Installing a Suter Slipper Clutch

Yesterday I was at SuterRacing's headquarter to get their brand new slipper clutch for the Panigale, installed by one of their engineers (who actually did the design and construction). Very cool to watch a pro at work!

About the clutch: Jeezez, real high tech stuff!

The Suter clutch is a direct replacement for Ducati's original clutch in all 1199 and 1299 bikes.

The OEMs outer clutch basket stays in the engine, also the clutch package.
Everything else will be replaced with parts provided in the clutch kit.

Clutch force and degree of backslip can be varied with different saucer springs.

Removal of the original clutch and installation of the new one is pretty straight forward.


Personal experience so far (after 50km on the street):
I ride now with EBC off.
Backslip is smoother, my 1199 Tricolore is definitively less twitchy when riding thru town.
The clutch lever feels more direct and seems to have a clearer and direct triggering point.

I will describe removal of the OEM clutch and installation of the new one in two separate posts following this one.

There is no force required in the whole process, everything fits together smoothly.
We removed and reinstalled the main nut with an impact wrench, while pushing with the fingers on the clutch package. It works very good. You might want to use the original Ducati clutch fixing plate, but it’s not really required.

Every installation step is well documented in Suter's installation booklet delivered with the clutch.

Removal of OEM clutch

- Remove the lower right faring
- Remove the clutch cover by loosening the bolts around it (draining the engine's oil is not required)
- Loose the three pressure ring bolts, carefully remove the plate with screws and springs
- Remove the pressure plate
- Take out the clutch package, keep all rings together in the order they where installed, except the first steel and friction disk, they won't be used anymore
- Remove the OEM clutch hub. The OEM thrust washer (the big washer in the rear of the axle) must remain on the shaft.
- Remove the OEM clutch bearing along with the pushrod-receiver from the original pressure plate. We were using a small hand press.

Installation of new Suter Clutch

- Slide the new pre-assembled clutch hub unit onto the shaft
- put additional washers and nut onto the shaft (according the parts list)
- thighten the nut using loctite
- Check the plate package's thickness, it must be 45.7 +/- 0.4 mm
- Install a new clamp hub, main ring and then a locking ring.
- Press the OEM clutch bearing (previously removed from the OEM pressure plate) into the new pressure plate. No real force required, we also used a little hand press.
- Put the pressure plate into position and fix it with the spacing screws. You'll have to use the spacer screws from the kit, they are specially designed and work as internal push rods.
- torque the six spacer screws
- install the clutch cover

Can I test ride it

b9009b said:

Can I test ride it

Click to expand...

Only after me!!!!

Gecko said:

- Slide the new pre-assembled clutch hub unit onto the shaft
- put additional washers and nut onto the shaft (according the parts list)
- thighten the nut using loctite
- Check the plate package's thickness, it must be 45.7 +/- 0.4 mm
- Install a new clamp hub, main ring and then a locking ring.
- Press the OEM clutch bearing (previously removed from the OEM pressure plate) into the new pressure plate. No real force required, we also used a little hand press.
- Put the pressure plate into position and fix it with the spacing screws. You'll have to use the spacer screws from the kit, they are specially designed and work as internal push rods.
- torque the six spacer screws
- install the clutch cover

Click to expand...

Very cool..... Thanks for sharing.

Gecko, I though you are going to install the clutch on your race bike? Which one are you taking to the track next weekend (both?)? Always good to have a spare one

Looks very cool. Would be even cooler with the Ducabike clutch cover!

Phil1199 said:

Gecko, I though you are going to install the clutch on your race bike? Which one are you taking to the track next weekend (both?)? Always good to have a spare one

Looks very cool. Would be even cooler with the Ducabike clutch cover!

Click to expand...

Hi Phil
Yep, wanted to put the clutch into the CF pani, but couldn't bring her alive in time
Maybe they let me bring two bikes (or three), but I don't think so.
Oilquarium: just wait, there are other projects pending
BTW: I have your oil plug and clutch pressure ring, I'll bring it to the track and we will install it there...

I thought the 14 1199 comes with a slipper clutch yes/no?

ducati culture said:

I thought the 14 1199 comes with a slipper clutch yes/no?

Click to expand...

All 1199/1299 models do. This is an upgrade over the stock slipper clutch.

The 899 has a standard clutch.

ducati culture said:

I thought the 14 1199 comes with a slipper clutch yes/no?

Click to expand...

All Panigales as well as the new Monsters, Multis and the Diavels have a slipper clutch from factory. It's needed, otherwise riding would be terribly unconfortable. But these OEM Ducati clutches have an utterly different design and therefor work in a different way. High performance clutches (also dry clutches in MotoGP and Moto2) all have some sort of hardened ball ramps whereas the original clutch works with two slopes: one for freeing the clutch for backslipping, and one for completely closing it for full traction (super clever cost optimized design that has proved to work for a couple of years now).
Clutches like STM or Suter use spring force to close the clutch (both dry and wet) and the force required for backslipping is massively reduced and harmonized because of the reduced friction required by the hardenend steel balls on a ramp instead of two slopes rubbing agains each other.

Please correct me if i'm wrong or missed something, I'm really not a clutch scientist.

Cool stuff and neat product! thanks for documenting! yup, def. needs an oilquarium.

bp7178 said:

All 1199/1299 models do. This is an upgrade over the stock slipper clutch.

The 899 has a standard clutch.

Click to expand...

roger that!

Gecko said:

Hi Phil
Yep, wanted to put the clutch into the CF pani, but couldn't bring her alive in time
Maybe they let me bring two bikes (or three), but I don't think so.
Oilquarium: just wait, there are other projects pending
BTW: I have your oil plug and clutch pressure ring, I'll bring it to the track and we will install it there...

Click to expand...

I see, I see. The work is never finished!
Great, let's mount everything at the track. I hope they'll let me pass at the tech check. My oli plug and drain screw are still not secured. Delivered my Duc today and the whole staff team insisted that I should secure everything, otherwise I would not pass the tech approval. Let's hope for the best (or some last minute late night bike work)