Swingarm Bearing Woes!!!

[jonr]

For those of you who were already in the know about my swingarm bearings (78 GS750E), here are some pictures of what's left of them...

While I was able to remove the first one with a bearing puller (on loan from Advance Auto), the second is rusted in place and I cannot get it to come out. Any suggestions on how to remove what's left of this bearing? I've already squirted it down with PB blaster...

Nice eh?

Number one is out and ready for replacement:

Number 2 is half stuck and half destroyed:

Thanks for any suggestions!

-jon

 

[hungryman]

You can always take a hand saw to it (the ones that have a short hacksaw blade). It will take some time and cursing, but it will work.

A chisel may also work if you are really careful, but I doubt it will get it all the way out. The chisel will probably work best after you do some cutting with the saw.

If you are really lucky, grab that piece sticking up with a pair of vice grips and try to peal back the bushing. You might get enough of it to get a working spot for the chisel.

 

[jimcor]

Those blasted bearings. Mine were the same way, rusted solid. Unfortunately that is one of the few jobs I had a shop do...so I'm guessing here Jon, but they told me they welded a piece on to pull it out. I never really understood what they were talking about till getting a look at your pics of the second bearing. Apparently the Mech had a fixture he'd tack inside the old bearing after the needles and cage were popped out like yours are. Make sense? I know he didn't think it was any big deal and only charged about ten or fifteen bucks to pull both of them. Swingarm was still red hot when he brought it out to me. Did require repainting. Now the guy who did this has an old school Suzuki/Yamaha/Kwacker dealership and his mechanic was older than the swingarm.

Any possibility getting a small chisel started on the bearing without trearing things up?

Off topic: Got the package today! Thanks, Jon!

 

[GSstiny]

The tool you (or whoever you have do it) need is called a blind bearing puller. I broke a couple of the advance auto pullers before I gave up. Even with the blind puller they required a little heat to come out.

 

[jonr]

Jim and hungryman,

I had contemplated both scenarios. A: how could I cut into it to peel back the remains. B: could I weld something in there and yank it out. I called my dealer and he said that "they can be tough to get out and minimum cost will be a half hour of labor" which is $34.

Before I go to that last resort, I was thinking of making a small hole in the side wall (but not through the bearing remains) and then using a drift to begin to separate the remains from the sidewall. After finish (how's that for optimism?) I'd fill the hole with JB weld to keep out any moisture that would wreck it again in the future.

I friend of mine has a welder, so that might be an option too. He's out of town for a while though. I also though of cutting out a oval shaped piece of 3/16" plate steel to a bit less than the diameter of the swingarm. THen I would slide it down there from the other end, seat it flat on the remains, and then punch it out.

I'm still looking for easier solutions (not modifying the swingarm 8-[ )

-J

PS. GStiny: I was thinking my acetylene torch might come in handy to heat it up and compete with the rust. I don't know if I can come up with a blind bearing puller...

 

[hungryman]

Jim and hungryman,

I had contemplated both scenarios. A: how could I cut into it to peel back the remains. B: could I weld something in there and yank it out. I called my dealer and he said that "they can be tough to get out and minimum cost will be a half hour of labor" which is $34.

Before I go to that last resort, I was thinking of making a small hole in the side wall (but not through the bearing remains) and then using a drift to begin to separate the remains from the sidewall. After finish (how's that for optimism?) I'd fill the hole with JB weld to keep out any moisture that would wreck it again in the future.

I friend of mine has a welder, so that might be an option too. He's out of town for a while though. I also though of cutting out a oval shaped piece of 3/16" plate steel to a bit less than the diameter of the swingarm. THen I would slide it down there from the other end, seat it flat on the remains, and then punch it out.

I'm still looking for easier solutions (not modifying the swingarm 8-[ )

-J

PS. GStiny: I was thinking my acetylene torch might come in handy to heat it up and compete with the rust. I don't know if I can come up with a blind bearing puller...

Drilling will only make the problem worse. The tapered bit will punch through the bearing sleeve preventing you from using a drift on it as you wanted. In addition the burring of the metal in the hole will make it harder to get the sleeve out.

 

[bwringer]

I'd work a small chisel in between the bearing shell and the swingarm, then try to "fold" the shell in on itself.

