How to: replace your clutch plates : KawiForums.com Kawasaki Forums: Kawasaki motorcycle forums

whitehendrix · 02-07-2008, 03:55 AM

alrighty. todays lesson is a standard wet multiplate clutch replacement.

your bike (unless is a ducati or chopper) has a "wet" (oil-bathed) clutch in it. its a multi-plate design to keep it compact and still be able to transfer immense horespower.

your clutch is comprised of alternating steel and friction plates. the steels have teeth on the inside, the friction plates have wider teeth on the outside.

to my knowledge, this will be the same procedure for slipper, and non-slipper clutches.

read this before going thru with it just to make sure you got everything!

preferred tools:
-assortment of allens sockets
-various wrenches and sockets
-rags
-oil pan
-magnet on a stick and small, flat, long screwdriver

ghetto tools:
-allen wrenches
-cresent wench and various wrenches and sockets that fit
-newspaper
-big pot no longer used for cooking (hopefully)
-silicone sealant
-coat hanger wire

universal tools
-beer
-workin music
-people hangin out

ok. now, i tend to remove some oil before hand to keep it from pouring out all over the place, but you can opt not to do this, or take your oil pan and place it under the clutch cover to catch what will come out anyway..

*on cable clutches... take loose the cable and remove it from the bottom of the clutch cover, and spin the disengagement shaft 180 degrees

hydraulic, you'll probably not need to do anything but this next step..

(take you plastic off if you have to!)

***some plates require that you soak them in oil for a while to get them to spec and grippy.. if you use clutchplates that need soaked, do this now while the cover is still on. give it an hour or two, or whatever the manufacturer suggests. i usually use DP cluches,.. they don't need a presoak, and can be installed and ridden.

* ok, with a pan under the cover, remove whatever type of bolts hold the clutch cover on. try to follow some sort of pattern to keep flex to a minimum in the cover.

*set the cover aside and on something soft, as to not scratch it up.
take the proper tool the will
i take the filler cap out and put my finger in the hole just to keep a good grip on the cover on removal.. just a suggestion..

**now is the time to make sure you have the correct size clutchplates!!!
make sure they're not too big or small....

-for multi-spring (5 or 6) pressure plates, get the correct tool, and remove the bolts holding the springs in and the pressure plate down. the springs are shorted then the bolts, so they wont fly across the room when you remove them..

-for belleville washer type, just remove the big nut in the center holding everything in place. NOTE the direction of the curve of the washer! if it doesn't go back in this way, you'll change the pressure applied to the clutch!

* ok. now with the pressure plate off, you will see your first plate. it is a friction plate. you'll begin and end with this style plate....
remove it and inspect the side of the teeth.. are they dented? remove the rest of the plates in there... use a small screwdriver, or magnet on a stick to pull the plates out.
are the teeth of the steel rings dented? isthe hub they ride on scalloped or chewed up? if so and this is a used bike you bought, the bike was abused or stunted, and you should probably replace the entire clutch assambly now...

stuntbikes, and racebikes with tight slipper setups are going to show a little hammereing on the splines of the hub and basket, but use your good judgement to determine whether this warrants any concern..

* ok.. if your new plates are soaking in oil, go fetch them and get em ready to put in!
either way withwhatever plate brand you have, if they're ready to be put in, go ahead and slide the first friction plate to the back of the basket and hub.

now a steel.

keep alternating them until you have installed all the rings back in place.

* after reintroducing all the appropriate rings, go ahead and button everything back up in the reverse order yo took them off and go for an easy ride!
btw... if you didn't happen to buy a new clutch cover gasket upon buying your new clutch, clean the mating survaces of the cover and case, and apply some "rtv" type silicone sealant to them, bolt them together at 1/4 torque.. give it maybe a half an hour to cure and bond, then torque everything the rest of the way down!

you're ready to go ride! be easy on it for a while til everything settles and breaks in....

hope this helps!
have fun and be safe!!

heres what the stagger looks like. notice te last friction plate's tab position?

empty basket

steel

friction

assembled clutch

if you have a plastic package for your clutch pack, you can cut it off the cardboard and use it as a bowl to soak the plates.

now, remember how i was sayin about how the pressure plate may only go on one way or a certain way on some bikes? enter the 05 636.
it can go ON 6 ways. only 2 of those ways will work. ( 250s are only 2 ways as well, but 4 ways to go on...)

example.
see the dots at 12 and 6 o clock where the screwdriver and extention are pointing? those are alignment markers.

the reason is this...

see how that plate is milled with protrusions?
those fit in the milled pockets on the hub.

observe.

see it at 6 o clock? the gap in the splines? thats where that dot 9one of them) has to line up. it can be 180 degrees out.. but not 90 or 270. then the plate won't fit tight up against the stack. it'll instead be resting on the hub.. not the plates.

also, very important. if your clutch is acting like an asshole, it may be because of the "clutch pushrod" seen here.

if yours doesn't look anything like that as far as the radius on the end or how it's shaped, it's probably fucked up and needs replaced. this could be due to either improper assembly or a pilot/thrust bearing failure.

Hiramwhiteboy · 06-26-2009, 08:41 PM

would this be the same for an older bike 1983 kawasaki gpz550

whitehendrix · 07-19-2009, 03:52 PM

should work pretty much for any bike
3rd gen gixxers use a "belleville washer" instead of the bolt/spring combo. all you hafta do with those tho is make sure the washers radius is facing the correct way.
other than that, same thing.

OH.. big tip of the day. certain clutches, like the EX 250, have a pressure plate with a few little teeth on them that will ONLY FIT A CERTAIN WAY on the clutch basket.
might wanna just paint marker an alignment mark on the plate and basket bofore disassembly to avoid any trouble later. if this happens, take it off and either try to seat the plate the right way or turn it 90* then try to seat it (up against the plate stack) again.

636_Smitty · 09-09-2009, 09:24 PM

hmm good stuff, needed to bump this for my upcoming clutch job on my 636

Nickrile · 09-10-2009, 07:04 PM

How do i know when i need to replace the clutch? My bike is going on 14k with the original? What signs should I look for, to know when it needs to be swapped?

**ZX6RRNewbie** · 09-15-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickrile

How do i know when i need to replace the clutch? My bike is going on 14k with the original? What signs should I look for, to know when it needs to be swapped?

Slipping?

whitehendrix · 10-06-2009, 12:12 AM

pretty much. it's one of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kinda deals.

i've seen neverous cats do this as a preventative maintenance thing as wel.. just don't want the clutch to ever slip.. they'll change it while it's actually still got some life left.

then again, i've seen some that scare me. the bikes wouldn't even move. on flat cement. clutch left off completely and the motor just idles like it's in neutral.. lol

Eurosport · 10-06-2009, 11:01 PM

i've done this couple weeks ago, thnx for the writeup

dres0081 · 07-08-2010, 10:59 PM

awesome write up made me switch from zxforums.com

to here, a lot more useful info here

00NissanNinja · 07-09-2010, 01:03 AM

Nice write up