Have anyone installed this plate on there bikes and how hard is it to do.

Your going to need to pull the clutch basket off. Other than that it's a straight forward endeavor. Here's a picture of the stock vs billet after I pulled the basket.

As a side note I would highly recommend that you move the little dowel pin from the old plate to the new. It was a very tight fit for mine, but Mr. Mallet convinced the little guy to go on home. Feel free to post up with concerns or questions and I can walk you through it. If the nut that holds the clutch hub has never been off on your bike, then your going to need a very nice impact socket driver like the one in the pic. It's a real pain in the ass otherwise.

What is the purpose advantage of the aftermarket plate?

Rook I had the same question. I thought it could be for attaching something to it. The one I found said the stock plate can flex causing a loss in oil pressure.

I'm not sure what to think about that for sure. Maybe Hub or someone a little more technical can provide some insight whether it's really an issue or the duty level someone should go about replacing it. Frankly I have a hard time believing it's that big of an issue although better safe than sorry for $40 is ok by me.

Might save a few grams of weight too and possibly help with cooling efficiency (in the slightest sense).

I thought from the thicker plate it was to space the pump away from its stock location but I'm sure the plate needs to be thicker because it is aluminum. Aluminum is rigid but when it gets hot, not so much. 180° F is probably not hot enough to to make it enel. There are some kinds of aluminum that withstand heat pretty well too.

Oil pump plate flex is a known issue. Especially if your running more oil pressure than stock. The other side of the pump is counter sunk so that the pump gear still rides in the same position. Quality piece and Vic hit it on the head. $40 is worth the peace of mind.

How about the Gen1? I will be upgrading clutch springs and shift star soon. The clutch will be out. Can I do this to my 08?

..and not to highjack the thread, I'll keep it short--I may need to increase oil pressure for better flow to the camshafts. There may be a real need for this even though it's not a race bike.

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/21/2016 @ 8:34 PM *

Yes it's the same plate Rook. I've shimmed my oil pressure relief valve and therefore increased my overall system oil pressure. Another very important trick is to fill the sight glass to the top. You can leave just a sliver of air if you feel the need to, but don't do the halfway full like the manual states. I use the full 5 quarts on an oil change.

OK--thanks, mav. Seems like I got a little mist of oil in the airbox and a couple drops of drainage over-servicing oil. I may try again since that was 8 years ago.

Any difference between the RCS and the Muzzy oil pump plate?

I wouldn't think so, but I cant confirm that.

Looks like the RC's is carved out a bit to make it lighter. Otherwise, I'm sure they're identical.

I might plan this for off season upgrade. I hadn't read or recall hearing of the issue until this thread. But I'm pretty rough on her so would probably be a good thing to do.

Thanks for the info Mav.

you might want to follow this thread when it gets going, Vic.

https://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=7BAF1D7C-EE0F-6EF5-64DC70048A3EB0B4

sounds like the plate alone would help avoid oil starvation but the high volume gear and relief valve will actually increase your oil pressure.

As a side note I would highly recommend that you move the little dowel pin from the old plate to the new. It was a very tight fit for mine, but Mr. Mallet convinced the little guy to go on home.

Mav, on the plate I got, the well for the dowel pin does not have a hole drilled clean through. As shown in the pics of the RC's cover above, there should be a hole going all the way through to the front. Any problem with that or is that hole just to let air escape when you drive the pin in?

It's possible that the hole is to make it easy to remove the dowel. Trapped air is not an issue when pressing in dowels. (As a machinist, when I design fixturing that I want to be able to remove a pin from, I include a small thru hole so I can press it out from the back side)

Once the dowel is lined up, you can squeeze the dowel/plate together in a vice.

Thank you Eric. If that pin fits really tight, I may drill a through hole to make removal easier. Great tip.

I emailed RC and they said the through hole was "taken out of the program."

I can only guess because it made a hole in their logo.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/25/2016 @ 11:07 PM *

I'm about to get into this. Looking at the SM, I see they suggest using a special tool to hold the output shaft steady while removing the hub nut. $70.

http://www.atvworks.com/proddetail.asp?prod=57001-1243

I see a non-Kawasaki special tool for 40$ on Ebay that works the same way but it has a vice grips mechanism instead of a set screw.

Do I need this special tool or is there an alternate method? Placing a padded bar between wheel spoke and swing arm worked fine for removing the output sprocket hub nut when I replaced my sprockets.

Rook , I have the vice grip style tool. I think it's worth getting since you need to hold the basket from turning while knocking the nut off. A big pair of channel locks risks damaging the basket fingers. Unless you can weld something up to do the same thing.

