WTB Hydraulic clutch conversion

other · Post by **other** » March 23rd, 2011, 7:44 pm

To suit 1990 CR500. . . . if these things are worthwhile ? I have several other bikes with Magura hydraulic clutches (570 'Berg, 510 Husky, EC Gasser etc) and all of them have a one-finger light pull, constant bite point and progressive release. That's what I want from the CR, which currently needs almost a full hand pull. (Basket is stock, and barely ribbed on the leading faces, although when it goes into the AF it will get a Hinson or similar)

2strokeforever · Post by **2strokeforever** » March 23rd, 2011, 11:41 pm

it dosent give a much lighter pull over a well maintained cable..., the main advantage is no clutch fade, i can use 1 finger, but not all day, note i have popeye forearm muscles
if i were to do it again id call magura directly and get a 9.0 mm master cylinder (cr5 kit comes with a 9.5) to make it 10% lighter
im also using a frequently greased enduro engineering bearing lever, it helps a tiny bit, but now the rollers wore dents in the pin after only 1 season
grease the clutch arm too, it all adds up
also only use magura blood, tried mineral oil but it was too thick making it a bit harder
for bleeding follow bobs procedure, works great if there are any bubles it wont disengage fully

other · Post by **other** » March 24th, 2011, 12:19 am

I heard tell that you could use baby oil in 'em too . . . . any truth in this ?

2strokeforever · Post by **2strokeforever** » March 24th, 2011, 12:47 am

ya if you want a harder clutch pull...

other · Post by **other** » March 24th, 2011, 12:55 am

Thanx for your help mate. I guess I'll just have to man up, and get working on my own set of Popeye forearms ! ( I wonder if that old spinach trick actually works . . . . ?)

Rhino89523 · Post by **Rhino89523** » March 24th, 2011, 7:54 am

I recently rode a 500 with the hydro clutch and I didn't really like it. It had zero feel for hookup, I stalled it on my first start. My stock clutch, steel plates, stock springs, fresh cable, lubed actuator, good lever....pulls really easy and nice. After riding one with the hydro I have zero desire to own that mod. Just me.

Post by **AlisoBob** » March 24th, 2011, 8:10 am

That would have been my bike, and I dislike it too...... and its my bike. Its been on my bike for 6 years now, and 85% of the time I wish it wasent on there.

The cable has WAY better "feel"....

Like Matt said, a well maintained stock setup has a pretty light pull. If its heavy or stiff..... something is wrong.

I think I'm going back to the cable.... soon.

http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore · Post by **Roostius_Maximus** » March 24th, 2011, 8:35 am

It does give a lighter pull, I've got some serious trouble with my hands, it makes a big difference.
BUT, after 3 rides i took mine off because it faded out and left me without a clutch for a good hour back to the trucks.
I have one i'd sell, pd 150$ for it, thats what i'll take for it. I also have the hotstart clamp piece so i could remotely open my decompressor, add 15$ for that.

Post by **MojoScojo** » March 24th, 2011, 9:08 am

I still like mine. It's been on there for several years now. The "feel" was not difficult to get used to.

Post by **MojoScojo** » March 24th, 2011, 9:10 am

Roostius_Maximus wrote: it faded out and left me without a clutch for a good hour back to the trucks.

How does that happen? Not understanding the physics of that at all. Unless you ran the line past the pipe or something.

2strokeforever · Post by **2strokeforever** » March 24th, 2011, 11:23 am

slave seal leaks all the oil out and your lever goes floppy///

i use the shit outa mine and havent had any problems yet, other than wearing levers out
had to bleed it a few times
for me it was the best mod i did, i cant deal with clutch fade

if its bled properly i cant tell the diffrence in the "feel"

http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore · Post by **Roostius_Maximus** » March 24th, 2011, 11:29 am

It got progressivly worse thru the day, worked thru alot of creekcrossings, actually all the creekcrossings til the last one, the tough one

.

