Clutch engagement

[Gritsngravy]

I just put a clone big bore in my G2 with the stock clutch. My problem is that the clutch engages at very low RPM, even with the belt very loose. It creeps forward just starting, putting stress on the starter.
It did this stock but I never cared because I was using the starter/generator, but now I don't want to burn out the starter.
So is my clutch messed up? Or do they all engage this low?

[Mike Mac]

This is normal for a stock Yamaha clutch. There is no stall spring in that clutch. I would say aftermarket is in your future!!

[sho305]

Pull the clutch out by hand and see if it does it. If not it may be like mine, then I'd put one pump of grease in it and it was fine. Every time it needed grease it would start to drag at idle. Also check your tension cable is too tight. Is it stock belt did you install clone same distance.....is belt too short in other words. The HD kevlar belt will drag some its wider. A new belt will do it until broken in they are sticky. Normally it will drag but not enough to move the cart. Also make sure your idle is very low speed you may have to richen the idle, that will make it start faster too. Mine will pop the compression release at idle. I drilled the weights on my stock G9 clutch it helped a little but no major change. Gone to a 94c now but tuning has been work.

[dbmachine]

Call don at plowmans. He surely will have a clutch spring that will achieve what your wanting.

[sho305]

You will tend to get better performance with the belt tighter (but not 'tight' which will make it drag a lot). Clutch should move in/out easily, it has to move out itself when you stop it should not drag much at all. Maybe enough to roll the cart on pavement a little but not on grass.

[Gritsngravy]

I'm thinking it needs a stiffer spring. It engages with too much slack, even when just pulling it over with the recoil.

[sho305]

Spring wont make a difference its in the primary, which has no spring. Not saying a new or umax spring in the secondary wont help how the cart runs, but the primary needs to open to not drag.

[slonomo]

Are you using the stock belt? Or did you get a new one? Is it the proper width? Is the engine/clutch properly aligned? All of these can, in some way, affect primary clutch engagement.

Typically at idle, the belt "slips" on the sheaves because it is slightly narrower than the width between the two sheaves. Stock belts are usually worn a little bit and won't drag as much. Worn stock belts will cause jerky engagement and/or poor performance.

When the belt is new, it will be slightly sticky and less forgiving while "slipping", and sometimes will drag on the sheaves and tend to feel like it's engaging. It sometimes takes many hours to wear in a new belt before it works properly.

If the belt is the wrong width, say too wide, then it will not "slip" while starting. This will cause it to want to move while starting, and also cause lower top speeds.

An engine/clutch that is misaligned will drag on the belt, cause performance problems, and damage the belt.