I thought wet clutches were Indestructable.....

[Fred W]

It looks to me like that "unique" friction plate did not wear, but rather that it failed. The friction material looks like it fell off. If it was worn, I'd expect to see the underlying steel evenly worn/scored everywhere the friction material had been, but that isn't the case. The inner surface is relatively untouched, as if the friction material flaked off.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

'Patrick' is zeroing-in on the answer, imo.

Yamaha, for years, has been modifying their clutches like that (in some bikes) with the goal being a nice 'feel' to clutch operation, especially engagement. You could build a more robust clutch (usually by eliminating/substituting 'special' plates -- or, with a racing clutch) but it may not have that nice factory feel to its engagement.

Like your clutch -- and don't abuse it.

 

[PapaUtah]

I hope the inner clutch and friction plates are OK. I would have made up a wrench out of a piece of 1x6 and pulled the basket. You can still do it at your leisure as you now know just how easy clutch work is on the FJR. You can pop the clutch cover off with the bike on the side stand and not lose any oil. You can pull the basket out and inspect the inner plates. I would be a little leery after seeing what you already pulled out.

 

[Spook]

I had to replace the clutch on my FJ-1200 after I put headers and rebuilt the carbs plus intake. After that when I would hit 6000 rpm it was like you shifted down a gear or two power would come on like gang busters. I was coming on hard in high gear and it smoked the clutch. I had to replace it with a high performance clutch assy. The plates were all thinner and there were more of them but it did the trick.

 

[Checkswrecks]

My 2007 sat for a while and was very hard to shift, so I removed and cleaned the clutch plates last night. They came out absolutely glued to each other with black sludge (only 3000 miles since new). Cleaned each, sanded the surfaces, soaked the friction rings in oil, reinstalled with a new cover gasket and the world is a wonderful place. Because this thread is "go-to" for the clutch, there's one thing to add.

Skooter mentioned that there is another friction ring that the photos don't show removed. It's like the outer ring that he found damaged and is behind a last steel plate. The plate and ears of the friction ring are visible in his last photo into the basket.

Use a set of two picks and it's easy to pull out the steel plate and the last friction plate.

(Use the second pick from left)

Make sure to pay attention to the spring ring (a bellville spring) that is also back there and reinstall it with the taper in the original direction.

 

[Canadian FJR]

"I had to replace the clutch on my FJ-1200 after I put headers and rebuilt the carbs plus intake. After that when I would hit 6000 rpm it was like you shifted down a gear or two power would come on like gang busters. I was coming on hard in high gear and it smoked the clutch. I had to replace it with a high performance clutch assy. The plates were all thinner and there were more of them but it did the trick."

Sounds familiar. Vance & Hines SS-2R pipe, jet kit, K&N pods.....clutch slip. Ended up switching to Barnett kit and doubling up the diaphram spring. I think The double spring would work with the FJRs also.

Canadian FJR

 

[Bungie]

Zombie resurrection!

 

[beemerdons]

SkooterG: She sure was puuuurty, though....................

Even the cute purple and red tail lights - Go rainbow power . . . . . .!

Thank you so very much Scott for performing a Zombie Resurrection on this thread and that moto picture in particular! Papa could not remember where the photo of SkooterG's "Fudge Packer" Special Harley-Davidson was at, yet here it is in all of it's Gay Glory! I'll bet this Homo Harley is parked at the Corner of Polk and Castro in San Franciso at "The Gulch" at this very minute! WORD!