Friction plate placement

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
Post Reply
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

Hello, can anybody verify that this is indeed how the last friction plate arrangement goes on '96 200 ? Pic is from factory service manual. Thanks, Doug
IMG_20250726_224849530_HDR.jpg
IMG_20250726_224849530_HDR.jpg (2.39 MiB) Viewed 7148 times
IMG_20250726_224743875_HDR.jpg
IMG_20250726_224743875_HDR.jpg (3.12 MiB) Viewed 7148 times
User avatar
bufftester
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3547
Joined: 06:03 pm Oct 31 2012
Country: USA
Location: University Place, WA
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by bufftester »

That is correct
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

Ok, thank you. Just kind of funny that service manual says install first SIX plates in one groove and last one in other groove, when there are actually EIGHT friction plates total. And all friction plates were in same groove when I took it apart. So, mistakes everywhere, and I just needed some validation. Clutch worked just fine since I bought the bike a few years ago, until last ride of last fall. I could not kick start bike in gear with clutch in, when I needed to. Thought it was due to new oil I had to use for that trip. But found metal particles in oil and found that disc spring (apparently) had almost worn a groove completely through a steel's teeth. Guessing that was caused by outer friction plate not being installed properly. Thanks again.
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 6093
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by SS109 »

You got some serious notching on that basket. Those notches will contribute to not being able to start the bike while in gear and make finding neutral while running very hard. I would replace it or, at the least, file the notches smooth to get a little more life out of it.
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

SS109 wrote: 04:50 pm Jul 27 2025 You got some serious notching on that basket. Those notches will contribute to not being able to start the bike while in gear and make finding neutral while running very hard. I would replace it or, at the least, file the notches smooth to get a little more life out of it.
Yeah, saw that when I went to clean everything up. Do you know what would cause that ? If I replace it, I would hate for that to just happen again. Really sucks as I was hoping to take this bike down to a Hatfield-McCoy West Virginia trip in the middle of August.
User avatar
SpruceItUp
Supporting Member III
Supporting Member III
Posts: 97
Joined: 03:08 pm Jul 15 2024
Country: United States
Location: Florida, United States
Has thanked: 11 times

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by SpruceItUp »

It's something that happens with use. Not much you can do to avoid the notching to my knowledge. Some clutch baskets seem to fare better than others, but it typically takes quite a bit of riding (a lot) for them to start notching.
92 KDX200
04 CRF450R
05 CR125R
~Don't mind me, I can be a little slow :lol: :lol:
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

SpruceItUp wrote: 08:30 am Jul 28 2025 It's something that happens with use. Not much you can do to avoid the notching to my knowledge. Some clutch baskets seem to fare better than others, but it typically takes quite a bit of riding (a lot) for them to start notching.
Well I think I'm going to file it down some and throw it together and see how it works. Used ones on eBay do not look a whole lot better than mine. A company called Pro X makes a new one out of aluminum, that maybe is a "race" type thing. We'll see what happens, thanks for the info.
User avatar
bufftester
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3547
Joined: 06:03 pm Oct 31 2012
Country: USA
Location: University Place, WA
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by bufftester »

As for the notch replacement, almost every bike I've seen after it's been wrenched on a bunch ahs all the tangs inside the slot, and very few people put the last one in the offset spot (myself included at times) I have never noticed a difference between the two configurations myself, but do always try and get it per the service manual just for piece of mind.
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

IMG_20250728_135318033_HDR.jpg
IMG_20250728_135318033_HDR.jpg (2.7 MiB) Viewed 7055 times
bufftester wrote: 10:41 am Jul 28 2025 As for the notch replacement, almost every bike I've seen after it's been wrenched on a bunch ahs all the tangs inside the slot, and very few people put the last one in the offset spot (myself included at times) I have never noticed a difference between the two configurations myself, but do always try and get it per the service manual just for piece of mind.
After looking a little closer, it appears that the last guy not only didn't locate the last friction plate properly, he also installed the disc spring backwards. That is the only way that I believe the damage to the last steel plate could have occurred (groove cut almost all the way through teeth). Parts are ordered.
IMG_20250728_135334216_HDR.jpg
IMG_20250728_135334216_HDR.jpg (2.6 MiB) Viewed 7055 times
Last edited by ddj67 on 04:36 pm Jul 28 2025, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
SpruceItUp
Supporting Member III
Supporting Member III
Posts: 97
Joined: 03:08 pm Jul 15 2024
Country: United States
Location: Florida, United States
Has thanked: 11 times

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by SpruceItUp »

ddj67 wrote: 10:16 am Jul 28 2025 Well I think I'm going to file it down some and throw it together and see how it works. Used ones on eBay do not look a whole lot better than mine. A company called Pro X makes a new one out of aluminum, that maybe is a "race" type thing. We'll see what happens, thanks for the info.
I ended up buying a ProX basket for my 92 200 as mine was notched pretty badly as well.
I've got maybe 15-20 hours on the bike since I replaced it and it's functioning great.

Edit: It still looks great as well, as I had to take the clutch out to replace the spring behind the rachet on the kickstart mechanism.
92 KDX200
04 CRF450R
05 CR125R
~Don't mind me, I can be a little slow :lol: :lol:
JimmyB
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 140
Joined: 08:41 pm Jul 26 2009
Country: Canada
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by JimmyB »

There is ProX, Wiseco and Mitaka clutch baskets made in the UK..

DC plastics carries some models or available out of the UK on EBAY but with shipping and imports might not be worth it. :sad:

https://www.dcvmx.com/Clutch-Products/K ... ts-c-1083/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272862043590?_ ... BM2KTqvYpm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124525594803?_ ... R6ytzr6KZg


I have had a Mitaka in my 02 220 for about 520hrs and no noticeable wear, really happy with it.

One thing with any of the aftermarket baskets, you will have to drill out the rivets to reuse the gear for the new basket, might have to get new dampeners for it also.
02 KDX220
ddj67
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 05:39 pm Jul 26 2025
Country: USA

Re: Friction plate placement

Post by ddj67 »

JimmyB wrote: 08:51 pm Jul 28 2025 There is ProX, Wiseco and Mitaka clutch baskets made in the UK..

DC plastics carries some models or available out of the UK on EBAY but with shipping and imports might not be worth it. :sad:

https://www.dcvmx.com/Clutch-Products/K ... ts-c-1083/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272862043590?_ ... BM2KTqvYpm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124525594803?_ ... R6ytzr6KZg


I have had a Mitaka in my 02 220 for about 520hrs and no noticeable wear, really happy with it.

One thing with any of the aftermarket baskets, you will have to drill out the rivets to reuse the gear for the new basket, might have to get new dampeners for it also.
Thanks !
Post Reply