The Gronk has gone.....at a price!

[Mark Jackson]

So I bit the bullet, the grinding vibes was spoiling an otherwise excellent bike so I spaffed out £600 on a new clutch basket, gasket and nut. A lot of money but oh boy was it worth it. On starting it up I could tell straight away things were good, the horrendous vibes at idle in neutral were totally gone. Riding the bike was equally a nice experience, totally Gronk free. I saved a lot of money by doing the job myself although a good friend of mine, a mechanic of 40 years, came by to keep an eye, you just can't beat that kind of experience.

I had a butane torch ready to heat the nut up but he thought he'd give it go without it first and it turned pretty easily. I'd bought the proper clutch holder which made the job easier too. I was concerned at the marks on the pressure plate but he said it was caused by the springs and no problem. There's still a bit of vibes coming through the handlebars and pegs but I was out on the ZRX at the weekend and it's only a tiny bit more vibey than that, which not bad considering how smooth the ZRX is. I have however got some strips of lead wheel weights and am going to stick then under the FJR footpegs to see if that cuts down on some of the vibes, doesn't cost much and worth a go. 

Three months since I bought the bike, I've spent a small fortune on getting it the way I want it to be, still waiting on the Bagster seat, but it'll be sorted for the summer!

[2and3cylinders]

Good job!

But why replace the whole basket?

Or why not install a later model slip/assist clutch with its added benefit?

Then there is the billet option...

https://extremecreations.com.au/mt-09-fz-09-billet-clutch-basketABOUT

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CUSHION KIT

$69.99

• Replacement cushions for your Hinson Billetproof® or Momentum Clutch Basket.
• Cushions dampen the primary gear from the clutch basket on most OE motorcycles and quads.

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SKU: CU216

 

https://www.partshark.com/oemparts/a/yam/5715067a87a8661278a051b1/clutch

 

Or any 2018+ Tracer

35

Clutch Kit

 

B5C-W001G-00-00

 

$182.99
$144.62

 

 

[peteinpa]

I'm only at 8k miles on mine, dreading when the gronk shows up.

Hope the new part is better and lasts.

Since you have the old basket why not do the conversion to it so it's a spare?

[bwringer]

Excellent! I traveled the same path. Expensive, but totally worth it.

I also did the slipper clutch upgrade. In my case, the basket was out of stock in the US for a while, so I did the slipper upgrade and then did the basket a few months later once I was able to order one. A bit of extra work, plus a gasket and nut.

 

 

To answer a few questions or concerns above:

1) The Partshark slipper clutch upgrade does not replace the outer basket, which is the source of the GRONK problem. That's a separate matter, and in my opinion is well worth the cost, and of course it's easiest to do both at once, but has nothing to do with the GRONK. I still had the GRONK after the slipper upgrade; once I was able to get a basket, I did that and the GRONK went away.

2) Maybe I'm just unlucky or have bad timing, but I have never actually seen the billet basket from Extreme Creations showing as in stock. Plus, it's a LOT more money and time than a new stock item, especially with shipping from Australia to the US.

3) In addition, the stock basket has an updated part number, (native to the 2021+ models with this engine) giving me some small hope that this issue has actually been noticed and fixed. I'll let ya know in 20,000 miles or so. If you secure one part of the old basket, you can definitely make the basket part move relative to the ring gear. The new part did not do this.

4) I'm accustomed to engine work, so the project itself seems straightforward enough, but I would not be at all comfortable with using any sort of threaded fastener in a rebuild with new cushions. Rivets installed with proper tooling for a factory-style result would make sense, but I have not yet seen anyone offering this service, or tooling and rivets to accomplish it. (And if I'm wrong, please inform the class!)

In other words, it was faster, easier, and worry-free to just drop in a new OEM basket. I still have the old basket, and if the GRONK returns in a year or two, I'll consider the rebuild question anew.

 

FWIW, my bike came to me last spring with about 21,000 miles. I started getting really irritated with the GRONK around 24K, although I honestly can't say whether it was there from the beginning and I just didn't pay much attention until I was sort of in the final phases of getting everything exactly the way I wanted it. The de-GRONK-ification was finally accomplished at around 28K late last fall.

