clutch gears are bad?? at 8300 miles 1981 kz550c2

I have a 1981 550c2. It only has 8300 miles on it. At idle I have a nasty rattling sound. At first I thought cam chain, but the shop nearby showed me that it was actually coming from the clutch. As you release the clutch a little the sound disappears completely. What the heck- with only 8300 miles its almost like new, runs like new. So my question is, is there something wrong with the gears of the clutch and the crank gear? Is this something to worry about? Do I need to tear it down?

Thanks for any help you might offer.
Lorin Bumbarger

I'd put the bike on the side stand,and remove the clutch cover(have a new gasket on hand as the old one will tear) and check for loose hardware like clutch springs,clutch basket,and the release mechanism.

Also look at the gear going to the transmission for wear.
Clean old gasket from the mating surfaces and if scraping is needed use a piece of plastic with a sharp edge to avoid damaging the soft aluminum surfaces. A piece of plexiglass or lexan works well.

Try to keep the use of gasket sealer to a minimum to prevent clogging any oil passages. A thin film is all you need.

Probably nothing wrong with - many of the 550's do it including mine, and most people feel the noise comes from the primary chain. Try carb balancing, it may reduce the noise

Lorin, cheep offering, some clutch rattle at idle is typical, tho problem is rarely with gears. more common are sacked clutch basket springs/wear at plates/basket fingers/carb sync,broken friction plates, or easiest, loose clutch hub nut. by all means, have a look. luck g

Got into the clutch, no problem. Found basket wobbles from side to side quite a bit. Turns a ways without turning gears.
Bearing in there shot? To remove the basket, can I weld some washers to a steel rod bend to fit inner basket, bolt it in the holes for the spring bolts and then use impact with appropriate socket to loosen?

Found the clutch basket wobbles side to side. Must be either the bushing or the flimsy bearings...any thoughts?