Clutch reinstallation problems

Hi,

I finished rebuilding the entire engine on my 82 KZ 440 LTD (belt drive) in a record 3 years (life gets in the way of plans sometimes, no?), got the motor back into the frame, starting hooking things up, with no real difficulties, BUT...

...the clutch seems to be a wee bit adverse to my plans.
:blink:


When I put everything back together, the clutch spring plate doesn't sit flush against the basket, which leaves room for the discs to slip out, and the clutch seems to freewheel.

The only things I can surmise is that the clutch spring pressure plate lifter isn't going in as far as need be. If my memory serves me correctly (it's been too many years) I had to buy a replacement ball, as the original either wasn't there, or disappeared.

Any ideas?
Regards,
Erik

P.S.: According to the Clymer book I have, the tangs on the basket should be straight (no major nicks.) I don't think I have major nicking, but I have some nicking. Should I spend the extra money to get a whole new shooting match?

Post edited by: kz440belted, at: 2007/06/21 01:50

Hello again!

I realize that the main idear behind forums is to ask questions, and have other people answer them.

HOWEVER...I feel that it's only proper to reply to your original post if you find the answer, and nobody else has offered one yet. Such is the case here.

According to the wonderful service techs at Cliff's Cycle Center in Bremerton, WA, USA the 1980 and 1981 KZs do indeed have a steel ball sitting inside the clutch, but the 1982 (which I have) DOES NOT.

With this in mind, I immediately went to the bike, shook the ball out of there (magnets didn't seem to work on it) and everything seemed to fit!

Not only did everything fit the way it looked like it should have, but the clutch seemed to engage and disengage when I squeezed the cable, and seemed to run fine...even with crossed fingers!!!

cool good job glad you fixed it;)

I am glad you figured it out.I was going to ask
you if you had the springs on the wrong side of
the outer cover but I am glad I did not.

I just saw this post and want to say "well done" for posting back about your fix. It may help someone else in the future.
By the way Erik, there is a website for 400-440 enthusiasts that will have a lot of information for you.
www.kz400.com/
I don't like steering people away from this site but if you need more help to get riding, it's all good in my book.

Ha, sorry I didn't get to the post earlier..I ran into that exact same problem last week when re-assembling my clutch, it took alot of headscatching and explicits to figure it out. Glad to hear you got it going.