550/600 owners some clutch guts info for you

These will appear in an upcoming photo thread on clutches, but since I got them together now, I figured somebody might find them useful.

THESE APPLY ONLY TO THE US and CANADIAN 550/600 CLUTCH (and possibly the 400-four cyl) NOT TO THE BIGGER BIKES.

The Japanese and World (and probably Euro) market bikes apparently had a clutch with two clutch boss springs, like in the diagram. Every US and CDN market 550/600 clutch I've seen only has the one, as explained here.

The bigger bikes are a lot simpler.

The EXPLODED views in both the factory and aftermarket books are wrong for the USA bikes but apparently DO apply to XJs sold elsewhere;
Here is the correct info for North America:




NOTE: This diagram also has another flaw, it only illustrates a total of seven friction plates when in fact there are eight, seven "normal" ones and one "special" plate with a large ID for the clutch boss spring. Likewise it only shows 6 plain plates when in fact there are seven.



WHEN REASSEMBLING the clutch, you need to know this, the orientation of the asymmetrical "tabs" on the plain plates:



The pic on the right is the "Clutch Boss Spring" and third friction plate, as called out in the corrected exploded view.

Like I said, this is North American market 400-4/550/600 specific info, and will not apply to the 650/750/900s. Thanks to forum member kickaha for the additional info, every little bit helps.

 

This is great info and the timing couldn't be any better since I'm replacing my clutches soon

 

Saved to my hard drive - thank you.

 

Great job Fitz.

By the way, the Yamaha diagrams and manuals are chock-full of "small errors" such as this that makes for some real head-scratchers.........

And for those of you with the Haynes XJ650/750 manual, don't even attempt to try and follow the instructions on pages 242-246 regarding the electrical relays and testing them. Just rip those pages right out of your book and use them for kindling, or lining the bottom of the bird cage.

You'll thank me later......

 

Thanks! great thing to have on the garage comp for reference!

 

Thank you.

Yes they are. I suspect that maybe the 400 (4 cyl) had two sets of clutch boss springs as illustrated; the 550 manual has a lot of photos of XJ400 components in it.

I wanted to get this out because I noticed a couple of the 550 guys talking clutch and the last thing you want to do is take one apart and then try to use the diagram to put it back together.

I'll have the full photo-thing done soon, but I want to tear into the 650 first and get some pictures from the "simple" clutch too.

 

Now that you're an certified, experienced pro with the 550's, you should be able to do the 650 clutch blindfolded, like field-stripping a rifle....would be an interesting test of your skills! :lol:

 

Great info. I went through quite an ordeal several years ago replacing clutch guts. The bike wasn't running when purchase due to carb issues. When I had the carbs cleaned up and the engine running it would die as soon as I put it in gear. Turns out PO had one plate too many in the clutch which took me longer than it should have to figure out due to different references indicating difeerent quantities. (PO also only had 4 of 5 bolts installed due to cracked outer basket). I think the dealer even gave me bad info. After tearing down and reinstalling the clutch so many times I got tired of shelling out money for gaskets. I have several happy years on my rebuilt clutch and 100% formagasket gasket now.

 

When I got my '83, it turned out it had fallen HARD on its right side.
The brake lever had not only punched a hole in the case, but got in far enough to BEND the clutch basket. That's when I discovered how much fun the 550 clutch is compared to all the diagrams in the various books.

The information above is from a variety of sources; there is no place except right here that it's all put together. It'll drive you crazy if you only have one reference.

 

I've just taken one of my 550 clutches apart and it is the same as the top diagram including two clutch boss springs, what function do they serve? are they just an anti rattle device?

 

AHA! (Sorry to paraphrase your moniker...)

The diagram isn't wrong the diagram is from the original incarnations of the bike sold other than in the USA.

I think they're more of an "added rattle" device. I believe they are intended to ensure the clutch pack separates fully in at least a couple places (only one, here) to allow oil in.

The "tabbed" assymetrical plain plates were designed to be out of balance slightly, therefore putting a slight load on each one in the hope of cutting down rattle.

I'm guessing on the clutch boss springs based on the design; the bit about the plain plates came from a magazine review when the bikes first appeared.

I'll edit the original post, thanks.

Markie; I'm interested to see what's in your clutch now.

 

The clutch pack in mine does only have one plate with the bigger ID for the clutch boss spring to fit inside though so I'm putting it back together with just the one

Another one I have already taken apart doesn't have any clutch boss spring in it, but at 110,000km it may have already been apart and left out

 

Yeah, at 110K KM it's far from the original clutch. I've found some interesting photos in the service manual, XJ500 I think, so I suspect your bike very may well have matched the diagram originally. The diagram didn't spring from nowhere; there was another undocumented production change.

I still want to know what's in Mark's clutch on his UK market 600.

 

I have an aircoooled FZ600 (2HW) I can take apart for a look, I only bought it for the head

 

Ok, having issue. Just blew out my clutch. Took it apart and i have 8 friction plates, 7 clutch plates. and this:[/img]

Is this the clutch boss spring? Because I did not order a new one and it is warped beyond repair.

 

I also see an item in chacals catalog that I did not order, or know what they are: a secondary drive plate that says 1 is required.

btw, I went through a mechanic I have worked with in the past and K&L screwed up his order...should have known better than to deviate from chacal

 

The "secondary drive plate" is the single friction plate with a larger ID to make room for the clutch boss spring. It and the clutch boss spring go in the third position in from the outside of the pack, as pointed out in the corrected diagram.

 

Sorry, didn't go back a page the first time.

Yes, that is the clutch boss spring.

IT IS NOT "WARPED." It is a giant "wave" washer and is supposed to be wavy like that.

As long as it's not worn thru anywhere and the little bumps are in good shape and it's NOT mashed flat, you're good to go. If it weren't "warped" that would be cause for concern.

But you will need a secondary plate.

 

thanks! one more: any reason why the diagram shows 6 clutch plates, but i pulled 7 and 7 came in the kit? I'm doing to follow your diagram b/c it makes the most logical sense, but unclear why i have "extra parts"

 

(Responded to your other thread.) There ARE 7 "regular" friction plates and one "special" larger-ID friction plate for a total of 8. That enough plates aren't actually illustrated is another problem with the diagram, and one I failed to make clear. I'll have to fix that.