Squeaky GS

[Guest]

I can't seem to identify the location of the squeak coming from the rear of my 1983 GS550ES. I have sprayed a silicone based lubricant at various pivot points in hopes of isolating the problem and hopefully repair it, but I haven't had any success. I don't want to pull everything apart because I really don't know where to begin.
Has anyone had this problem before?
View the following link for more info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHsB_tAyxk&feature=youtu.be

Thanks,
J-P

[7981GS]

Have you tried rubber lubricant or Armor-all type stuff on the rubber bushings that connect to the rear shock?

Eric

[jwhelan65]

It is more than likely the rear shock, my 700es did the same thing. Try and spray lubricant around the base of the spring at both the top and bottom. It may also be the main swingarm bearing

[TheCafeKid]

It's the shock. Time for a new one.

[wotwhy]

On my bike it was the rear suspension linkage pivots that were squeaking. Most of the pivot points are roller bearings, but two are ball-and-socket joints and if they dry out...squeak! By the time it got that bad, there was so much friction in the linkage it was practically a hard tail.

The worst culprit was the front pivot on the rocker arm to which the top of the shock is attached. It's hard to get to and the ball-and-socket itself is not designed to be disassembled. I had to disassemble the whole suspension linkage to get to it, and then I had to work lube into that ball-and-socket by hand as best I could. I repacked all the bearings with a heavy moly lube and replaced all the damaged seals, because I didn't want to have to do it ever again.

The original seals on my '84 dried out and cracked after only a few years, but after that one-time lube/reseal project the suspension has remained silent for [gives up counting after running out of fingers and toes] a long time.