Uh oh!!!

[dbehr624]

Well I dropped my 450 off at the dealer a last week to check the clutch out (i normally would do it myself, but am real busy working and getting our jet skis ready for the lake). So i get a call and they tell me that its gonna be 600 samolians. They said that my clutch basket has tons of grooves in it, and will need to replace that and my plates. So what is to cause of this? Is is just the nut behind the bars or is it a fluke or what. I have been riding for 13 years and never had this happen to me before, but by all means I accept that maybe i just suck, I just dont understand. I would really appreciate some input.

Thanks

[Polar_Bus]

A "grooved" clutch basket does happen. It's generally from either higher cc. engines, or someone who was very abusive on the clutch. I see it a lot with CRand KX500's. If the grooves are minimal, you can simply file down the grooves.

[Raider9170]

450's will definately groove a basket if youy abuse the clutch at all. It actually makes the basket look like it is serrated on the inside. Generall when it does that it will blow out the outside of the clutch plates. So even if the fiber is good the steel that it is bonded to is wasted. If you're gonna replace it go with the barnett billet basket that has the stainless inserts. I have solld A TON of them to local racers who have the same problem and it really helps eliminate it.

[642MX]

Well I dropped my 450 off at the dealer a last week to check the clutch out (i normally would do it myself, but am real busy working and getting our jet skis ready for the lake). So i get a call and they tell me that its gonna be 600 samolians. They said that my clutch basket has tons of grooves in it, and will need to replace that and my plates. So what is to cause of this? Is is just the nut behind the bars or is it a fluke or what. I have been riding for 13 years and never had this happen to me before, but by all means I accept that maybe i just suck, I just dont understand. I would really appreciate some input.

Thanks

Groves are normal. I've replaced my outer basket and clutch boss on my 426. Lots of people use Hinson clutch parts, but I went back with OEM. The OEM stuff lasted for years and its cheaper than billet.

[Polar_Bus]

Groves are normal. I've replaced my outer basket and clutch boss on my 426. Lots of people use Hinson clutch parts, but I went back with OEM. The OEM stuff lasted for years and its cheaper than billet.

I'll also pass on the Hinson billetbling. I just choose the correct gear, and rail. I listen and watch some of these Rad Racer clowns, abusively fanning the pi$$ out of the clutch, bouncing off the rev limit, and I just nod my head thinking "that poor engine".

[grayracer513]

The benefits of higher precision, more durable clutch components are not limited to bling, or to those who abuse the clutch, although you do make an excellent point regarding the recalcitrant former pingers who still think fanning a clutch is the way to ride.

Anyone who has ever complained about the amount of aluminum collected on their oil filter will notice an improvement at the first oil change after adding a billet basket, and the simple truth is that the upgraded clutches just plain work better.

My '03 came to me used with a 100% Hinson clutch already in place. I seriously doubt I would have spent the money on it, but that is unequivocally the single best performing clutch I've ever had on any dirt bike. The original owner installed it early on to address the notorious nastiness of the stock '03 clutch, and it's been in there ever since, without any service of any kind. It is ridiculously tolerant of heat, and I can work the bike through tight spots with higher than stock gearing without any changes in play or in the way it works. If I didn't own it, I wouldn't believe it.

[dbehr624]

Well thanks guys, i appreciate the input. I ordered the OEM, due to that i dont have the $$ for the billet clutch systems. At least i know what to watch out for know. Thanks again.

[grayracer513]

Well thanks guys, i appreciate the input. I ordered the OEM, due to that i dont have the $$ for the billet clutch systems. At least i know what to watch out for know. Thanks again.

The Hinson basket is available at TT for $210, or from Yamaha as a GYT-R (yep, same thing) for the same price. OTOH, the OEM basket is $220 at TT OEM, and retails for $300.

Why wouldn't anyone?

[642MX]

The Hinson basket is available at TT for $210, or from Yamaha as a GYT-R (yep, same thing) for the same price. OTOH, the OEM basket is $220 at TT OEM, and retails for $300.

Why wouldn't anyone?

I didn't realize the baskets where so cheap. But, you still have to change the gear on the basket if you go with the Hinson. The OEM comes as an assembly with a new gear. Swapping the gear can be a pain.

I bought the OEM stuff because I wanted it all to be the same. The OEM boss is only $41.34 (crotchrocket.com) and the Hinson boss is $269 (TT store). ?

[grayracer513]

I didn't realize the baskets where so cheap. But, you still have to change the gear on the basket if you go with the Hinson. The OEM comes as an assembly with a new gear. Swapping the gear can be a pain.

I bought the OEM stuff because I wanted it all to be the same. The OEM boss is only $41.34 (crotchrocket.com) and the Hinson boss is $269 (TT store). ?

Swapping the basket onto the drive unit's not that hard. The first one is a little scary, but after that, it's easy.

But if I were buying from scratch, the boss is the last thing I'd add. The most critical improvements over stock parts are the basket and the pressure plate, along with the plate set itself. And now that the plate for the '07 has been stiffened, it may be good enough to pass in place of the Hinson/GYT-R for most of us. Having the boss stay in good shape over time is important to the operation of the clutch, too, but at $45, the OEM boss could just be replaced more often and do as well.

[642MX]

I kind of wish the boss was a little better built, at least in the 426. Mine was wearing really fast and shavings where all in my oil filter. Not just a few shavings, more like the filter was clogged after one ride.

I use a Rekluse and I think the rapid wear was from the increased clamping pressure. I asked Rekluse about a billet boss, and they recommended the OEM.

No big deal, I changed out the parts and I'm back to the "normal" shavings in the filter.

[grayracer513]

I think the rapid wear was from the increased clamping pressure.

What wears the boss, or the basket, for that matter, is two things; torque reversals (drive to coast to drive again), and the plates moving along the splines as the plate stack compresses and decompresses. To the extent that auto clutches do more of the latter, they would wear the boss faster.

Steel aftermarket plates are pretty hard on them, too.

[642MX]

What wears the boss, or the basket, for that matter, is two things; torque reversals (drive to coast to drive again), and the plates moving along the splines as the plate stack compresses and decompresses. To the extent that auto clutches do more of the latter, they would wear the boss faster.

Steel aftermarket plates are pretty hard on them, too.

It wore the boss where the first friction plate makes contact. The spline part was fine, I still have it somewhere. I'll try to dig it up and post a picture. I've never seen one do that before, I always thought the friction plate(s) would wear, not the boss.

[Polar_Bus]

It wore the boss where the first friction plate makes contact. The spline part was fine, I still have it somewhere. I'll try to dig it up and post a picture. I've never seen one do that before, I always thought the friction plate(s) would wear, not the boss.

I think you are going to find, once you have a new OEM basket, and you apply normal wear and tear practices on your clutching components, you won't have any further issues. Once a grooved basket incours grooving, it then gets to be real progressive as far as wear there after. The drive lugs on the friction plates will hammer the crap out of a grooved basket. I've owned 10 different bikes, and only my '87 KX125 (which I bought used) showed excessive basket wear.

[grayracer513]

It wore the boss where the first friction plate makes contact. The spline part was fine,

I was surprised when they first started running friction plates against any aluminum surface, frankly, that anybody thought the aluminum would hold up to it. Given the fact that an auto clutch slips so much more often than the manual set up, and under so much more pressure much of the time when it does, wear at that point doesn't really surprise me too much.

[dbehr624]

Damn, I had no clue that the aftermarket baskets were so cheap. At least if it happens again i will know better.