Mad

Thanks, mad...and thanks for providing this info a second time....I believe I asked this already some time ago and you were good enough to reply. I recall Romans showing a welded strap he made up to hold the clutch, too.

So I guess the answer is YES. The bar through the wheel would probably work but since the clutch cover is off, why not use the clutch like you're supposed to?

Here's the one I like. Kinda short handle but I can place a bar over it if i require more leverage. I'll probably just put a floor jack under the handle. Nice that it engages all the teeth on the clutch basket instead of just 2. I already checked pics and it appears that the teeth protrude beyond the engine case so this flush to the edge of the case should work fine. No need for tangs that protrude inward.

http://www.solomotoparts.com/EBC-Clutch-Removal-Tool-for-ZX14-06-15/?gclid=CjwKEAiAmJvBBRDKpP724LigwngSJAAYRJXBw7AsUeC91nhKlnghWwLApCUeC-Efv5lrLfW54Mtf8RoCtUjw_wcB

Maybe $25 shipped.

I see just one review online and it says the tool required some grinding to 4 of the teeth to get it fit a CB750 and that the tool bent a bit. Might give it a try anyway. STG guarantees it to fit the ZX-14. I guess I could sandwich 2 of them together to make it stronger.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/12/2016 @ 2:07 PM *

Hey Rook,

If you end up getting that tool please post your feedback about how well it works!

You got it. That is a big IF at this point. I've been obsessing about it over the past couple days and doing some research about these tools. I found a forum post about clutch hub damage from one of the 2 prong tool like the one above. It was a two prong tool made out of round rod instead of flat straps of steel. It dented the guys clutch hub. I'm sure he reefed on the nut pretty hard for that to happen but now I am scared off a bit.

Here's my thoughts:
2 prong has wide, flat contact with hub teeth but 2 prong = all pressure focussed on only two teeth in the hub.

The circle shaped tool engages every tooth (assuming it is cut accurately) = stress is spread out across all teeth.

The circle shaped tool is probably less than 1/8" thick = narrow contact area with teeth = more likely to dig in---steel against aluminum.

Clutch steels are made of steel---they do not damage the hub---well actually, they do sometimes. Saw pics of fingers in outer basket grooved from impact with plates---DON'T want to do the same thing by using one of these tools. New clutch hub ~ $400.

SO, what I have decided to do is to attempt to use Dad's impact wrench. Trick is, I have no power to run a compressor. I will have to get this with 4 gallons of air or head back home and fill up the compressor tanks. Hope it's as easy as Brock makes it look. Go to 1:30

I'm not crazy about using an air tool on an open engine but I have a plan to eliminate the risk of blowing any dirt in there.

If the impact doesn't work I'll be using a breaker bar with 2 or three of the EBC clutch holders and put them all on at once to spread the load. $17/pop, free delivery. Cheap insurance to get as many as will fit and sandwich all together.

EBC CLUTCH HOLDER---PARTS GIANT

First have to get the cover and pressure plate off and see how this thing works. I washed the engine off carefully today. Be removing the cover Tuesday.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/13/2016 @ 2:32 PM *

Rook you should just buy an inexpensive compressor. HF has an 8 gallon for $99 usually, and for about $50 more if you have room you could get the 21 gallon usually for around $150.

I have an 8 gallon it's suitable for light use like rotating tires and that sort of thing. It's not large enough for frequent duty like constantly running any air tool (maybe air stapler, but not die grinders, impacts, or ratchets). I'd imagine the HF 21 gallon would be pretty good medium duty compressor although not big enough for constant/professional use.

But you don't need a 60 gallon compressor to run air tools. It's sort of a myth that smaller compressors won't do it, it's just they'll recharge more often and not be able to keep up once the tank pressure runs low.

My little 8 gallon is quite adequate for running the air tools when I need it too and for example works great for beading tires and filling and blowing off the floor occasionally. Heck I even ran it a little too hard (running an air ratchet constantly) and it developed a rattle a couple years ago. It got so hot it blew up the check valve! Still working fine, I've been expecting it to go at any time but the little thing just keeps going even though the rattle is pretty annoying. I could probably fix it, but part of me has been hoping it'll go so I can get a bigger compressor.

* Last updated by: VicThing on 11/13/2016 @ 4:40 PM *

Thanks, Vic. Yeah, big compressor and/or tank is on the list. For now, I'm borrowing Dad's impact which tells how much extra cash I have. Hope it only takes a few tonks to break that nut free. We'll see.