AF Cassett clutch road version update.

[Scooterlam]

After 10,000 to 15,000 miles of abusive riding the time has finally come to give my clutch a health check.
on the way back from the South Downs Run the very intermittent slippy feeling I had had on the way down escalated to a full blown slip at certain revs in fourth.
So today I bit the bullet and the chain case came off today. first thing I noticed was the chain was really slack not just a bit but so slack there were signs of wear on the top guide adjuster where the bottom run of the chain had been whipping up. I had been advised to check the bronze bush as there had been reports of excessive wear. There was loads of play and this accounted for at least half the slack. First thing I found was you cant remove the clutch after you remove the centre as unlike conventional clutches the holding tool fits to the centre plate rather than the crown wheel.
So with the clutch out it was soon apparent that the bronze bush was in great shape slipped in smoothly with no discernable play, the slop however was in the gear cluster bearing, there was play in every direction. I remember in sticky's review that he noted that on the cast versions the machining might have been slightly off centre. I jigged the clutch up on a spare gear cluster and it certainly seems this is the case with mine, I have long suspected it was, as there is a slight jerkiness when pulling away which would match an exocentric crown wheel. I have a mountain bike which uses that effect to increase leverage at the power point of the stroke.
I think this may account for the excessive wear in the bearing, I checked and its a FAG one and almost defiantly went in with the clutch.
the plates (red Race) themselves appear to have little wear the oil channels are still pronounced with slightly more wear on inner side and there is only blueing on the very outer edges of the steels, as I had not seen them new this my well be from them being laser cut.
all in all it looks like if the clutch itself is slipping its more likely to be springs than plates. and I cant rule out the issue being the cush drive spring.

So I will replace the plates and springs as a precaution, the Cush drive spring as best practice, I've hade them fail before. and the bearing and chain or I'll look at a pull down type of adjuster.

Your Thoughts.