02 FZ1 clutch seemed to get stiffer over time, especially after it sat for a few weeks not being rode.

Hello, I'm having an issue with my clutch and am hoping the hive mind will be able to help.
My handle and cable do not give much resistance, they seem well. I've had the cover on and off trying to figure out why the clutch pack is so hard to 'clutch in' or compress the springs. I hadn't done anything internal to the clutch before now, I've owned it since 17k miles, it sits at about 33k now. Either with it connected to the handle or disconnected, the pull is insane using the handle or palm on the actuator arm. The actuator moves freely with the sprocket cover off as well. The clutch works but is just he-man stiff. The clutch pull has always been a little excessive but seems to have creeped in to being harder. I was going through clutch cables much more quickly than I should have because of this harder pull. It became very noticeable in the last month or two, especially after I bought another bike and let it sit a week or two (also my plates appear fairly dry, even after zipping the clutch open for a day and a half and running it, and going for 2 short rides.).
In the clutch cover plate where the springs mount in there are depressions where the springs have indented into the outside of the metal cylinders they sit in. I'm wondering is the springs may be binding up or compressing funny inside it giving a hard pull. I can't seem to find almost any info about this where people don't say to 'check your clutch cable/lever mount, actuator or grip strength'. I have a good grip, and before when it was much less heavy my buddies could not believe how heavy my pull was, I dunno if they'd even be able to do it one handed anymore. There is slight wear where the plates sit but they seem to slide in and out fine, nothing crazy. Do I need a new clutch spring cover (proper name?)?
Has anyone else experienced something similar?
 
I wish I could help you. I have 130k miles on mine and it has sat for weeks at a time when I am not commuting on it. Still running the original Clutch, cable and springs.
 
I pulled my plates again today, filed some burrs on the friction plates, wiped the steels down, cleaned a few landings that looked gunky. Looking at the basket & where the pressure plate springs sit on the basket poles & through the pressure plate tunnels (should have got a pic of that oops) shows I've got some decent scoring in the basket and also spring indentations on the holes & poles. Really thinking the spring indentations are doing it. It feels slightly better after cleaning them up. I took a better look at my plates as well, I think they had the smooth steel near the cover not the basket & possibly not in the correct order. I could see the white, and black but could find basically no trace of blue or red on my frictions I think I may have saw red in one of the numbers so that went on case side. Could having the plates in the wrong order make it tougher too? I think I may need to find a decent basket/pressure plate, some of the grooves on the basket seem more worn than just looks.
I may take it apart again and try to file some of the side of the basket where there appears to be a grooved stepping.
If I have any success I'll post again about it.
 

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Just hit a fcking deer, probably gonna be a lil while on an update :(
Pretty unlucky, I hit another one about 3 months ago too #$%#
On a chipped road too unfortunately, busted the brake lever, fairing headlight housing, turn signal, a small hole in the clutch cover, dented the tank & tore some holes. I got some rash too & sprained maybe broke my wrist. Such is the bike life.
 
Definitely could be worse, wish those damn young deer wouldn't just run straight out in front of me! If my wrist can heal up without hitting a hospital I'll be happy. I can't tell right now if it'll do itself or not, still feels bad but I can move all my fingers and bend my wrist mostly every way but it huuuurts. If I remember I'll take & post some pics of the bike of when I bring 'er home.
 
Had some help from my dad and friends, loaded it on my truck and brought it back, if it hadn't dumped much of the oil and I could actually pull my heavy clutch with my now hurt wrist I probably could have rode it home. Unfortunately they didn't have the time to come help unload, but at least it's at my place, not the side of the road. Guess I should start looking up parts soon!
 

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Wanted to give an update: Didn't find any silver tanks used, and if I don't have to order one I guess I won't, I drill wire brushed the metal, JB Welded the seam/holes, then Metal-Casted it, for rust prevention. I couldn't find the 1st gen clutch cover anywhere used, tons of 2nd gens though, more JB Weld. New master cylinder + lever and mirror. Still need to figure out how I want to mount the signal again, I considred getting signal mirrors at this point, my fairing is rekt. I need some of my bros. to come help ramp this down!
After all that I can start messing with my clutch again :D
 

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Sorry to hear, could be worse.
Please see a Doctor, untreated breaks can turn gangreneous, resulting in amputations.
Thank you for the advice, I did not end up going, I regained probably 7 lbs more hold strength each day, I can now hold about 40lbs comfortably with it, I went to work the last two days of no heavy lifting, not much pain at this point unless I push it. Not to say you shouldn't go if you can, I'd feel like a real D.A. if it got worse instead of better of course! I'm fUninsured for medical, so it isn't convenient to go if I don't need to, so I gave it a few days of 'is it gonna feel better or worse' trial period before heading somewhere.
 
Good to hear you appear to be feeling better.

I found a couple of used silver tanks on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/b/Gas-Tanks-for-Yamaha-FZ1/35563/bn_1507726
One looks to be in really good shape, about $200 with shipping. The other is a lot cheaper ($40). Not sure what the scoop is on that one. I'm not seeing any details. internal corrosion? Some damage around the cap area. It shows $10 shipping. I doubt that is for real.
 
Good to hear you appear to be feeling better.

