Help - Initial Clutch Cable Setup

I took my 650 out for my first ride on it last weekend and found the clutch was slipping a bit when hitting higher revs and going up a hill. It seems the clutch cable was pretty tight and there was no free play, so I'm thinking this maybe what was causing the slipping. Ran fine under normal driving.

I tried adjusting the cable to get a bit of free play but couldn't accomplish it by just turning the adjustment at the lever end of the cable. So to make a long story short I started messing with the adjustment screw (behind the clutch adjustment cover) and then turning the adjuster nuts behind the engine cover at the end of the cable. I now have the correct amount of free play in the handle but now I'm wondering if I've messed up the actual clutch engagement any?

I don't have my rear wheel or swingarm on now so I can't test it out, but is there anyway of knowing if it's setup correctly or totally messed up without running the bike? I read through the manual on clutch adjustment and I couldn't really make any sense of it :blush:

Is there a step-by-step procedure for setting up the clutch cable correctly (like if you installed a new cable) that I could follow to set it up correctly and work from there?

Any help would be appreciated.

HerrDeacon wrote:

...started messing with the adjustment screw (behind the clutch adjustment cover) and then turning the adjuster nuts behind the engine cover at the end of the cable. I now have the correct amount of free play in the handle but now I'm wondering if I've messed up the actual clutch engagement any? I don't have my rear wheel or swingarm on now so I can't test it out, but is there anyway of knowing if it's setup correctly or totally messed up without running the bike? I read through the manual on clutch adjustment and I couldn't really make any sense of it :blush: Is there a step-by-step procedure for setting up the clutch cable correctly (like if you installed a new cable) that I could follow to set it up correctly and work from there? Any help would be appreciated.

According to Kawasaki.com, this clutch has the worm gear adjuster for the clutch pushrod.

Adjustment is a routine maintenance item and is accomplished by loosening the locknut, turning the screw in clockwise until lightly seated and then backing the screw out counterclockwise 1/2 turn, then tightening the locknut.

The clutch lever when first squeezed should have a slight easy short pull (which takes up the pushrod slack via the worm gear) and then the clutch lever begins requiring a much firmer squeeze throughout its remaining travel on toward and against the handlebar grip. It's the firm squeeze pulling distance whereby the interior cable continues activating the worm gear which pushes the clutch pushrod to overcome the pressure of the clutch springs and thereby disengage the clutch.

As known, when releasing the handlebar clutch lever, pressure against the pushrod is relieved, whereupon the natural action of the clutch springs serves to press the clutch plates together and thereby engage the clutch.

While squeezing and releasing the handlebar clutch lever, should be able to sense feel of the clutch as it disengages and engages.

Good Luck!

Thank you very much Patton, that's great. The manual I have at home was a bit confusing but this clears it up. Where on kawasaki.com do you find this info?

I'm going to try this tonight, thanks again.

Just for info that most if not everyone is already aware of I'm sure. The adjustment behind the engine is mainly to position the lever so it is angled correctly for the cable to get maximum leverage to turn the worm gear to disengage the clutch. After that the 2 adjustments for cable length are to get the small amount of free play at the lever to insure the clutch is fully locked during normal riding.
As long as you have free play at the lever, no amount of fooling with the adjustments will help a slipping clutch. Reason I say this is I've read it quite a few times on KZrider where a guy will have a slipping clutch but have ample play at the lever and continue to f**k with adjusting the worm gear at the engine. This will not do a bit of good, so first get free play at the lever. You get that the clutch should not slip, if it does the clutch iteslf is in need of work.

For consideration:

As to 1973 Z1 through 1979 KZ1000, performing the clutch pushrod adjustment is shown in the factory service manual (and owner manual) as required routine maintenance. Seems this is sometimes overlooked, ignored or simply disregarded in a headlong rush toward addressing the plates and springs for correction of a clutch slippage problem.

If the clutch pushrod gap has reduced or vanished (from perfectly normal ordinary gradual wearing of the clutch plate material), the simple quick cheap easy fix is often a clutch pushrod adjustment. The "other" fix is replacing the clutch plates, which returns the clutch plate material to "thick as new" thereby restoring the required gap in the clutch push rod (and without having to deal with the dreaded 30 second clutch pushrod adjustment).

