harley clutches,how do you visually tell a dry clutch from a wet clutch?

Question

is it the springs compared to the diaphram type or is it the friction, and steel plates?

Answer 1

Dry clutch is usually single disc, quite large and thick compared to wet. Just a flat disc with lever type leaf springs in the center located next to a large metal pressure plate on a common axis. Wet clutch assembly consist of multiple very thin small diameter clutch plates along with multiple thin metal pressure plates between them, and all of them placed inside a metal bowl.

Answer 2

a dry clutch is the kind you find on a ducati...it is noisy and sounds like something needs to be fixed although it works perfectly ok.
a wet clutch uses liquid for the clutch. this can either be a one piece unit which shares the engine oil or it can be a seperate unit. many japanese sportbikes use the kind that shares the engine oil so the oil has to have many extra properties. harleys can either be of the wet or dry variety and can either be a single wet unit or a the seperate unit style. if it is a dry clutch it is probably an aftermarket product.
both kinds use steel plates and friction plates and can use either springs, diaphragm, rollers, wings or other methods to work.
visually you cannot see much of a wet clutch. often times a dry clutch is left exposed to show off that it is a dry clutch. if it were to be enclosed i doubt anyone could tell the difference other than sound.

Answer 3

I installed a primary belt drive set-up on my Norton, it uses the same clutch plates only you run it dry. I can't say with any certainty that Harley wet/dry clutches are the same.

Answer 4

A wet clutch rides in the transmission gear oil,a dry clutch is external.

Answer 5

thats the first time bart was right,its a wet clutch. If replacing go with a set of Barnet clutch plates!

Answer 6

a dry clutch is outside the main case and a wet clutch is inside the case with oil. on the dry clutch if you pull the side case it will be dry and clean as for a wet clutch will have a drain bolt under the clutch housing cover.
the wet clutch itself with be smoother than a dry one and wet is also thinner and looks like a transmission clutch in a auto. the dry looks more like a manual clutch

Answer 7

A wet clutch runs in oil, a dry one is dry.
The friction material is slightly different, but I don't think you could tell that just by eye.