Common Motor has identified a small issue with the clutch friction discs currently being produced for the CB175, CL175, SL175, CB200, and CL200.
The issue involves the teeth that slot into the clutch basket on these motorcycles. From the factory, the OEM Honda clutch friction discs had a tight corner with a minimal radius where each tooth transitions into the body of the disc. Currently, the replacement discs on the market are stamped with a larger radius between the teeth and the disc body.
While this does not cause an issue for most of the clutch discs in the stack, it can cause the bottom one or two discs in the clutch basket to bind. See the photo below for a comparison of the original Honda clutch friction discs versus the new discs currently available on the market.
Because OEM Honda clutch discs are so difficult to find for these motorcycles, the best option we have at this time is to make a small modification with a file. Squaring up the corners of the clutch discs allows them to fit properly and operate correctly in these motorcycles.
Fortunately, the clutch discs are stamped from aluminum, so each corner only takes a few strokes with a file to square up.
See our video on how to perform this modification.
Step 1: Clamp the clutch disc down, or clamp it between two pieces of wood in a vise, to hold it securely in place.
Step 2: Use a rectangular, square, or triangular file to begin filing back the rounded edge. The goal is to remove the rounded corner, but take care not to remove material from the teeth of the disc. It should only take three to four strokes of the file per rounded edge.
Step 3: Once all of the edges have been squared up, test-fit the clutch disc in the clutch basket. You may need to touch up a few corners to get the disc to drop smoothly into the bottom of the basket.
Step 4: Install a clutch steel plate, then test-fit the second friction disc in the clutch basket. If it binds, repeat the same filing process so that it drops into the basket easily.
The clutch basket channels are slightly tapered, so we have found that generally only the first one or two clutch discs need to be filed. Be sure to test-fit the entire clutch stack assembly before calling the job complete. Also remember to soak the friction discs in oil before installation.
Please reach out to our support team if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Purchase CB175 / CL175 /SL175 clutch friction discs here
Purchase CB200 / CL200 clutch friction discs here