Where measurements after clutch disassembly are found within specs, boo on any failure to having first tried adjusting the pushrod gap.


Here it is, straight from Mama Kaw's lips:

"Clutch push rod adjustment -- Need and Purpose"

The FSM (factory service manual) covering Z1 and KZ900 includes a periodic maintenance chart requiring clutch push rod adjustment at 2000 mile (3000 km) intervals and explains the need therefor in separate text, which explanation is quoted verbatim as follows:

"Besides cable stretch, clutch plate wear also causes the clutch to go out of adjustment, with a decrease in push rod play. Due to this wear, the push rod gradually moves closer to the clutch release lever (at the lower end of the clutch cable) until it touches the adjusting screw. When the rod is touching the screw and therefore has no play, the clutch will not engage fully and clutch slippage will occur. Note that the clutch push rod does not necessaily have play just because the clutch hand lever has play, and so hand lever play alone cannot be used to determine whether or not the clutch requires adjustment."

The FSM covering '77-'79 KZ1000's includes a periodic maintenance chart requiring clutch adjustment at 5000 km intervals, and explains the need therefor in slightly different language, which explanation is quoted verbatim as follows:

"Clutch plate wear also causes the clutch to go out of adjustment. This wear causes the play between the push rod and the adjusting screw to gradually diminish until the push rod touches the adjusting screw. When this play is lost, the clutch will not engage fully, causing the clutch to slip.
NOTE: Even though the proper amount of play exists at the clutch lever, clutch lever play alone cannot be used to determine whether or not the clutch requires adjustment."


Good Luck!

HerrDeacon wrote:

...manual I have at home was a bit confusing....

Besides the wormgear style adjuster, there is also the later ball-and-ramp style adjuster. Rumor has it that some of the aftermarket manuals are confusing the two styles or providing incorrect instructions.

Being unfamilar with the ball-and-ramp style, could easily be mistaken, but seem to remember reading somewhere that the adjusting screw turned in the opposite direction. So the ball-and-ramp adjustment is accomplished by loosening the locknut, turning the screw out counter-clockwise until lightly seated and then turning the screw in clockwise 1/2 turn, then tightening the locknut. For anyone reading this, please rely on the applicable FSM instructions or await better advice regarding adjustment of the ball-and-ramp style adjuster.


HerrDeacon wrote:

...Where on kawasaki.com do you find this info?....

Looked at clutch on the 1978 KZ650 parts diagram.

Thank you very much Patton, I really appreciate the detailed explanation. I believe the manual I was using (which I don't believe was for the D1 model) said to turn it counter-clockwise until it was hard to turn. I tried this and it never got harder to turn. So, now after you explained the two kinds it's much clearer. I believe mine is the other kind you mentioned. I'm going to revisit this tonight to set this correctly.

Regarding the slipping, I don't know if it's the cable being too tight or actual worn clutch. Saturday was my first ride on the bike and so I don't know the history of the bike. I'm going to adjust the cable to get the correct amount of free play and see if this improves the slipping. If it doesn't I'll investigate other reasons like worn clutch.

Thanks again for your help.

I've been messing around with it a bit tonight and setup the adjuster as stated above and got the correct amount of free play in the lever. The only thing is that when I have the bike in first gear with the clutch lever pulled in the bike is still hard to move (the engine is not running). Is this normal? I know it probably wouldn't be as free moving as it would be if it was in neutral but I'm wondering how much drag is normal?

Update on this issue.

I adjusted the cable to get the proper amount of free play and this has made a world of difference. It seems that the tightness of the cable before was causing the slipping clutch. Now under the same circumstances there is no slipping.

Thanks for the help, greatly appreciated.

The only thing is that when I have the bike in first gear with the clutch lever pulled in the bike is still hard to move (the engine is not running). Is this normal?

Yes, this is normal.


Some thing else unrelated:

Any drag on the cable will make it difficult to pull in.
A few years back I'd always get a sore clutch hand.
Having the sprocket cover off with the cable attched, when I tried pulling in the clutch lever, it felt smooth.
Ride around some more and I still get a sore hand after a while.
So I check the cable again, completely removed from the sprocket cover/clutch release mechanism and it feels very tight/dragging.
I switched cables to a brand new one, and no more sore hand.