This writeup is by Wes White of Four Aces Cycle. Wes covers an often neglected part of your Triumph clutch, replacing the cush drive rubbers.
What is cush drive rubbers?
Now we are gonna go deeper inside your clutch that you ever wanted to be. The cush drive in the center of the Triumph clutch basket is made up of steel, but inside there is a steel “spider” and a series of rubber bumpers that help provide a cushion between the torque of the motor and the clutch basket through the chain.
How long do cush drive rubbers last?
Great question! That could depend on a number of factors such as frequency of oil changes in the primary, the mileage and maintenance of the bike, as well as the age of the motorcycle. Typically, based solely on the age of vintage Triumph motorcycles parts, replacing the cush drive rubbers will make a noticeable difference in the smooth performance of your clutch and primary.
When to replace the cush drive rubbers?
It is important when rebuilding your Triumph motor to replace the rubber bumpers if they are worn or torn up. Most of the time when the bikes have been sitting for years the drive rubbers will need to be replaced.
How to replace a new cush drive
Get the screws out
Warning, it can be a pain in the butt to just get the screws out that hold the top plate onto the center. The best thing to do is heat them up with a torch to help get them out. These screws are held in by a factory locktite and it has had 30-40 years to get very hard. Sometimes a torch and an impact driver are necessary to break them loose. Don’t forget to re-locktite the when you are done.
Dump the rubbers out and replace them one at a time
Once you get the screws out, you can bang the center on a hard surface a couple times to work the cover plate loose. Once that is out, it is VERY IMPORTANT not to just dump all of the rubbers out onto the table and start to replace them.
It is WAAAAAY easier if you replace them one at a time. The new rubbers are REALLY hard to get in because of their rubbery quality and you will have to wrestle them quite a bit. I start with one rubber and replace them in a circle.
The best tools to help get the new rubbers
The best motorcycle tools for cush drive replacement that you can use to get the rubbers out is a scribe or a pair of needle nose pliers. The best tools to help get the new rubbers back are a short screwdriver and a C-Clamp.
Put a small amount of grease on each rubber before you put it back in, this will help it slide into place. Get the rubber started just right and then clamp it with the C Clamp. Turn the arm on the clamp and it will mash the rubber into place.
You will find a LOT of tension while doing this so be careful with your screwdriver and make sure that you do not puncture the rubber pieces.
Finish the last rubbers and let it dry up nice
The last one that you do is gonna be the hardest of cush drive replacement, since you have renewed the rubbers in each spot, you have increased the tension on all of them.
It just takes a lot of careful manipulation with a screwdriver or blunted spade-type tool, then a little squeezing with the C-Clamp and you can do it.
Now put the plate back on and put some red locktite on the screws and let it dry up nice. Now you have a completely new cush drive.
Having problem with your Triumph? Visit our articles below where we explain how to tune & modify a Triumph motorcycle:
- TUNE AND SERVICE GUIDE FOR VINTAGE TRIUMPH AND BSA MOTORCYCLES
- TRIUMPH 650 CLUTCH INSPECTION & SERVICE
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