How to Install a Clutch on a Kawasaki Ninja 750L

The ZX750L, better known as the Ninja 750 or ZX-7, was Kawasaki's premiere sport motorcycle in 1993. The ZX-7's generous power output and maneuverability made the bike popular with racers and performance-minded street riders. However, riding the ZX-7 to its full potential places an extreme amount of pressure on the motorcycle's clutch, which transfers energy from the engine to the six-speed transmission. Aggressive shifting and hard acceleration from a standstill could quickly wear away the friction-generating plates within the clutch and cause the clutch to slip. Extreme circumstances could further damage the metal clutch basket or hub as well.

Things You'll Need

• Swingarm stand
• 4 mm Allen wrench
• Oil catch pan
• Socket wrench
• 10, 17 and 22 mm sockets
• Torque wrench
• Clutch holder tool
• 4 quarts of 20W-50 engine oil
• Spacer
• Collar
• Needle bearing
• Clutch basket
• Plain washer
• Inner clutch hub
• Thrust washer
• Clutch hub nut
• 7 fiber friction plates
• 6 steel clutch plates
• 5 clutch springs
• Clutch cover gasket
• Funnel

Instructions

1. Park the motorcycle on its kickstand and start its engine. Let the engine idle for three minutes to warm the engine oil, then stop the engine and let it cool slightly for another 10 minutes.

2. Support the motorcycle in an upright position, using a swingarm stand. Remove the lower fairing panels, using a 4 mm Allen wrench.

3. Place an oil catch pan below the engine. Unscrew the oil drain plug from the bottom of the engine crankcase, using a 17 mm socket and a socket wrench. Let the engine oil drain for at least 10 minutes, or until the flow of oil reduces to a light trickle.

4. Clean the oil drain plug with a shop towel, then screw the oil drain plug into the engine crankcase by hand. Tighten the oil drain plug to 14.5 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench fitted with a 17 mm socket.

5. Unscrew the bolts from the perimeter of the clutch cover, located on the right side of the engine, using a 4 mm Allen wrench. Pull the clutch cover and gasket away from the engine crankcase by hand.

6. Unscrew all five clutch springs from the face of the pressure plate, located in the center of the clutch basket on the right side of the engine crankcase, using a 10 mm socket and a socket wrench. Measure the length of the clutch springs, using vernier calipers. Discard the clutch springs as a set if any the springs measure less than or greater than 1 1/4 inch in length.

7. Grasp the pushrod in the center of the clutch pressure plate, then pull the pressure plate away from the clutch basket. Pull all 13 steel and fiber clutch plates out from the clutch basket by hand. Push the pushrod and the pushrod bearing out from the bottom of the clutch pressure plate by hand.

8. Hold the clutch basket inner hub steady, using a clutch holder tool. Unscrew the large nut from the center of the clutch hub, using a socket wrench and a 22 mm socket. Pull the thrust washer, clutch hub, washer, clutch basket, needle bearing, collar and spacer off of the engine crankshaft by hand.

9. Soak the new needle bearing, clutch plates, clutch pushrod and the pushrod bearing in 20W-50 engine oil.

10. Slide the new spacer, collar and needle bearing onto the engine crankshaft. Place a new clutch basket against the needle bearing, followed by a plain washer, the inner hub and a thrust washer. Screw the inner hub nut onto the crankshaft by hand. Hold the inner hub steady with a clutch holder tool, then tighten the clutch hub nut to 100 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and a 22 mm socket.

11. Install the clutch plates, starting with a fiber friction plate followed by a steel clutch plate. Alternate between fiber and steel plates until all 13 clutch plates have been installed into the clutch basket.

12. Push the pushrod bearing into the center of the clutch pressure plate from the inside face of the plate. Slip the pushrod into the bearing. Mount the new clutch pressure plate onto the clutch basket. Align the pressure plate wells with the mounting holes on the inner clutch hub's face. Place all five of the new clutch springs into the pressure plate wells, followed by a spring bolt and washer. Tighten the clutch spring bolts to 100 inch-pounds, using a torque wrench and a 10 mm socket.

13. Reinstall the clutch cover onto the right side of the engine crankcase, using a new gasket. Tighten the clutch cover bolts to 78 inch-pounds, using a torque wrench and a 4 mm Allen socket.

14. Remove the oil filler cap from the clutch cover by hand. Fill the engine with 3.2 quarts of 20W-50 engine oil, using a funnel. Screw the oil filler cap into place by hand.

15. Reinstall the lower fairing panels onto the motorcycle, using a 4 mm Allen wrench. Remove the swingarm stand and lower the motorcycle onto its kick stand.

Tips & Warnings

• A typical clutch rebuild will only call for the replacement of the clutch plates and springs. Skip steps 8 and 10 if you will only be replacing the plates and springs.

• Do not use a pry bar to remove the clutch cover from the engine. The engine crankcase can crack and cause a permanent oil leak.

References

• "Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7 Motorcycle Service Manual"; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 1993