Atleast its hard to stall, in 1st i kicked it and it'd start driving, then just point it at the creek bank and hold it wfo.

seanmx57 · Post by **seanmx57** » March 24th, 2011, 12:08 pm

Get a rekluse auto pro and live happily ever after

maguras blow

cable any day over magura

oggo69 · Post by **oggo69** » March 24th, 2011, 12:12 pm

did u boyz bleed from the bottom up thru to the master ?

other · Post by **other** » March 24th, 2011, 8:14 pm

Well, opinion certainly seems divided on this. So, as I always do when there is no definitive "this thing is awesome", or "this is a POS", I will make up my own mind on the subject !
Roosty, I'll take that deal, including the remote decomp actuator.
PM me with Paypal details please mate.
Cheers guys.

Gotta say, I'm a bit bewildered about the clutch fade issue. I assume you mean either A] drag, or no clutch actuation at all, which can only come from a leak/loss of fluid, or B] clutch slip, which would have to be a result of fluid expansion due to heating. This is the very problem hydraulics were intended to overcome, being 'self adjusting' by nature . . . . ?
Either way, it would have to be a fault with setup or similar, surely ?
As for feel, I only have 2 (dirt) bikes with cable clutches, the CR500, and a KX450F (yeah, I know, sorry !) and the cluches on both are heavy, grabby, and prone to the bite point moving with temperature, and frankly just suck ! All my hydraulic clutched bikes are faultless and smooth.

britincali · Post by **britincali** » March 24th, 2011, 8:34 pm

Personally I love my magura.

other · Post by **other** » March 24th, 2011, 9:27 pm

Brit, you have a bit of a reputation for loving farmyard animals too, so should I trust that recommendation, I wonder . . . . . ? Yeah, OK, I'll go with it !

2strokeforever · Post by **2strokeforever** » March 24th, 2011, 11:52 pm

I'm a bit bewildered about the clutch fade issue. I assume you mean either

and prone to the bite point moving with temperature

with a cable if i adjusted my lever with ZERO freeplay when it got hot 220F+ i would have a inch+ freeplay, i could tell how hot i was running by the freeplay in the clutch

hydraulic always has 0 freeplay, regardless of temp

thats the main reason im happy with mine at $275

seanmx57 · Post by **seanmx57** » March 25th, 2011, 5:52 am

keeping a magura disengauging 100% so it doesn't drag when you pull the lever is the problem. They were designed for CR250's, different throw length or they just didn't give it enough. Once it drags, it heats up and is even harder to disengauge. pretty soon you are done.

http://www.youtube.com/user/500bigbore · Post by **Roostius_Maximus** » March 25th, 2011, 6:28 am

same throw lenth sean, the lever is identical with only the backrest that sits against the stator plate not being on the 250 model

britincali · Post by **britincali** » March 25th, 2011, 7:20 am

I did have to modify mine with a cut and drilled 6mm socket to rise up the slave cylinder so I could get the full throw.

seanmx57 · Post by **seanmx57** » March 25th, 2011, 7:26 am

OK, they still suck. I had $400 into mine changing slaves for longer throw, fancy crap SS lines etc. New Cable for $20 and I was happy again. Now on the auto crutch I'm

They just need more TC balls to work decent

Post by **MojoScojo** » March 25th, 2011, 8:03 am

If you're having problems with the Magura, you're doing something wrong.

Post by **MojoScojo** » March 25th, 2011, 8:13 am

http://bannedcr500riders.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=249

2strokeforever · Post by **2strokeforever** » March 25th, 2011, 9:15 am

keeping a magura disengauging 100% so it doesn't drag when you pull the lever is the problem

with mine bled i got the same throw as a cable with 0 freeplay, so when i was riding i had way more throw (or disengagement)
look at the slave and press the lever 1/16 of an inch, if the slave dont move proportinate then it aint bled properly

alisobobs bleeding procedure rocks, easy and no air gets in

BannedCR500Riders.com