Anybody ever fiddle with clutch springs?

[riverdog]

Hey.

 

My 346xp is getting bogged-down too readily. I'll be cutting a bit of wood that it should just chew nicely through but as soon as the revs drop off a bit the chain stops spinning.

 

My hunch is that the engine is outputting plenty of power (awesome compression, all filters and carb spot on etc), but I recently swapped the clutch assembly and I'm wondering if that's the problem.

 

The springs look fine, i.e. no cracks or anything, but I want to open them up a bit to keep the chain engaged at lower revs.

 

Is that foolishness or what?

 

If that sounds half-sensible, what are we talking about; a few tenths of a mm, a couple of mm, half an inch or what?

 

Thanks. S.

[doobin]

There's something seriously wrong if it's disengaging the drive with any sort of throttle applied. You should be able to feather the throttle a tiny bit to engage the drive and the engine will labour if the chain can't get moving.

[bob]

Would try new ones instead

Cheap and easy to do

And no problems with any I have used so must be something wrong rather than needing a modification

[Tom D]

As its the springs that disengage the clutch, and the centrifugal force that engages it the weaker the springs are the harder the clutch ought to bite…

 

Are the plates / drum glazed?

[Chris Sheppard]

If it's bogging (rather than slipping), are you sure you've not just been a bit over enthusiastic with the file on the rakers?

[Stubby]

As tom says if the springs are weak the drive will engage sooner . That why you need to replace clutch springs if you get chain creep at idle ( correct idle that is ) Also if you can bend a spring to " open it up a bit " it is no longer a spring . .....

[skyhuck]

If it's bogging (rather than slipping), are you sure you've not just been a bit over enthusiastic with the file on the rakers?