Clutch Adjustment Z1000J

Hi,
I am a newbie to this site and wondered if we had any experts on the Z1000J as members.

I have been having a problem with the clutch release lever over rotating and jamming the engine in the declutched position. I have followed the instructions in the manual (both Clymer and official Kawasaki) to the letter and am convinced that that is the root of my problem. The manual says the adjuster screw should be turned clockwise until it meets resistance and then backed out a quarter of a turn. This I believe only applies to the conventional worm set up. Mine is different being a ball and ramp set up.

Here the adjusting screw moves a cam plate back and forth in the housing and does not bear directly on the operating arm. I have dismantled the mechanism and concluded that as the adjusting screw thread is a RHT, to reduce clearance it is neccessary to turn it anti clockwise, as the screw is required to move the cam plate inwards. If you think of the adjusting screw as a bolt and the cam as a nut, to move the nut outwards with a captive bolt you unscrew it!

This suggests to me that both manuals only talk about the worm mechanism and that the ball and ramp clutch adjustment is done the opposite way. Can anyone confirm my reasoning is correct?

Post edited by: Kiwiz, at: 2007/01/09 15:24

You are now mixing two different adjustements. The release system inside the sprocket cover adjusts the amount of release i.e just enough to release the clutch but not to make it slip. If you make it slighly too tight it will slip and too loose it won´t release properly.

Your problem is related to the adjustment of your clutch lever cable. I had exactly the same problem and the only way to solve it is to adjust the cable so loose that it barely opens the cluth. If it´s too tight you will pull the release mechanism "over" which means that the 3 balls will move to flat surface and the springs in the cable can´t pull them back as the clutch spring are pushing the mechanism.

In mine I have first 1/3 of lever movement loose and the pull happens in the end on lever movement. (Sorry for my poor english, try to understand what I mean)

Espoo,
what a great forum: you in Finland me in New Zealand. You couldn't get much further apart geographically!


Thanks for your comments but I still feel that the cover ajustment mechanism is where the fault lies. I still feel that the method descibed in the manual only applies to worm mechanisms. Obviously you use the ball and ramp (cam) mechanism as well and have had the same problem. If you get the chance dismantle the lever mechanism and think about how it works. The adjuster screw is a RHT, therefore if you want to move the cam plate inwards to reduce clearance, you must turn it counterclockwise, not clockwise as the manual suggests. Try it and see it can't do any damage either the clutch will slip or it will over rortate again and jam the clutch open.

I am going to try this as described for a while to see how it goes but am a little delayed as I am waiting on a missing 125mm bolt which holds the cover in place. Comming Ex Japan. I have had very little feedback on this topic on the UK owners forum which tells me this mechanism is quite rare.

Howdy KiwiZ

Yeap, almost exactly on the other side, so I think it´s summer there. Usually we should have around -5-15 Celsius here but this winter has been extermely warm, yesterday it was +8. So no snow and no snowboarding.

Yes, turning the adj.bolt counterclockwise will reduce the clearance. So the right way to adjust is to turn counterclockwise till you feel some resistance and then back 1/4 -turn.

But the jamming IMHO comes from too long cableplay. If you adjust the lever as it usually shoul be with 3-5mm loose you will have too much play. This will cause the mechanism to overturn and the 3 balls will come out from the ramps on flat surface. That´s the only explanation that I have found and also the only cure. If you find some other erason please post it here. By the way, if you make some mod in the engine to get more power change the plates and springs. It will slip easily and for example APE´s heavy duty clutchkit is very easy to install and costs under 100 US$. It´s worth it, makes the clutch more sensitive and won´t slip.

This is my ELR:

Z1109R Fin wrote:

You are now mixing two different adjustements. The release system inside the sprocket cover adjusts the amount of release i.e just enough to release the clutch but not to make it slip. If you make it slighly too tight it will slip and too loose it won´t release properly.

Your problem is related to the adjustment of your clutch lever cable. I had exactly the same problem and the only way to solve it is to adjust the cable so loose that it barely opens the cluth. If it´s too tight you will pull the release mechanism "over" which means that the 3 balls will move to flat surface and the springs in the cable can´t pull them back as the clutch spring are pushing the mechanism.

In mine I have first 1/3 of lever movement loose and the pull happens in the end on lever movement. (Sorry for my poor english, try to understand what I mean)

Exactly how I have mine set up as well.

Guys,
much appreciate the feedback and will have a look at the cable play.

However Z1109R (Espoo) has confirmed my view that whats written in the Clymer and Kawa manuals for the puch rod clearance adjustment only applies to the worm adjuster. the ball and ramp is the opposite.