2009 YAMAHA YFZ450R brake pads

Accessories and loading ........................... 6-5
RIDING YOUR ATV ...................................... 7-1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ATV.............. 7-2
RIDE WITH CARE AND GOOD
JUDGEMENT ...........................................7-2
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU RIDE ............ 7-8
TURNING YOUR ATV ............................. 7-12
CLIMBING UPHILL .................................. 7-14
RIDING DOWNHILL................................. 7-16
CROSSING A SLOPE.............................. 7-17
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER .................................................. 7-18
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN .......... 7-20
SLIDING AND SKIDDING ........................ 7-20
WHAT TO DO IF... ................................... 7-21
WHAT TO DO... ....................................... 7-21
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR
REPAIR .......................................................... 8-1
Owner’s manual and tool kit ...................... 8-1
Periodic maintenance chart for the
emission control system .......................... 8-3
General maintenance and lubrication
chart ........................................................ 8-4
Removing and installing panels ................ 8-8
Checking the spark plug .......................... 8-13
Engine oil and oil filter element ............... 8-14
Coolant .................................................... 8-19Cleaning the air filter element .................. 8-23
Cleaning the spark arrester ..................... 8-27
Adjusting the throttle cable free play ........ 8-28
Valve clearance ....................................... 8-29
Checking the front and rear brake
pads .......................................................8-29
Checking the brake fluid level .................. 8-30
Changing the brake fluid .......................... 8-32
Checking the front brake lever free
play ........................................................ 8-32
Checking the brake pedal position ........... 8-33
Adjusting the parking brake free play ...... 8-34
Brake light switches ................................. 8-35
Adjusting the clutch lever free play .......... 8-36
Drive chain slack ...................................... 8-37
Lubricating the drive chain ....................... 8-39
Checking and lubricating the cables ........ 8-40
Checking and lubricating the brake and
clutch levers ........................................... 8-40
Checking the shift pedal .......................... 8-41
Checking and lubricating the brake
pedal ......................................................8-41
Checking the wheel hub bearings ............ 8-42
Lubricating the swingarm pivots .............. 8-42
Lubricating the upper and lower arm
pivots .....................................................8-42
Battery ..................................................... 8-43
Replacing the fuse ................................... 8-46
Replacing a headlight bulb ...................... 8-46

5-2
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11

Front brake

Check operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed
hydraulic system.

Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.

Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add recommended brake
fluid to specified level if necessary.

Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary.5-4, 8-29, 8-30, 8-32
Rear brake

Check operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed
hydraulic system.

Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.

Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add recommended brake
fluid to specified level if necessary.

Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary.5-4, 8-29, 8-30, 8-33
Clutch

Check operation, and correct if necessary.

Lubricate cable if necessary.

Check lever free play, and adjust if necessary.8-36
Throttle lever

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate cable and lever hous-
ing if necessary.

Check cable free play, and adjust if necessary.5-5, 8-28
Control cables

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate if necessary. 8-40
Drive chain

Check chain slack, and adjust if necessary.

Check chain condition. Lubricate if necessary.5-5, 8-37, 8-39
Wheels and tires

Check wheel condition, and replace if damaged.

Check tire condition and tread depth. Replace if necessary.

Check air pressure. Correct if necessary.5-5, 5-6, 5-7
Shift pedal

Make sure that operation is smooth.

Correct if necessary.8-41
Brake pedal

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate pedal pivoting point if
necessary.8-41
Brake and clutch levers

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate lever pivoting points
if necessary.8-40
Chassis fasteners

Make sure that all nuts, bolts and screws are properly tightened. 5-8
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE

5-5
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11

have a Yamaha dealer check the brake system.
Brake fluid level
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-30.)
Brake fluid leakage
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
pipe joints or brake fluid reservoirs. Apply the
brakes firmly for one minute. If there is any leak-
age, have a Yamaha dealer check the brake sys-
tem.
Brake operation
Test the brakes at slow speed after starting out to
make sure they are working properly. If the brakes
do not provide proper braking performance, check
the brake pads for wear. (See page 8-29.)
WARNING

EWB00580
Always check the brakes at the start of every
ride. Do not ride the ATV if you find any prob-
lem with the brakes or you could lose braking
ability, which could lead to an accident. If aproblem cannot be corrected by the adjust-
ment procedures provided in this manual, have
a Yamaha dealer check for the cause.
EBU19761
Throttle lever
Check the operation of the throttle lever. It must
open smoothly and spring back to the idle position
when released. Have a Yamaha dealer correct if
necessary.
EBU19770
Drive chain
Check the condition of the drive chain and check
the drive chain slack. Lubricate and adjust the
drive chain as necessary. (See page 8-37.)
EBU19792
Tires WARNING
EWB00602
Use of improper tires on this ATV, or operation
of this ATV with improper or uneven tire pres-
sure, may cause loss of control, increasing
your risk of accident.
Pay attention to the following.

