clutch pack

I am all out of clutch adjustment.What is
the best source for a complete set of clutch
plates?

Check the essentials list.

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/10/23 09:23

Has clutch push-rod been adjusted? (not talking cable-slack here)

Check push-rod as Patton says, and the best clutches are Kawasaki OEM. The aftermarket clutches require much heavier springs otherwise you get slippage. I discovered this myself trying everything to get some aftermarket clutch to work. I got tired of takingthe cover offto make changes. Finally I called some shops and every independent shop I called said to throw away any aftermarket clutch (one of the rare times I called three different pros and got almost the exact same answer, the "throw it away" part). The Kaw clutches cost more but are worth it. Make sure to replace the springs with Kawasaki replacements too. When I put the oem clutch in, it was like night and day. It felt like brand new.

If you are drag racing,you may want something stiffer.

This is regarding my 550, but I believe it should be the same for the larger bikes.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/10/23 13:01

I am sure the plates are under spec by now.
Stock plates with Ape springs,they have been
in there a long time,great combo.Where is the
best place to order oem plates from? I plan on
new Ape springs and cable while I have it apart.

If the APE springs are stiffer than stock, then you might get away with aftermarket clutch disks. I get the OEM at a local dealer.

I know you don't want to open it up until you have the disks, but you may want to... My buddy's 76 KZ400 clutch was slipping like crazy and I could tell it had never been opened. We assumed the disks were worn and ordered new ones. Well, the disks were almost at the same thickness as the new ones. It just needed new springs and the plates needed cleaning. The bike sat for a lot of years and the plates were gummed and had a hint of rust.

So anyway, I have a new set of friction disks for sale.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/10/24 13:19

The way the bike reacted on a holeshot
I wouldn't be suprised to see a broken
plate or two.This clutch has over 20,000
miles on it,maybe alot more.It has been
in there a while.

I must be extremely easy on clutches, because in all these years I've replaced a grand total of *1* clutch in over 300,000 miles.

what do you mean by "no more adjustment" with all the adjustment avalible, ie. pushrod, cable and handle you can pretty much adjust for any plate wear and still get proper adjustment. OR do you mean it is slipping when properly adjusted?
i have never really had problems with any brand clutch. the one in my 650 now is a 5 dollar ebay job, it was brand new but some weird brand. it work just fine. i did put in the heavy duty springs, which IMHO was quite the mistake, its like pulling in an anchor.
the clutch in one of my 400's has been slipping for years, just go easy on them and they will last for a very long time.

Well, like I said, with heavy springs the cheap clutches work fine. Matt I can sell you the 400 disks dirt cheap if you're interested. Brand new OEM.

with all my 400 stuff laying around, i think i have at least 30 disks laying around. i guess i should say i am too lazy to put them in, so i just do not beat on the clutch anymore
i hate the HD spings, they make a fun bike a pain to ride, not to piss and moan, but i got hand problems up the wahzoo, fibromyalgia and other stuff and those springs just make it worse. of all my bikes the BMW is the best, squeezing it feels like ya just squished a banana, then the Harley is next. but the 650 with those springs is the worst.

I still have the stock clutch in my 650 with over 51,000 mi on the clock. Still very solid, no slipping. A year ago I had some money to put nto the bike so I bought a new set of fiber and steel plates and springs from Z1 for when the time comes. With the above chat, am I to assume these might give me some problems when the time comes? :dry: