clutch steels

My clutch steels are pitted but straight. Should I replace them or can I use them the way they are. Also one side is rounded the other sharp, which side goes toward the engine? The friction discs look good, almost new.

 

Sgary, the pits are created at the factory, they should appear as a grid. Unless you have a severe case of acid pitting (which would mean that other vital parts of your engine are also pitted). Couldn't tell you which side they should face. Replace the friction disks unless you mic them out to within 80% of new disks.

 

Everything else looked good. I took off one con rod and the crank is good.

 

I would clean them up a bit with some Scotchbrite and as long as they're not burnt (blue) or warped (check on a flat plate with a feeler gauge) beyond spec, they should be fine. 550 clutch steels are kind of unusual. Notice the odd shape, with one "flatted" side with a kind of tab on it. When you reassemble, there is a pattern to how those are arranged, they don't all line up with each other, they go at 72 degree intervals. The one odd friction plate with the wave washer in it goes in the third spot in. Post up if you don't have a factory book and I'll give you the specifics.

 

The PO did the clutch. Wave washer? I have a Haynes manual. Guess I'll redo it and recheck everything. The plates were true and not worn or burnt.
My spare engine has the same problem.

 

Yamaha calls it a "clutch boss spring" it fits within the third friction plate (from the outside) which is shaped differently from the others to allow this thing to fit. It looks like a giant wave washer with three little "bumps" on it. It fits around the clutch boss and "inside" that special friction plate. I have NO IDEA what it's for, both my 550's have one (although the parts fiche for the '81 "H" model shows TWO.