warning YAMAHA YZF-R7 1999 Owner's Manual

3 - 34
CHK
ADJ
CHANGING THE COOLANT
8. Check:
• copper washer 1
• coolant drain bolt 2
Damage ® Replace.
9. Install:
• coolant drain bolt
T R..7 Nm (0.7 m · kg, 5.1 ft · lb)
10.Fill:
• cooling system
(with the specified amount of the rec-
ommended coolant)
Recommended antifreeze
High-quality ethylene glycol
antifreeze containing corro-
sion inhibitors for aluminum
engines
Mixing ratio
1:1 (antifreeze: water)
Quantity
Total amount
2.75 L
(2.42 lmp qt, 2.91 US qt)
Coolant reservoir capacity
0.25 L
(0.22 lmp qt, 0.26 US qt)
Handling notes for coolant
Coolant is potentially harmful and should
be handled with special care.
WARNINGWARNING
• If coolant splashes in your eyes, thor-
oughly wash them with water and
consult a doctor.
• If coolant splashes on your clothes,
quickly wash it away with water and
then with soap and water.
• If coolant is swallowed, induce vomit-
ing and get immediate medical atten-
tion.

3 - 36
CHK
ADJ
ADJUSTING THE REAR BRAKE
EB304001
CHASSIS
EB304010
ADJUSTING THE REAR BRAKE
1. Measure:
• brake pedal position
(distance a from the top of the brake
pedal to the bottom of the rider foot-
rest bracket)
Out of specification ® Adjust.
Brake pedal position (from the
top of the brake pedal to the
center of the rider footrest
bracket bolt)
31 ~ 36 mm (1.22 ~ 1.42 in)
a a
2. Adjust:
• brake pedal position
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Loosen the locknut 1.
b. Turn the adjusting bolt 2 in direction
a or b until the specified brake pedal
position is obtained.
WARNINGWARNING
After adjusting the brake pedal position,
check that the end of the adjusting bolt
c is visible through the hole d.
c. Tighten the locknut 1 to specifica-
tion.
WARNINGWARNING
A soft or spongy feeling in the brake
pedal can indicate the presence of air in
the brake system. Before the vehicle is
operated, the air must be removed by
bleeding the brake system. Air in the
brake system will considerably reduce
braking performance and could result in
loss of control and possibly an accident.
Therefore, check and, if necessary,
bleed the brake system.Direction aBrake pedal is raised.
Direction bBrake pedal is lowered.
T R..
Locknut
16 Nm (1.6 m • kg, 11 ft • lb)

3 - 37
CHK
ADJADJUSTING THE REAR BRAKE/
CHECKING THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL
ACHTUNG:CAUTION:
After adjusting the brake pedal position,
make sure that there is no brake drag.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
3. Adjust:
• rear brake light switch
Refer to “ADJUSTING THE REAR
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH”.
EB304020
CHECKING THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL
1. Stand the motorcycle on a level surface.
NOTE:
• Place the motorcycle on a suitable
stand.
• Make sure that the motorcycle is
upright.
2. Check:
• brake fluid level
Below the minimum level mark a ®
Add the recommended brake fluid to
the proper level.
Front brake
õRear brake
WARNINGWARNING
• Use only the designated brake fluid.
Other brake fluids may cause the rub-
ber seals to deteriorate, causing leak-
age and poor brake performance.
• Refill with the same type of brake fluid
that is already in the system. Mixing
brake fluids may result in a harmful
chemical reaction, leading to poor
brake performance.
• When refilling, be careful that water
does not enter the brake fluid reser-
voir. Water will significantly lower the
boiling point of the brake fluid and
could cause vapor lock.
ACHTUNG:CAUTION:
Brake fluid may damage painted sur-
faces and plastic parts. Therefore,
always clean up any spilt brake fluid
immediately.
NOTE:
In order to ensure a correct reading of the
brake fluid level, make sure that the top of
the brake fluid reservoir is horizontal.
Recommended brake fluid
DOT 4

õ

3 - 39
CHK
ADJCHECKING THE BRAKE HOSES/
BLEEDING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM
EB304062
CHECKING THE BRAKE HOSES
The following procedure applies to all of
the brake hoses and brake hose clamps.
1. Check:
• brake hose 1
Cracks/damage/wear ® Replace.
2. Check:
• brake hose clamp
Loose ® Tighten the clamp bolt.
3. Hold the motorcycle upright and apply
the brake several times.
4. Check:
• brake hose
Brake fluid leakage ® Replace the
damaged hose.
Refer to “FRONT AND REAR BRAKES”
in chapter 7.
EB304072
BLEEDING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE
SYSTEM
WARNINGWARNING
Bleed the hydraulic brake system when-
ever:
• the brake system was disassembled,
• a brake hose was loosened, discon-
nected or replaced,
• the brake fluid level is very low,
• brake operation is faulty.
NOTE:
• Be careful not to spill any brake fluid or
allow the brake fluid reservoir to over-
flow.
• When bleeding the hydraulic brake
system, make sure that there is always
enough brake fluid before applying the
brake. Ignoring this precaution could
allow air to enter the hydraulic brake
system, considerably lengthening the
bleeding procedure.
• If bleeding is difficult, it may be neces-
sary to let the brake fluid settle for a
few hours. Repeat the bleeding proce-
dure when the tiny bubbles in the hose
have disappeared.

3 - 40
CHK
ADJ
BLEEDING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM
1. Bleed:
• hydraulic brake system
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the
proper level with the recommended
brake fluid.
b. Install the brake fluid reservoir dia-
phragm.
c. Connect a clear plastic hose 1 tightly
to the bleed screw 2.
Front brake
õRear brake
d. Place the other end of the hose into a
container.
e. Slowly apply the brake several times.
f. Fully squeeze the brake lever or fully
depress the brake pedal and hold it in
position.
g. Loosen the bleed screw.
NOTE:
Loosening the bleed screw will release
the pressure and cause the brake lever
to contact the throttle grip or the brake
pedal to fully extend.
h. Tighten the bleed screw and then
release the brake lever or brake
pedal.
i. Repeat steps (e) to (h) until all of the
air bubbles have disappeared from
the brake fluid in the plastic hose.
j. Tighten the bleed screw to specifica-
tion.
k. Fill the brake fluid reservoir to the
proper level with the recommended
brake fluid.
Refer to “CHECKING THE BRAKE
FLUID LEVEL”.
WARNINGWARNING
After bleeding the hydraulic brake sys-
tem, check the brake operation.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
T R..
Bleed screw
6 Nm (0.6 m • kg, 4.3 ft • lb)

õ

3 - 41
CHK
ADJADJUSTING THE SHIFT PEDAL/
ADJUSTING THE DRIVE CHAIN SLACK
EB304081
ADJUSTING THE SHIFT PEDAL
NOTE:
The shift pedal position is determined
by the installed shift rod length a.
1. Measure:
• installed shift rod length a
Incorrect ® Adjust.
2. Adjust:
• installed shift rod length a
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Loosen both locknuts 1.
b. Turn the shift rod 2 in direction b or
c to obtain the correct shift pedal
position.
c. Tighten both locknuts.
d. Make sure that the installed shift rod
length is within specification.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
Installed shift rod length
294 mm (11.57 in)
Direction bInstalled shift rod length
decreases.
Direction cInstalled shift rod length
increases.
1
1
1
1
a a
b bc
c
EB304092
ADJUSTING THE DRIVE CHAIN SLACK
NOTE:
The drive chain slack must be checked at
the tightest point on the chain.
ACHTUNG:CAUTION:
A drive chain that is too tight will over-
load the engine and other vital parts,
and one that is too loose can skip and
damage the swingarm or cause an acci-
dent. Therefore, keep the drive chain
slack within the specified limits.
1. Stand the motorcycle on a level surface.
WARNINGWARNING
Securely support the motorcycle so that
there is no danger of it falling over.
NOTE:
Place the motorcycle on a suitable stand
so that the rear wheel is elevated.

3 - 43
CHK
ADJLUBRICATING THE DRIVE CHAIN/
CHECKING AND ADJUSTING THE STEERING HEAD
EB304100
LUBRICATING THE DRIVE CHAIN
The drive chain consists of many interact-
ing parts. If the drive chain is not main-
tained properly, it will wear out rapidly.
Therefore, the drive chain should be ser-
viced, especially when the motorcycle is
used in dusty areas. This motorcycle has a
drive chain with small rubber O-rings
between each side plate. Steam cleaning,
high-pressure washing, certain solvents,
and the use of a coarse brush can damage
these O-rings. Therefore, use only kerosine
to clean the drive chain. Wipe the drive
chain dry and thoroughly lubricate it with
engine oil or chain lubricant that is suitable
for O-ring chains. Do not use any other
lubricants on the drive chain since they may
contain solvents that could damage the O-
rings.
Recommended lubricant
Engine oil or chain lubricant
suitable for O-ring chains
EB304130
CHECKING AND ADJUSTING THE
STEERING HEAD
1. Stand the motorcycle on a level surface.
WARNINGWARNING
Securely support the motorcycle so that
there is no danger of it falling over.
NOTE:
Place the motorcycle on a suitable stand
so that the front wheel is elevated.
2. Check:
• steering head
Grasp the bottom of the front fork legs
and gently rock the front fork.
Looseness/binding ® Adjust the steer-
ing head.

