kz440 clutch problems

Okay, i'm tracking down all the problems on my bike and the time has come for the clutch. The bike has run before but the clutch has never worked since I got it.

When you pulled on the clutch lever, it pulled and felt like it was okay but it didn't do any 'clutching' at all. So I figured before I tore it all apart, I should at least try and adjust it. So I went on www.kz400.com and found a copy of the KZ440 owner's manual that gives instructions on the clutch. I dont know about other bikes, but on the 440 there is a small plate with 2 screws on it which is removable to get access to the clutch adjustment screw.

So I followed the procedure, which told me to loosen the cable at the locknut halfway down the cable to give it some free play. Then I took off the cover for the adjustment screw and found the locknut that was supposed to be on the screw was entirely missing. My first conclusion is the last owner had it off to adjust it and lost the locknut, and didnt put it back on so it eventually worked loose until, voila, no clutch. So I tried tightening the screw and tested the clutch. Still nothing, so I tried loosening it and tightening it and couldnt seem to get it to work, until one magical point when I was turning the screw and something make a pop/click sound. The cable has gone completely slack.

So I think I've either snapped the clutch cable by over tightening it, or something else has happened. I tried to pull the cable out, and you'd think if it was snapped it would just pull right out, but it goes about 6 inches and stops. I didn't take off the cover that covers up the sprocket and everything because the screws are in a crappy place that will require me to take off the footpeg as well. But I will tomorrow.

Anyway, does anybody have ideas what I did, what I should do next, and any other words of encouragement.

Not knowing what year 440 you have, I am assuming it is like the 650 clutch. More than likely you popped the end of the cable out of the inner clutch release. Underneath that cover is a clutch release that when you pull the clutch in it turns. As It turns, it twists up because of a worm type gear and bearings. When it twists up, it pushes on a rod that presses the clutch in internally which allows you to shift.

Well, the cable is attaced to a clutch release in much the same way as the other end of the cable. The difference being that there is a cotter pin holding the end under the cover in place.

The only way to know for sure what happened is to take the cover off. You WILL need a nut for that adjuster screw. Trying to do anything without it is a pointless effort, IMHO.

It's good to hear the cable probably hasn't snapped. I wouldnt think it would, after all, because I wasn't tightening that hard and the cable is fairly new. I'm a little tired today from work to get the cover off but this weekend I'll rally the troops for help and get it off there. Also in the meantime I'll have to track down a lock nut for it. Thanks your help.

Oh, I forgot to mention the bike is an '80.

Post edited by: exothermia, at: 2006/04/06 18:04

I'm having the exact same problem with my '80 kz440. It was fully operational last fall. I've removed the cover and tried to manually push the rod in. It doesn't budge. Does that mean my clutch is faulty? I noticed on the schematic from kawasaki.com that there is supposed to be a little ball inside where the rod goes. Is there a way to see if that is positioned correctly? Any help would be greatly appreciated.