teamferret Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 I see that Villiers services are offering a yamaha clutch conversion for the villiers engine, anyone used it and can give an opinion and also which model it is off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) As far as I am aware the gearbox mainshaft has to be shortened to fit a different clutch so no returning to the original. VS also have friction plates for the Villiers clutch which use more modern materials well as lighter springs, I have these fitted to my bike along with the 17t engine sprocket and chain tensioner, the clutch works very well. Edited October 21, 2018 by trialsrfun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Which Villiers engine/gearbox is it you want to change the clutch on ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffmutt Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 I have 3 Villiers engines, an 8E with Albion gearbox, a 6E with 3speed box and a 9E with wide ratio 4 speed all fitted with standard 9E clutches that work fine. Why fix something that isn,t broke?. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamferret Posted October 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 It's a 31A with a challenger top end. the clutch if fine but stiff. I tried softer springs but then i got clutch slip in the higher gears. it wouldn't be an issue, but I have a dislocated shoulder so can't develop much power with my left hand. I converted the triumph twin engine to hydraulic but technically that's against the rules. You can have a 2017 Drayton Bantam but a simple clutch mod is not allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, teamferret said: It's a 31A with a challenger top end. the clutch if fine but stiff. I tried softer springs but then i got clutch slip in the higher gears. it wouldn't be an issue, but I have a dislocated shoulder so can't develop much power with my left hand. I converted the triumph twin engine to hydraulic but technically that's against the rules. You can have a 2017 Drayton Bantam but a simple clutch mod is not allowed. Ah, OK - I was thinking maybe 6/7/8E, in which case the 9E conversion from Paul Powell at Cotton Villiers Spares is the answer. Can't help with the 31A motor, sorry ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 16 hours ago, ruffmutt said: I have 3 Villiers engines, an 8E with Albion gearbox, a 6E with 3speed box and a 9E with wide ratio 4 speed all fitted with standard 9E clutches that work fine. Why fix something that isn,t broke?. They never troubled Dave Bickers or Brian Stonebridge and umpteen thousand other users including Don Smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) Villiers clutches all tended to suffer from the clutch basket fingers becoming ridged, a simple matter of cleaning off with a file....except that increased slightly the amount of movement from clutch plate tang to contacting the basket finger so the wear came back after time. Before you go spending money on a clutch from another machine manufacturer have a closer look at the Villiers clutch. Either clean all the working surfaces of wear and witness marks, do a back to back clutch spring test ( two springs in a vice with a large washer between the two, wind in the vice so that both springs are compressed by approx half and measure each, the spring that is compressed the most is weak, do this for all the springs and decide if you want to invest a few pounds in new items. The clutch forks should be nice and healthy protruding evenly either side of holder plate, if not the clutch will be harder than normal in action. Check all flat surfaces for distortion and ensure the clutch cable is relatively friction free and running a not too torturous route from bar lever to operating lever at the transmission. Experiment with bar lever position for both your hands reach and feel when stood up on the pegs and when seated, a compromise setting may have to be arrived at. Consider potentially longer or lengthening the clutch lever(s). Just by fitting a different clutch will not necessarily overcome your physical weakness in a particular area, in fact it might make matters worse. Would you be allowed to run with a Japanese clutch? Have you looked at the clutch lightener that goes between the cable and clutch lever, offered by some specialists. Maybe telephone Villiers Services for a more direct answer or solution?? Edited October 23, 2018 by section swept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 19 hours ago, teamferret said: It's a 31A with a challenger top end. the clutch if fine but stiff. I tried softer springs but then i got clutch slip in the higher gears. it wouldn't be an issue, but I have a dislocated shoulder so can't develop much power with my left hand. I converted the triumph twin engine to hydraulic but technically that's against the rules. You can have a 2017 Drayton Bantam but a simple clutch mod is not allowed. The Villiers 31a was I think often fitted into small cars and has two large springs in the clutch centre, these work well in a trials bike if set up as section swept suggests. When fitted to cars the clutch might have had Capasco plates which are entirely made from friction material even the tabs but you can use the steel plates from it with the modern friction plates sold by VS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamferret Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 I use the standard clutch except for the basket which is banded but only because it was on my scrambler for a while. I hear what you are saying about stonebridge and smith, but they didn't have to compete against trick Bantams and they had talent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scifi Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 Quote Back in the day, when we used steel ball end levers, I noticed that they were not all to the same design. Some had the nipple to pivot distance of 1 inch, but I had some that were 3/4 and some even less. So you could try a lever with a smaller pivot distance, to give you a lighter clutch. Also the cables are nearly always nylon lined these days, so that could reduce the friction even more. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hewson Posted November 20, 2018 Report Share Posted November 20, 2018 Villiers Yamaha conversion clutch , i never got round to fitting it , but you after cut 10mm off main shaft i was told ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old trials fanatic Posted November 20, 2018 Report Share Posted November 20, 2018 Same base unit as used on the Bantam conversion. Think they are from Harry Stanistreet originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section swept Posted November 23, 2018 Report Share Posted November 23, 2018 On 11/20/2018 at 7:52 PM, old trials fanatic said: Same base unit as used on the Bantam conversion. Think they are from Harry Stanistreet originally. He who built the Arrow engined Drayton? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old trials fanatic Posted November 23, 2018 Report Share Posted November 23, 2018 9 hours ago, section swept said: He who built the Arrow engined Drayton? Dont know about that. I remember he built an Arrow engined Zundap. Havent seen Harry for a while sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.