The tires listed below have been approved
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4

8-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11

EBU21864
General maintenance and lubrication chart
NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 3201 Air filter element


Clean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2
*
Clutch

Check operation and adjust if necessary.
√ √√√
3
*
Front brake


Check operation and correct if necessary.

Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.
√√√√√

Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
4
*
Rear brake

Check operation and correct if necessary.

Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.
√√√√√

Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
5
*
Brake hoses

Check for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary.
√√√√

Replace. Every 4 years
6
*
Parking brake

Check operation and adjust if necessary.
√√√√√
7
*
Wheels


Check runout and for damage, and replace if nec-
essary.
√ √√√
8
*
Tires


Check tread depth and for damage, and replace if
necessary.

Check air pressure and balance, and correct if
necessary.
√ √√√
9
*
Wheel hub bearings


Check for looseness or damage, and replace if
necessary.
√ √√√

8-29
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11

justed if necessary, before adjusting the throttle ca-
ble free play.
1. Slide the rubber cover back.
2. Loosen the locknut.
3. To increase the throttle cable free play, turn
the throttle cable free play adjusting bolt in di-
rection (a). To decrease the throttle cable free
play, turn the adjusting bolt in direction (b).
4. Tighten the locknut.
5. Slide the rubber cover to its original position.
EBU24060
Valve clearance
The valve clearance changes with use, resulting in
improper air-fuel mixture and/or engine noise. To
prevent this from occurring, the valve clearance
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
EBU24130
Checking the front and rear brake pads
The front and rear brake pads must be checked for
wear at the intervals specified in the periodic main-
tenance and lubrication chart.
EBU29560
Front brake pads
Each brake pad is provided with wear indicator
grooves, which allow you to check the brake pad
wear without having to disassemble the brake. To
check the brake pad wear, check the wear indica-
tor grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that the wear indicator grooves have almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
1. Rubber cover
2. Throttle cable free play adjusting bolt
3. Locknut
4. Throttle lever free play
4 2 1
3
(a)
(b)

8-30
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11
TIP

The wheels need to be removed to check the
brake pads. (See page 8-49.)
EBU26460
Rear brake pads
Each rear brake pad is provided with wear indica-
tor grooves, which allow you to check the brake
pad wear without having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check the wear indi-
cator grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that the wear indicator grooves have almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace the brakepads as a set.TIP
The wheels need to be removed to check the
brake pads. (See page 8-49.)
EBU29500
Checking the brake fluid level
Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to enter the
brake system, possibly causing it to become inef-
fective.
Before riding, check that the brake fluid is above
the minimum level mark and replenish if neces-
sary. A low brake fluid level may indicate worn
1. Wear indicator groove
1

1. Wear indicator groove1

8-31
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11

brake pads and/or brake system leakage. If the
brake fluid level is low, be sure to check the brake
pads for wear and the brake system for leakage.
Front brakeRear brake
TIP
To check the rear brake fluid level, remove the
seat. (See page 4-10.)
Observe these precautions:

When checking the fluid level, make sure that
the top of the brake fluid reservoir is level.

Use only the recommended quality brake fluid,
otherwise the rubber seals may deteriorate,
causing leakage and poor braking performance.
1. Minimum level mark
1

1. Minimum level mark
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
1

8-32
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11


Refill with the same type of brake fluid. Mixing
fluids may result in a harmful chemical reaction
and lead to poor braking performance.

Be careful that water does not enter the brake
fluid reservoir when refilling. Water will signifi-
cantly lower the boiling point of the fluid and may
result in vapor lock.

Brake fluid may deteriorate painted surfaces or
plastic parts. Always clean up spilled fluid imme-
diately.

As the brake pads wear, it is normal for the brake
fluid level to gradually go down. However, if the
brake fluid level goes down suddenly, have a
Yamaha dealer check the cause.
EBU24291
Changing the brake fluid
Have a Yamaha dealer change the brake fluid at
the intervals specified in the TIP after the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart. In addition,
have the oil seals of the master cylinders and cali-
pers as well as the brake hoses replaced at the in-
tervals listed below or whenever they are damaged
or leaking.

Oil seals: Replace every two years.

Brake hoses: Replace every four years.
EBU24393
Checking the front brake lever free play
The brake lever free play must be checked at the
intervals specified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart. The brake lever should have no
free play as shown. If there is free play, have a
Yamaha dealer check the brake system.WARNING
EWB02471
Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause loss of braking ability,
which could lead to an accident.
After servicing:
1. Brake lever free play
1