DIY: Hydraulic Clutch Swap

*DISCLAIMER* I used all Ducabike (DB) parts for this install. They are not
cheap. They do sell the most complete kits and look fantastic. Quality is
superb. User Araitim went a much more affordable route and you can
contact him for details.

Before you begin:
- The OEM system pulls the pressure plate to actuate the clutch. Hyd system
pushes the pressure plate via a rod/ slave cylinder. This means lots of new
parts or lots of modifying the OEM stuff.
- While you can use the OEM clutch cover, it will take some machining.
You'll have to remove the manual clutch actuator arm (spring loaded pin that
resides in the blistered groove that bitter end of clutch cable attaches to)
and you will need to plug that hole.
- The OEM pressure plate has a pin in the center of it with an extractor
cap. This cap connects to the actuator arm that pulls the pressure plate in
the OEM mechanical form. You can use the OEM pin but the extractor cap must
be removed.
- The DB kits listed will save you from the above machining needs.
- DB sells a mechanical slave servo (AFM01) that uses the hyd push rod
setup. I guess you could keep existing clutch lever and route the cable to
this slave, but the cable would need to shortened and I have no idea if it
would affect the functionality.
- I included the anti-judder spring kit. I'm sure the system would have
been dramatically better than stock if I didn't add this, but it works very
well with it, is affordable, and you'll be taking the clutch pack out
anyway.
- Purchased all my parts from www.hsbkracing.com; fantastic customer service
- The DB/ Brembo lever/ reservoir I'm using is not compatible with OEM
levers. So, if you have fancy aftermarket shorty levers - like I did -
can't keep it. The lever in the kit I list is a full size stocker-type, and
I haven't had the time to find optional levers.

What you will need (all DB parts unless noted otherwise):
- AF02: 30mm Carbon Inlay Clutch Slave Cylinder
- AFI02: Hydraulic Clutch Conversion Kit *Has servo mounting hardware and
clutch actuator pin w/o OEM puller cap (read above)
- CCDV04SM: Wet Clutch Pressure Plate (can use OEM; read above)
- CCDV03SM: Wet Clutch Spring Retainer (can use OEM; read above)
- CCDV02: Ducati Wet Clutch Easy Access See Through Clutch Cover Kit
- 1 Pint of DOT 4 Brake Fluid (more if you're really clumsy)
- ThreeBond or preferred gasket sealant
- Metric hex head set
- Gasket scraping tools
- Pry bar and dead blow to remove OEM clutch cover
- Gotta drain the oil, so keep the old stuff or replace it

Optional:
- CP03: Sprocket Cover (believe it's actually for the Monster but it's the
one you need) *I cut my stock cover with a jigsaw to fit around the slave
- Clutch Fix: Clutch Fix DIY
- SLI01: Wet Clutch Clear Clutch Cover Billet Slider (added protection)

