that in the photo looks like a valve rocker...

So I pulled the clutch apart today and everything actually looks to be in reasonably good condition. Still have to measure each of the plates but they certainly don't look that worn. The plate order was not quite the same as previously posted and it looks like the curved plates may have been in with the mark outwards not inwards but both were the same. That may have something to do with it but looking back I think the clutch ran Ok/ when I got the bike just a bit grabby. I got another cover off ebay which had had holes drilled and the piston assembly in it seemed to be in better condition so I used it. From memory I used the my old pin though as it was brass/bronze and had a bigger diameter face than the one I bought which had a steel pin someone must have made up. I don't think mine had the steel pin but can't remember that far back.

ANYWAY on closer inspection today I have noticed that the piston in now might be the newer version available - underneath is just a machined out depression for the spring to sit in and the bearing looks to sit nearly 2mm lower than the outside lip of the piston, underneath the bearing it appears to be a solid plate. The brass pin sits level with the top of the piston but the steel pin would sit about 2 to 2.5mm higher.
The old piston assembly has a hat like protrusion underneath that the spring sits around and this makes this piston longer by that amount being about 3mm. The main bodies of each are about the same though. I destroyed the bearing trying to get it out but the outer race is still installed and it sits slightly above the top lip of the piston. This version also has the needle roller bearing in the bottom like others have described. If it came with the brass pin it would still sit higher than the lip of the piston by its thickness and the .5mm that the bearing is sitting up. This brass pin measures only about 1.5mm so has worn quite a bit.

I know it has been mentioned previously that the someone bought a piston assembly with pin and it sat level but I'm concerned that this possible mismatch might be a small part of my problem of only partial disengaging.

Would this be so or am I just clutching (no pun intended) at straws. I of course had to bleed this system when I put this new second hand cover on and I put a later master cylinder on at the same time. It has worked fairly well until recently and seems to have just gotten a little worse over time (say 12 months and about 2000klms). The piston assembly was very clean when I pulled it out as I would expect with only 12 month old fluid.

The piston does feel a little loose in the bore compared to brake pistons I have looked at in the past but it wasn't leaking. Does the clutch need a bigger tolerence so as to work easier than say a brake assembly.

Is there some way I can test the master cylinder to blame or eliminate it from the problem.

I'm thinking of makign a couple of new pins so are we pretty sure the installed height should be level. I'm thinking now that with the spring behind it this height is not that critical. It would appear with the spring that the pin in the piston is always in contact with the pin in the plate and always spinning am I right.

Any of you guys in the good old US of A got a source for clutch plate kits. Preferrably aftermarket.

I've contacted Barnett who say they do not do anything and I've contacted a local shop who are very good with old parts but when I can buy a later model Barnett kit for about $160 AUD and the local kit for the old style is quoted at $320 AUD it's time to start looking around.

A couple of guys have mentioned kits out of the UK but their exchange rate is pretty crap right now and the USD exchange rate is the best it's ever been, not that far off dollar for dollar. So if I can source from US it should be good value.

Same with a new or updated basket.