YFZ Clutch Slippage

[TCracin440ex]

well i rode a buddy of mines friends yfz 450 today. I must admit that bike is pretty nasty. I noticed the clutch was slipping tho thru the gears it felt like the bike wasnt catching and was reving out then it would catch. I tried playing with the adjustment on the handlebars but that didnt help any. I didnt kno if there was a secondary adjustment on the bike on the motor. The clutch is also WAYYYY far out on the lever the clutch is right near the top of the lever. I dont know if thats normal or not but i know the clutch aint posta be slipping like it is. So tell me does he need a new clutch or what could it be

[ACEwrench]

such is the problem w/ yfzs..... there are a number of things your buddy can do about this i have been told the syn oil that most riders will buy is great for the engine but horrible for the clutch....he may just change to semi syn oil or regular petro. (quality oil is a must). another option is to buy stiffer springs for the clutch... they are usually sold in a kit with clutches but talk to your dealer. i suggest staying with the OEM or GYT-R clutches if possible and just buying springs.

if the clutch is slipping and is way out like you said...then putting in a clutch is the best thing to do....and change the oil immediately after in stalling the clutches...the debris left over from a clutches locked up more engines than i care to see. hope this helps...........

[TCracin440ex]

Originally posted by ACEwrench
such is the problem w/ yfzs..... there are a number of things your buddy can do about this i have been told the syn oil that most riders will buy is great for the engine but horrible for the clutch....he may just change to semi syn oil or regular petro. (quality oil is a must). another option is to buy stiffer springs for the clutch... they are usually sold in a kit with clutches but talk to your dealer. i suggest staying with the OEM or GYT-R clutches if possible and just buying springs.

if the clutch is slipping and is way out like you said...then putting in a clutch is the best thing to do....and change the oil immediately after in stalling the clutches...the debris left over from a clutches locked up more engines than i care to see. hope this helps...........

yea i knew to change the oil a few hours after the first ride on the new clutch. I was willing to bet that he ran synthetic oil in that motor because there wont no way in hell a 05 was going to burn out a clutch that quick. I guess ill have to tell dude about his problem and fix it for him. How hard is a clutch swap to do on the yfz ive changed the clutches before in hondas, but never on a yam. Is it pretty much the same thing?

[intruder]

My son had the same problem and we found out it was his left hand. Not releasing the clutch all the way or feathering the clutch will cause premature clutch failure. A 2005 could need a clutch it doesn't mean there's a problem. I've already changed stock plates in his 06 when you change them use the Dirt bike fibers.

[jshtex]

There is a second adjustment in the cable about half way down right in front of the head. You can take a little slack out there and get the lever back to where you would expect it.


As for "such is the problem w/ yfzs....." our 04 still has the stock clutch in it and that includes two seasons now of hard XC racing. Now we have been thru a bunch of cables....

[TCracin440ex]

Originally posted by jshtex
There is a second adjustment in the cable about half way down right in front of the head. You can take a little slack out there and get the lever back to where you would expect it.


As for "such is the problem w/ yfzs....." our 04 still has the stock clutch in it and that includes two seasons now of hard XC racing. Now we have been thru a bunch of cables....


im not sure i think its the clutch all together....send me a pic of the 2nd adjustment so next time i get arround dude i can tinker with it. I woulda messed with it more the otherday but the motor was hot and it was cold outside and i wont even trying to burn my hands trying to find which 1 was which

[ACEwrench]

thats great that you ran two years on a stock clutch....but why? i change clutches whether they need it or not just about every race. of course our average race is about 300 miles.....and xc racing gotta be horrible on them...and again your oil mayhave something to do with that as well...............but, cool good luck.

[ACEwrench]

and one of my idols Rodney Carrington is supposively from Longview...right on!

[jshtex]

Originally posted by ACEwrench
thats great that you ran two years on a stock clutch....but why? i change clutches whether they need it or not just about every race. of course our average race is about 300 miles.....and xc racing gotta be horrible on them...and again your oil mayhave something to do with that as well...............but, cool good luck.

We change the oil every race and the filter every other. As for why we haven't changed the clutch yet. I check the plates every month and so far they are still in spec. But like i said I may go ahead and replace it this winter break. I wasn't trying to slam ya or nothing, just saying that we have had pretty good luck with the stocker. But it might be my son, he used to race a 426ex that is a 2001 model and to this day it still has the stock clutch plates in it....

Rodney, is from here along with Matthew McConaughey, Bobby Taylor (Former eagles cornerback) and country singer Neil McCoy. Not bad for a small town like this.

[SRH]

Originally posted by ACEwrench
thats great that you ran two years on a stock clutch....but why? i change clutches whether they need it or not just about every race. of course our average race is about 300 miles.....and xc racing gotta be horrible on them...and again your oil mayhave something to do with that as well...............but, cool good luck.

i ran 2 years on a stuck clutch and its still good and crisp, why would you change a clutch it if was fine......

[ACEwrench]

let me clarify..if the clutch looks new im not gonna change it.... we did a 1000 mile race on one set of clutches...it depends on the race... the next race in parker az. has bunches of sandy type washes. we nearly DNFd the race last year cuz we burnt up a set and that was a 250 miles race!(so did at leaste 2 other yfzs and a honda, one blew the motor because the clutch frags clogged up the screen at the bottom of the oil tank)

it has to do alot with gearing im sure too. we gear ours 14-35. it doesnt sount too ruff but add the weight of out tire balls and 22in rear tire trying to go as fast a possible in a sand wash......
i sound like im just babbling now. i was just trying to convey that its a problem than more than 1 or 2 yfzs have incountered...and through our racing have figured out some fixes....(there, soap box is put away..lol)