 

 

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

 

Good job!

But why replace the whole basket?

Or why not install a later model slip/assist clutch with its added benefit?

Then there is the billet option...

https://extremecreations.com.au/mt-09-fz-09-billet-clutch-basketABOUT

• MEDIA
• SUPPORT
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
• DEALERS
  •  
  •  

• Home
• Cushion Kit
• Cushion Kit

Zoom

CUSHION KIT

$69.99

• Replacement cushions for your Hinson Billetproof® or Momentum Clutch Basket.
• Cushions dampen the primary gear from the clutch basket on most OE motorcycles and quads.

012345678910

ADD TO CART

SKU: CU216

 

https://www.partshark.com/oemparts/a/yam/5715067a87a8661278a051b1/clutch

 

Or any 2018+ Tracer

35

Clutch Kit

 

B5C-W001G-00-00

 

$182.99
$144.62

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by bwringer

[Mark Jackson]

Ah, bwringer got in before my answer to the previous  questions but my reasons for going with the OEM updated clutch are exactly the same. I tend to keep bikes a long time, I’ve had my other two bikes, a ‘77 Z1000 and an  ‘01 ZRX for twenty years respectively. I’m 61 in a couple of weeks so not sure if I’ll still be riding in 20 years time but the Tracer is the bike I’ll be doing it on if I can🤓 The change in the bike has been marvellous, just gotta get the fuelling sorted out now😁

[2and3cylinders]

I've got about 52000 on my 15 And I do not believe I have the gronk

 Hopefully I won't get it

 I forgot that the slipper kit didn't include the outer basket

 Can the new outer basket used in the 21 be installed in an earlier model?

 Which outer baskets did the 2 of you install?

 

[bwringer]

7 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Can the new outer basket used in the 21 be installed in an earlier model?

Which outer baskets did the 2 of you install?

Yes, the part number for the outer basket for the older models was superceded by the new part number used in the 21+ models. That is what I installed in my 2015 FJ-09 last fall.

I inspected them pretty closely, and they are visually identical.

FWIW, the GRONK does not seem to do any harm. All the other parts were in fine shape.

[2and3cylinders]

👍

[2and3cylinders]

22 hours ago, bwringer said:

Yes, the part number for the outer basket for the older models was superceded by the new part number used in the 21+ models. That is what I installed in my 2015 FJ-09 last fall.

I inspected them pretty closely, and they are visually identical.

FWIW, the GRONK does not seem to do any harm. All the other parts were in fine shape.

You had relatively low miles but with over 50k miles would you replace while at it the 

Bearing

 

93310-33277-00

[2and3cylinders]

Did u replace the bearing, cheap enough?

[Mark Jackson]

The bearing looked fine so didn’t replace it. I get your point though, they aren’t too expensive but I have spent a lot of cash so as long as everything looked right I was willing to keep it🤓

[2and3cylinders]

I get it, if it works don't...

there there's, penny wise and...

[Mark Jackson]

Yup, you got it😃 anyhoo, I’ve still got the clutch holder tool so if I had to do it again it would be no problem. Something I learned a long time ago, proper tools make the job so much easier!🤓

[2and3cylinders]

I'm a long suffering toolaholic.  Many special tools, several I've made myself.  Back in the day when I had Brit iron I had VERY extensive set of Whitworth tools including many marque and model specific special tools.  Talk about an insane and arcane measurement system.  However, you could tear down every assembly down to it's myriad individual parts, clips, screws, washers, lens, whatever, AND find replacements for each and every little part until the late 70s early 80s; and once and a while still find NOS.  Once the Japanese got going, you replaced the entire assembly and bled.

When my hording and tools and parts have to be dealt with when I'm gone my kids will go nuts!

[peteinpa]

For the clutch basket holding tool I've seen EBC has one that looks like a clutch plate with a long handle.  Haven't priced it but thought one could be easily welded from an old friction and clutch plate with a handle also welded on. 

This grips all the slots instead of just 2 like the vice grip style.