PIC! 10 yz450f clutch pressure plate, plates, and hub all have grooves worn in them

[mwmx54]

so like it says, the plates touching the hub and pressure plate have small grooves, as well as the pressure plate and hub where they meet the plates. I have always run mobil 1 4T 10w/40 full syn. and noticed my clutch felt like it was slipping a bit, so tore it apart.[/img]

hopefully the pics work

[mwmx54]

what should I do, is this common, do I need to replace the two, i got a new clutch kit, but dont want to put it in if its just gonna toast it, my steel plates were fried blue and purple, should i switch oils? non syn.

[grayracer513]

That happens when the clutch has been slipping excessively, and yes, you need to replace both parts. Also, if using a plate kit, aftermarket or not, check to see if you have the right plates running against the aluminum at the top and bottom of the stack. If all the plates are the same, no worries, but if two are different than the rest, put them on the ends.

Neglect of keeping track of the free play adjustment while riding and/or using an inferior oil and/or running the oil too long between changes can contribute to this.

[mwmx54]

It's the original clutch, with 90 hours, I replaced the steel plates at 70 hours and no grooves, the fibers were well in spec, and all the same, I always change the oil at no more than 2 hours tops religiously, Mobil 1 4t syn 10-40. Weird it happened right after changing the steel plates. Could the oil be making it slip? It's never given me any problems on any bike in the last 4 years. And the clutch has never really needed adjusting. I actually prefer a little excess free play.

[mwmx54]

well, I put a new oem clutch kit, new springs, new pressure plate and hub, rode easy for a few miles, replaced the oil, mobil 1 4t 10/40, then rode another 120 miles in the desert, noticed my clutch was heating up quite abit, not slipping, but i kept having to adjust my clutch tighter, then id go easy on it, and it would tighten back up and id readjust, I was actually going pretty easy on it. i tore it down tonight and the pressure plate and hub look just like the fried ones i just barely replaced, I have used this same oil since new and have over 100 hours without problems til just now, what is going on!

[bryceyz250f]

Run 20w50 I run amz oil I had run 15w40 and it didn't cause me a problem till my clutch I had the same problem wore groves in it I would run 20w50 now amz oil is a little expensive put it pays off

[mwmx54]

well, im already paying 10/qt. would 20/50 cause more slipping? being heavier? or is that not the problem? im actually considering rotella dino oil now. Damn clutches.. keep ruinin my weekends! thanks for the input guys. i did a little research and baskets and hubs will fit from 04-12 and pressure plate 07-12, so I may try a used setup until Im sure its not just going get ruined. i can get a basket hub plate and fibers and steels for about 70$. and they don't have grooves. so im gonna see how that goes.

[jcbikes]

I have had no clutch problems at all in my 426 using rotella dino oil. I use it in all my cycles with no problems ever.

[grayracer513]

I haven't had any clutch trouble with my '06 running any oil I've ever used. That includes Golden Spectro 4 10w-40, Amsoil MCF Synthetic Motorcycle Oil 10w-40, Amsoil MCV 20w-50, Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10w-40, or Mobil 1 V-Twin 20w-50.

You're chasing the wrong problem unless you're using some kind of heavily friction modified automotive oil.

[mwmx54]

Yeah that's the thing, I don't know what the problem is. Maybe it is the oil because it started doing it when temps dropped under 40 degrees. Other wise I'm clueless as to what could suddenly be making this happen. I've used Mobil since new and it just started happening. But this is the first winter that I have ridden a lot.

[grayracer513]

40 is pretty cold for a 20w-50. Yamaha lists 50 ℉ as the minimum. Try the same oil in a 10w-40.

[mwmx54]

sorry, I must have said it wrong, I have been using 10/40

[mwmx54]

what did yamaha change on the 12-13's, they have a friction plate that is different than the rest. any input on which one and why they changed it? and if i can put a 12+ clutch kit with a new pressure plate and hub?

[grayracer513]

I don't know what you're looking at to see that different plate. According to Yamaha's Parts web site all eight plates in the '13 are the same 5TA...00's as they've been since '03, and they don't show any difference between the '11, '12, and '13.

But here's something kind of interesting. I hit a sponsor of mine up for a set of clutch plates for my '06. Since I'm running a Rekluse, I use their steels with OEM friction plates. All I needed was the friction plates, but I got set up with the OEM kit instead because the parts guy told the sponsor that it was cheaper. That was fine, as it only meant to me that I had a lot of parts I couldn't use, but there was a "snag". The kit I was sold was for an '09 YZF450R EFI quad, and the six clutch plates that are intended to be stacked in the center are 5VY-16321-00-00, which are from an R1. That's right, that R1, the 200 hp monster sport bike. There is a 5TA plate for the top and bottom of the stack, presumably because they were afraid the R1 plates would tear up the aluminum parts too fast. I tried it, and I have to say that this might turn out to be one of the least known clutch tricks in the YZ world. The clutch has worked extremely well in the year it's been in, and I like it better than the stock set up to this point.

The PN for the kit is 18P-W001G-00-00. You might try it out.

[trevorchappell]

When is the last time you replaced your clutch springs? If they are sacked out they may be causing your clutch to slip.

[mwmx54]

the springs were replaced with everything else. all oem parts. and i thought the plate was different because barnetts clutch kit for the 12+ bikes uses one different plate with the rest of them. but your right, oem says they are the same part numbers, but when i bought my oem kit from rocky mountain, he told me the 12+ kit was different from the 10 kit. I think i may try your r1 kit next.

what springs would you recommend, when I first replaced everything, I used 3 new ebc heavy duty springs, and 3 new oem springs. and they were positioned every other spring evenly...

Edited January 7, 2013 by mwmx54

[gbalias]

is the basket grooved on the fingers?

[mwmx54]

yeah, but hardly at all, maybe thats the problem. its just that ive had baskets that were probly 4-5 times worse that worked just fine. these grooves cant be more than 1/32 inch deep, i can feel and see them, but not bad.