I found a couple of used silver tanks on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/b/Gas-Tanks-for-Yamaha-FZ1/35563/bn_1507726
One looks to be in really good shape, about $200 with shipping. The other is a lot cheaper ($40). Not sure what the scoop is on that one. I'm not seeing any details. internal corrosion? Some damage around the cap area. It shows $10 shipping. I doubt that is for real.

Since I patched it and is doing well, I'll probably stick with that one for now possibly in the future I'll rebuild the front end (lil front cluster/fairing sub frame is bent too) and consider it then, thank you for having a look!


why is there red spray paint on the side of the motor? Or is that something else?

Yeah that's the same Metal Cast as on the tank, I've sprayed much of anywhere that got damage as like 'accent' to the tank

I know the paint on either side gets mixed opinions, I'm not the most passionate about the design, but I do like the blue / red metal flaked effects it's got now in the sun. Idk if maybe clear coat or a silver would have looked better but figured I'd like some color. Was a debate in my head of sticking with the blue or not, but I wanted to have the red. Maybe looks a lil goofy and I get way too many 'flag' thoughts but for the most part when you see a bike you only see one side anyway.
I like a bike lookin' nice and clean but once it's gone and beat up I'm not terribly bothered by it so long as it's mechanically sound and does that right stuff for me, it becomes kind of a rat-bike.

All that said if I ever do decide to rebuild it the majority of my goofy paint will be gone by way of new fairing and tank with the rest being in my experience semi-easy to remove.
 
It's been a lil while, I've rode it bout 4 times, it's running well, rolling straight and my JB is not leaking so far👍. Still having my tough clutch despite filing all the basket & boss landings then the spring poles smooth. Other than the first maybe 2-4 plates friction and metal plates on each outside looking oiled the middle ones look pretty dry & this is after riding about 40 miles yesterday then took it apart to file the boss. Any thoughts that this might be a lack of oiling and causing the pull to be tougher than it should? I also didn't file the pressure plate spring tube depressions but at this point I'm doubting this notching wear is the root of my problems since now I've eliminated most of the notching elsewhere and the stiffness seems the same. Starting to run out of presumable reasons why I would think it could be so tough! Next time I have it apart I think maybe I should measure the distance of basket poles for warping I haven't noticed possibly too.
 

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I checked out the basket with a tape and calipers, couldn't find anything measuring different to indicate warping at all. Pulled the plates out again when I did this and like before, most of the inner plates seemed pretty dry. I took fresh oil out and rubbed it over the dry plates and their friction points on the basket. That seemed to help through that ride, the clutch seemed smoother and easier that day, but it feels like it is getting tougher again the next couple rides.
I should have measured the stack height while they were out again to see if they're out of spec! Is my engine not getting enough oil onto the clutch, with several of the friction plates looking clearly dry when I take them out of the engine?
 
I still haven't measured my stack yet, I suspect something is out of spec since I'm starting to notice sometimes with the clutch pulled in I can rev and hear a lil clunk and insignificant push as if it's slightly engaged (I adjusted the lever out a few rides ago to prevent the same thing). Anyhow I am suspecting that oiling issue more as well, after I hit some high revs the pull seems easier. "Soon" I will change the oil and replace the filter with one that flows a lil better. I've been using the Fram XG7317 with the synthetic media, I recently watched a video where a guy loaded oil with aluminum powder and pressure tested several filters. Though it did very well removing contaminants it was tougher & required more pressure for oil to flow through it than most of the other ones, so I think this may be part of my issue.
I have also been thinking of replacing my friction plates (the cork, not steels), I was wondering if anyone has experience with the cheaper no-name plates from eBay, if they're serviceable or just junk to avoid?
 
I'm back for the underwhelming conclusion. When I had first replaced the cable, it was a lil' better but I was convinced I had other issues. Filed the basket, boss and plate surfaces to remove any notching & burrs but that didn't seem to do very much. I had the cable loose again one day and decided to lube it, even though it wasn't very old & has the plastic liner I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to lube with and I can't believe my pull went from so hard it would wear you out, hard/dangerous to operate if the steering was angled, it even stuck on me on the way back in 3x, and I had to push it forward to engage the clutch! After I lubed it I could pull it with any finger other than my pinky now, it's so easy and smooth compared to before.
Done with 'repairing' it for now unless I decide to drop money for new vanity parts later, turn signal hasn't fallen out, the drywall screwed front fairing & lights face a little more up and right than they should but work fine enough if you aren't trying to be quick (So weary of any speed at night on non-city roads, saw 5 deer last night riding home!), the JB weld is holding well on the gas tank & clutch cover.
BTW I don't know if I may have installed them 'wrong' but the Chinesium clutch plates had all dimpled steel plates & no smooth one so I used the factory smooth one with them, possibly that made it too large. Came with one smaller friction for the spring, and no markings or differences to the other ones, it seemed like the stack height was too high, I re-installed my old pack and it's been doing great, now.
She's a 10+ footer, but rides as well as ever! So glad it's still all straight after hitting the road twice! Could I have been so lucky if the frame weren't steel?
 

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I want to say there were other issues since I was having the same problem before & just after I replaced the cable, but ultimately after not much changing filing almost very surface on the boss / basket, lubing the cable made it go from a hard whole hand pull I could hardly manage and would sometimes not be able to return under the spring pressure, 3x I had to push the lever back out to engage the clutch.. to being able to pull easily with two fingers!
 
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