Swing arm bearing

[BillyRok]

Here is a quick video of my swing arm bearing. The inner race and bearing chuck in and out quite a bit between the outer race and the seal, was wondering if this is normal? I guess when I torque the pivot shaft to 4 ft lbs and the torque the lock nut then all the play is gone. Just cleaning and regreasing the bearings and want to make sure all is good, thanks.

[IMG][/IMG]

[mack]

Billy

You need to remove the dust shields and then clean and repack the bearings. The races should also be cleaned at this time and inspected for divots and gauling. The races can be knocked out and rotated 90 degrees and re-set if you want to save money. I never do, I just knock the old ones out and replace but I'm always on full restore mode. Remember when replacing the centering pins(pivot shafts), the book is wrong for the torque spec's. They should read inch pounds not foot poulds on the pins!Make damn sure the swing arm is centered in the frame or the bike won't track properly and want to resist you in one direction and dive in the other!

[BillyRok]

Ok Grant, thanks for the tips.

[Radioguylogs]

It's Normal

Hi Billy:

Yes that play is completely normal. The swing arm bolts squeeze the inner races of the tapered bearings into the outer races and the slack is gone. The seals ride on the flat profile of the swing arm bolts.

As Mack suggested, I bought new seals and took it apart and cleaned and re-loaded the bearings.

I stacked a feeler gage to get the gap on both sides centered upon re-assembly. If you let the gage rest across a chord of the ring in the frame, you can get consistent measurements instead of inserting it at an angle with varying results.

Now if someone can tell me how to get a wrench on the locking nut while holding the bolt from rotating.....the wrench doesn't go deep enough in the well around the nut and you have to just do the best you can.

[mack]

I use

an impact driver socket, fits right in.

[Radioguylogs]

Don't get it

Mack- That's how I got it off, but how do you hold the bolt from turning if you tighten the lock nut with a socket? (unless you have a socket that can be turned by a wrench).

[mack]

Well

I just make sure the threads are spotless then spin them on by hand until they are snug then put the torque wrench one side and torque to half spec then go to the other side and repeat. Then I just torque to the full spec. It might move the pin slightly but it's never altered the swing arm alignment or over tightened the pin on the three that I've done.