Kawasaki Triples Club

I recently changed the clutch friction plates on my 1974 H2B (as the bike suffered from clutch- slip and was advised this was a wise move as they were "kinder" to the clutch basket) from the original metal based originals to NOS H2/H2A items. I also replaced the clutch springs with NOS items as a safety measure even thought he ones they replaced were easily within tolerance along with a NOS clutch cable. Despite adjusting the clutch as recommended by a Haynes manual I still have severe clutch slip which worsens when the oil warms up. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated because I'm out of ideas

Hi Wolfie,
When I had the original plates fitted I used 10W40 which had no effect on the slipping clutch then read somewhere that it was a good idea to put in the oil available at the time in, so when I put the H2A plates in I put 20W50 in the sump.

Metal plates that blue can be an issue. New steel plates recommended by Gary Clarke solved my slip.

Hampshire cool whereabouts

wont help with the clutch slip i'm just being nosey :smt003 ,

Is there a set of pattern" metal" friction plates available at a reasonable price. Just forked out £70 for NOS H2a ones plus the customary gasket of course. I'm based near Winchester

Winchester sweet if you ever fancy a meet up were just down the road

According to the club mag there's a rally at The White Horse in July just outside of Petersfield just a little trip up the A3 for you guys I was thinking of going But you're right doesn't sort out my clutch slip problem

Oops no sorry it doesn't.


Come on guys sort the man out

Tim Wombell wrote:Is there a set of pattern" metal" friction plates available at a reasonable price. Just forked out £70 for NOS H2a ones plus the customary gasket of course. I'm based near Winchester

Z power, do them .I can't remember exactly but around £5-6 each last year.

Wolfie wrote:Firstly, Ignore the Haynes..

Which oil do you have in there? 10W30 or 10W40 is the recommended oil, and it sounds like the oil could be the problem

You can use two Z1 springs to make the clutch more secure.

WOT , No ATF this time ??!!!

We should probably ask how many friction plates have been fitted. ?? And how many many metal............and if the genuine plates part number is the original, or if Kawasaki has superseded it at some point with a substitute part from the H1 ???

As we all know the H1 plates are marginally thinner, that there is a "special" front friction plate for the H2. And. That sometimes the Haynes manuals give the wrong info.

none of which may help stop the slipping , but should keep this thre ad. Running for a good while..............!!

( p.s. as a shortcut, you could always try sticking an extra metal plate in at the front, and adjust your lifter action accordingly )

Tim Wombell wrote:I recently changed the clutch friction plates on my 1974 H2B (as the bike suffered from clutch- slip and was advised this was a wise move as they were "kinder" to the clutch basket) from the original metal based originals to NOS H2/H2A items. I also replaced the clutch springs with NOS items as a safety measure even thought he ones they replaced were easily within tolerance along with a NOS clutch cable. Despite adjusting the clutch as recommended by a Haynes manual I still have severe clutch slip which worsens when the oil warms up. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated because I'm out of ideas

I'll swap, I can't stop mine dragging - even with ATF

The NOS early friction plates are gen and not had a part number change as for the metal ones they are as was fitted to the bike when I got it and being one of RBs's finest I assume them to be gen (unless the previous owner changed them of course). If I used upgraded springs how much heavier is the clutch in operation???

Check the steels are flat they could be warped if they overheated