I have a 1991 LT80 that I am having clutch problems with. With a 60lb kid on the quad it would not go up a hill with a slight incline.
I checked the compression and it was 110 PSI, so I tore the front part of the clutch apart and found the rollers all gummed up and not able to move, I cleaned it all up and three of the rollers have flat spots on them. I put it back together with just three rollers and I put powdered graphite on them. Now when it goes it has a jerk in it like it is slipping every few turns. Should I put grease on the rollers or was the graphite OK. Anyone have any clues?

 

You shouldn't lube any of the rollers,some could get onto the belt surface and cause slipping. When you put the 3 weights in,did you stagger them,every other slot? I ran my son's like that for years,really lets you rev into the power band. If your front clutch was that dirty,did you take apart the back? the pulley sheaves can get full of dirt back there,mine was,kept it stuck in high range, pulley couldn't move. Make sure you can grab the back pulley,open it up (should be pretty stiff)and let go,should snap right back. If not,could be all gummed up with belt dust and crud like the front. I had an 87,after cleaning the front and back out,it zipped real good,just made new plastic bushings for the clutch weights,and replaced them every year or two,whenever they showed flat spots. When I put just 3 weights in, there was no hill my son couldn't climb,it revved up and spun tires all the way to the top,and he weighed a lot more than 60 !!

 

I did stagger the rollers, I guess now I will check the back part of the clutch to see if it is also dirty and hopefully this will help the jerking problem.

 

I always grease the rollers,but lightly.The trick is to get a good grease that responds well to heat.Actually the grease is more to hold the rollers in place during installation.BUT maintenence will be increased (thats why SUZ loads them full of grease).I wonder if the grafite will get out onto the clutches.Let me know the results of the grafite plz.
I have had negative reports on only using 3 rollers,I understand it works for some.I would recommend at least 4
110# compression is not that great,altho I know it will still run.
What 95 wolv said about the rear clutch is correct,the jerking may be there,or grafite on belt,guess you will be finding out next time the clutch is apart.
Keep us informed plz [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

LT80,what kind of problems have you been seeing with the 3 roller set up? My son ran it (very hard) for 5 years like that,sold it to my buddy for his kid almost 3 years ago,still working fine,been raced a couple of years, the only thing I do is replace the plastic over the rollers every other year, grips the belt nice, very peppy powerband. I was given this mod advice years back from a guy who raced LT80's in Oklahoma,didn't hear of any problems.just curious to know,even though I don't own it anymore. thanks for any info.

 

The service manual for the LT80 calls for Suzuki super grease "A" to be applie to the sliding surface of the rollers. Aprox 5-7g of grease.

I tried the 3 rollers. The bike did not go fast enough. Put in 4 and still had lots of low end and a better top than with 3. Its running with 4 to this day.

 

95wolv: It seems that some have had it do a meltdown from not enough weight,this is what was reported to me.
Was your motor modded at all? I am refering to 3 being too light for a bone stock machine. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The motor was bored .020 over,milled reed housing (opened up the tapered side) and carbon fiber reed, and a UNI filter. I'm a little curious about the 4 rollers giving more top end,will it make the front clutch extend farther? also,since the slots are set up in a 6 slot,how do you run the 4,2 weights,space,then the other 2? that would balance out side to side,but will it really make that much difference? I will be working on that quad this week,starter problems,so maybe I'll put in the 4th roller to test that out.