Here's a crude 2 minute diagram:

 

[jimcor]

Don't go drilling on the swingarm! Not a good idea.

 

[jonr]

Many votes for chiseling. No votes for drilling. May give it a few whacks tomorrow and see if the PB has loosened anything up. Next, chisel. Then some heat. Perhaps the welder after that...

J

 

[Nessism]

You are not going to be able to cut that race with a hack saw blade but you could do some damage to it with a dremmel tool. Work one area and take the metal down just short of cutting through. After that you should be able to get that chissel to fold the rest over.

 

[jonr]

It moved! Problem is that it was in the wrong direction. I was working the cold chisel through the lip only getting little chunks at time. The remains are so brittle that they cannot be bent, just shattered. So, I thought I would give the lip a few whacks with a drift punch and the whole thing moved further inside about 2mm. While this may seem counterproductive, I was very pleased to see it move! At least I now know that it's not permanently siezed.

The slide hammer remover is still not bringing it out, so I think I'm going to rig up an attachment that will fit on the slide hammer and weld to the inside of the remains.

JOn

 

[Joe Nardy]

Maybe someone has a spare swingarm they would give you or sell for cheap? Try Ryan (First Timer). I know he has several for GS1000s. I don't know if they're the same as the 750.

Joe

 

[Carter Turk]

I would try a propane torch around the area and a 12'' long thin walled pipe about 5/8'' in diameter and maybe a bit of WD-40.

Angle it through the opposite end of swingarm to rest on the inside top of outer race. Start tapping with a hammer on the pipe at 12, 3, 6, 9 oclock. If it moved 2mm the wrong way it will come out.

I did this a month ago after considering dremel chisel etc. Place a block of wood next to the bearing shaft to allow room for the race to drop out. A couple heat cycles with WD may do it

Remember to install spacer after first new bearing is in place. In my haste I got excited when I drove the new bearing home and quickly grabbed the other to find my spacer lying there on the ground.

 

[jonr]

Sweeeeeeet!!!

Sweeeeeeet!!!

It's out!! I went up to the welding shop and the guy told me he could knock it out quicker than welding something up. So I hold the thing in place and he goes at it with a cold chisel and in less than one minute, it's mangled and OUT! I was impressed that he only put two burrs in it and I've already filed those out.

I just wasn't able to keep the swingarm steady and pound on it at the same time. Four hands proved to be better than two. He asked for $5 and all I had was a hamilton, so I told him to just take it. New bearings should be here this week!

thanks to all for suggestions, et al. Chiseling proved to be victorius.

J

 

[jimcor]

It's out!! I went up to the welding shop and the guy told me he could knock it out quicker than welding something up. So I hold the thing in place and he goes at it with a cold chisel and in less than one minute, it's mangled and OUT! I was impressed that he only put two burrs in it and I've already filed those out.

I just wasn't able to keep the swingarm steady and pound on it at the same time. Four hands proved to be better than two. He asked for $5 and all I had was a hamilton, so I told him to just take it. New bearings should be here this week!

thanks to all for suggestions, et al. Chiseling proved to be victorius.

J

I keep seeing "Bubba", the cartoon character that Hector Cademartori draws for Cycle World's Service column, with a five pound sledge saying "Whoops" while jonr holds his flattened thumb, and the little mice characters go into hysterics...

 

[jonr]

Jim-

No "bubba" here. As soon as I arrived at the welding shop, I spied this man who looked to be in his 60's and had no business at a welding shop unless he was the guy who ran it. He looked sage indeed and he garnered my trust almost immediately.

When we were removing the bearing, I was holding the tail of the swingarm where the tire mounts. He's pounding on this thing with his hammer and chisel with no more than a pair of eyeglasses. I had nothing, so every time he took a hammer stroke, I closed my eyes tight in case anything went flying. In the course of my career with metal, I've been hit in the face about four times and twice my safety glasses saved my eyes.

Nothing came out except the bearing and that was the plan. Let's just hope that was the clunking noise I heard right before I got back into town last week. I've been having nightmares that it's my transmission....

Jon

 

[rustybronco]

Air operated die grinder to the wall of the bearing, be careful not to go through, lots of light, should do it also. zippity do da zippity day my oh my what a wonderful day... glad you got it out.