even with proper adjustment. The dragging clutch puts some tension on the transmission gears and the shift drum can't index the gears properly to engage neutral.

Your engine is a 1963 production. You can swap whole clutch assemblies in and out of these engines, but some of the individual parts cannot be mixed together successfully.

I have restoration guides on CD for your bike, if needed.

Bill Silver
www.vintagehonda.com