Basic steps (the 2 videos I'll link will fill in the holes):
*Be mindful that brake fluid is highly corrosive and will ruin painted surfaces. Protect the parts you care about accordingly.
1. Center stand or paddock stand
2. Put her in 6th gear (re: Clutch Fix DIY)
3. Drain oil
4. Disconnect battery and remove side and lower fairings
5. Remove clutch cable and old clutch lever. Leave clutch sensor wire in place as you'll need to run a new one later. You'll have to undo some zipties and cable stays. New line routes down left side so don't get ahead of yourself.
6. Remove rear brake lever. Mind the o-rings.
7. Remove clutch case cover. After the bolts are out, there's two service tabs on either side of the case. Wedge a pry bar on a tab and wack the other side of the case with a dead blow or rubber mallet. I wasn't using this again so I wasn't too concerned with marking it up. You may need a block of wood so you don't pry against something important. Swap sides and repeat. It will eventually crack and it takes a slight clockwise twist as it comes off to clear the upper manifold. The DB clear case is much easier to install. You'll need the OEM oil filler plug.
8. Remove old gasket from case. I used a wire brush and brake cleaner. Just be sure to clean as much as the gasket shavings out of the inner case as you can.
9. Remove clutch basket. Regardless if your using OEM method, you'll need to swap the actuator pin, requiring you to remove the clutch basket. Insert service bolts (included with kit) - not too tight as they are very small diameter. Remove spring retainer. Remove springs. Remove pressure plate.
10. Install new or modified actuator pin. The video explains this. A vice or press helps but you can manage with hammer. It can be very difficult lining the bearing up flush in the pressure plate, so check alignment carefully.
11. Remove sprocket cover. Remove plastic dong-thing under cover that plugs the actuator rod port.
12. Install clutch basket. If you installed judder spring kit, be sure to remove a set of drive/ driven plates. Think there should only be 21 total plates, not including the judder springs. I offset the last plate like video shows.
13. Insert clutch actuator rod through center hole from clutch side to sprocket side. Insert with rubber o-rings towards sprocket side. I used a little chain lube on the rod...giggity.
14. Insert pressure plate, springs and spring retainer. **DO NOT INSERT BALL BEARING BETWEEN PRESSURE PLATE AND ACTUATOR ROD AS SHOWN IN VIDEO**. Remove service pins.
15. Reinstall clutch cover and rear brake. Recommend practicing a few times before applying gasket maker. Let it dry overnight before adding oil.
16. Prime slave cylinder. Insert ONE ball bearing in the slave piston and mount. It might not flush up against the mounting pad and if you force it, brake fluid will squirt out. You can connect the clutch line before securing the bolts but be sure to eyeball the line as the banjo lines are angled and you need the correct sides routed between lever and slave. The slave should get the fitting with the bleeder on it. Reinstall sprocket cover.
17. Run the clutch line. You'll need to bundle it with the clip-on bundle through the triple tree access. I just ran it down the frame and looped it high and above the sprocket.
18. Remove front fairing/lamp and expose main wiring looms behind dash display. Trace old clutch sensor and find connector under large rubber sock, mine was in the bundle closest to clutch. Role the sock down and swap new clutch sensor lead. Fish back through frame to clip-on. I'd leave the front fairing open until you know it works because this is a PITA process.
19. Mount the new clutch lever. Be sure to test fit the handguard as my clearance was very tight. I had just enough room between mirror/ handguard mount and clutch actuation clearing the hand control cluster.
20. Fill and bleed clutch. Be sure to put something under the reservoir as you'll most likely spill some brake fluid.
21. If the case is dry and it's not leaking oil, fire her up on the stand and check function. Should just work, no adjustment. I first tried with no ball bearings because the videos and online research was conflicting. It didn't disengage completely. Installed a bearing in the slave and worked 4.0

Highly recommend watching these videos and reading the maintenance manual. I couldn't remember torque spec's, but all the clutch innards are 5/ 10 lbs. Again, don't install the pressure plate side bearing. You don't want to crack the case for something so trivial. Think I had 3 bearings total for random applications.

821 Hyd Clutch & Clear Cover

Clutch Swap





Cheers and Good Luck!

Thanks, bro. Now I just gotta go see what's broken after the wind blew her over last night...

Saken, it's a very good observation and one I spent a couple nights considering while I waited for parts. My fear was that I wouldn't be able to fish the pressure plate bearing out if it was a mistake. I had already disassembled my entire clutch 3 times (I nuked my OEM judder fix attempt and pulled the DB setup an additional time because I was uncertain about a step). I read a lot of other model 821 threads with these mods and the consensus was one bearing, slave side, probably because they tried it with no bearing first like I did. Also, in the 1st video link, you can see the guy installs a bearing on both ends of his Monster build, which absolutely wouldn't work. I figured he hosed up on the pressure plate side and didn't try to edit.

You should try the pressure plate side. Does make more sense. You can remove the slave without affecting the system. But, unless you have a very narrow magnet fisher (they made not even be ferrous), you'll have to pull the pressure plate to remove. I'll edit the post if it works. I might attempt this weekend.

So when I bought the mechanical slave kit on accident, it was made for HM 821 and the rod was about 15mm shorter than the rod that came with clutch kit (lever, line, rod). I test fit both and judging by the video's, I went with longer rod. The directions reference multiple applications - the MS 1260 gets both bearings. Think its just a universal application.

Good point about it dropping into the basket if you pulled the rod. I don't love the idea of the bearing rubbing on the convex shaft end, but I can get another rod and I have a couple bearings left. I would say you could make your own rod cut to length, just need to mill the o-ring grooves. It's just a piece of steel.

Sent the mechanical back. Wasn't going this far to still use a cable.

I'll also note that my stock setup use to paddle/ vibrate the foot lever pretty bad when I was shifting. If I didn't forcibly put my toe into an upshift, it would ratchet trying to find the cog, worse in the lower gears. Gone. Very smooth shifts. This could be the judder kit helping.

The DIY should be amended. I don't know if you can actually prevent that guide pin from coming off with the cover, but if you know to be looking for it when cracking it, might prevent a lot of heartburn. My gear actually didn't move until I was trying to put the cover back on, which is why I was so confused.

Bleeding took a while for me. First I had a very slight leak at the lever fitting. So dog down both fittings. After I got the system isolated, it took a lot of pumps before I started getting fluid threw the bleeder. Just don't let the sump go dry.