3 - 45
CHK
ADJ
CHECKING AND ADJUSTING THE STEERING HEAD
c. Loosen the lower ring nut completely,
then tighten it to specification.
WARNINGWARNING
Do not overtighten the lower ring nut.
d. Check the steering head for looseness
or binding by turning the front fork all
the way in both directions. If any
binding is felt, remove the lower
bracket and check the upper and
lower bearings.
Refer to “STEERING HEAD” in chap-
ter 7.
e. Install the rubber washer 3.
f. Install the upper ring nut 2.
g. Finger tighten the upper ring nut 2,
then align the slots of both ring nuts.
If necessary, hold the lower ring nut
and tighten the upper ring nut until
their slots are aligned.
h. Install the lock washer 1.
NOTE:
Make sure that the lock washer tabs a
sit correctly in the ring nut slots b.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
T R..
Lower ring nut (final tightening
torque)
9 Nm (0.9 m • kg, 6.5 ft • lb)
9. Install:
• steering stem nut
• upper bracket bolt
• handlebar pinch bolt
• upper bracket pinch bolt
10.Measure:
• steering head tension
(with the motorcycle still on the stand)
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
NOTE:
Make sure that all of the cables and
wires are properly routed.
a. Point the front wheel straight ahead.
b. Install a plastic locking tie 1 loosely
around the end of the handlebar as
shown.
c. Hook a spring gauge 2 onto the plas-
tic locking tie.
T R..115 Nm (11.5 m · kg, 85 ft · lb)
T R..13 Nm (1.3 m · kg, 9.4 ft · lb)
T R..13 Nm (1.3 m · kg, 9.4 ft · lb)
T R..26 Nm (2.6 m · kg, 16 ft · lb)

3 - 46
CHK
ADJCHECKING AND ADJUSTING THE STEERING HEAD/
CHECKING THE FRONT FORK
d. Hold the spring gauge at a 45˚ angle
from the handlebar, pull the spring
gauge, and record the measurement
when the handlebar starts to turn.
e. Repeat the above procedure on the
opposite handlebar.
f. If the steering head tension is out of
specification (both handlebars should
be within specification), remove the
upper bracket and loosen or tighten
the upper ring nut.
g. Reinstall the upper bracket and mea-
sure the steering head tension again
as described above.
h. Repeat the above procedure until the
steering head tension is within speci-
fication.
i. Grasp the bottom of the front fork
legs and gently rock the front fork.
Looseness or binding ® Adjust the
steering head.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
Steering head tension
200 ~ 500 g (7.06 ~ 17.65 oz)
EB304141
CHECKING THE FRONT FORK
1. Stand the motorcycle on a level surface.
WARNINGWARNING
Securely support the motorcycle so that
there is no danger of it falling over.
2. Check:
• inner tube 1
Damage/scratches ® Replace.
• dust seal 2
• oil seal
Oil leakage ® Replace.
3. Hold the motorcycle upright and apply
the front brake.
4. Check:
• front fork operation
Push down hard on the handlebars
several times and check if the front
fork rebounds smoothly.
Rough movement ® Repair.
Refer to “FRONT FORK” in chapter 7.

3 - 47
CHK
ADJ
ADJUSTING THE FRONT FORK LEGS
EB304153
ADJUSTING THE FRONT FORK LEGS
The following procedure applies to both of
the front fork legs.
WARNINGWARNING
• Always adjust both front fork legs
evenly. Uneven adjustment can result
in poor handling and loss of stability.
• Securely support the motorcycle so
that there is no danger of it falling
over.
Spring preload
ACHTUNG:CAUTION:
• Grooves are provided to indicate the
adjustment position.
• Never go beyond the maximum or
minimum adjustment positions.
1. Adjust:
• spring preload
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Turn the adjusting bolt 1 in direction
a or b.
NOTE:
With each turn of the adjusting bolt, the
installed length of the fork spring is
changed by 1 mm.
s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
Direction a
(turns in)Spring preload is
increased (suspension is
harder).
Direction b
(turns out)Spring preload is
decreased (suspension is
softer).
Adjusting positions
Minimum: 0 turns in direction*
Standard: 14 turns in direction*
Maximum: 18-1/2 turns in direction*
* after fully turning the adjusting
bolt in direction b
1
1

a a
b b