Popular After Production Ended? GS1200SS FCC Clutch Swing Arm OH Oil Regulator, Brush & Coil Replacement

I thought things were progressing smoothly? I thought I knew what I was doing…
It’s already 6 PM! (；∀；)

Working calmly and carefully without rushing.

Installing the reliable FCC Clutch TYPE-E.

Oil cooling has excellent serviceability, so things go smoothly.
Sometimes when the connecting rod position is bad and the primary reduction can’t be removed, I think “my luck is bad.”

It was neither very clean nor very dirty—somewhere in between (50,000 km).

Somewhat of a tough challenge! The diaphragm spring holder trap.

Around the GSF1200 era, there are 3 bolts. Later models become even more difficult with 2 bolts.
The diaphragm clutch spring tension is quite strong, so “you can easily strip them.”
Most people probably end up drilling them out.
*I’ve experienced this myself.

Using a tool like this prevents stripping and allows smooth work.
It’s a bit of a hassle to make, but once you do, the work goes smoothly.

Replacing at 50,000 km as preventive maintenance for the future.

Large bikes actually don’t wear out the clutch much.
Slip clutches don’t wear out unless used excessively. The real issue is “friction material degradation” rather than wear.
Friction material becomes old and hard → doesn’t grip → slips/burns/warps.

It’s similar to how brake pads that don’t grip will burn if you brake too hard for too long.

When GSX-R gets this old, the friction material can peel off in chunks. It’s good to replace it before that happens.

Check the thickness difference between old and new.

FCC requires removing the judder spring due to plate thickness changes. Make sure to check the total thickness of old and new.

With modern friction materials and surface treatment, it should grip strongly.

Every time I wonder how this strange mechanism works.

It’s most reliable to set up the holder with the primary reduction removed.
Since we’re applying oil to the plates, things get pretty messy…

Tighten firmly to about 147 N.m, then final-tighten and we’re done.
Since this is getting long, I’ll split it into two posts.