swingarm bearings

[mtalneck78]

Anybody have a good way to remove swingarm bearings? Clymer wants me to take it to an "Authorized Dealer".

[Ghostgs1]

No good advice here, destroyed mine when removing though I was going to replace them anyway. Ray

[Clone]

A good punch and a 3lb ball peen hammer:shock: that's how I did the yammy, and how I remove most bearings.

[bj]

I borrowed a bearing puller from a local auto parts store (most will do this for you if you leave a deposit). It was still a pain and I did destroy the old bearing process but they shouldn't be reinstalled anyway.

The problem with using a bearing puller is that there's not really anywhere to brace the puller. I ended up using an old brake disc and my motorcycle jack to setup a solid platform. Insert the puller through the center of the brake disc and wedge the disc in the jack.

Oh yea, also used a butane torch on the swingarm too to expand it.

[focus frenzy]

why all the work???
I just loosen the lock nut on each side, back out the adjuster and slide the swing arm out and the bearings fall right out.
clean, repack and put back in, simple!!

SHAFTIES RULE!!!!!\\/

[Road_Clam]

Anybody have a good way to remove swingarm bearings? Clymer wants me to take it to an "Authorized Dealer".

The problem is the needle bearing is pressed up against an equall diameter bore in the swingarm. You can't get any type of "punch" against JUST the bearing to be able force out the bearing. This is an odd and dumb design. All bikes I've ever seen have an oversized bore through the swingarm to allow the use of a punch. The reason they tell you to take it to a dealer is the dealer MIGHT have the Suzuki specialized expanding collet type tool used to easily extract the swingarm bearings.

[mtalneck78]

After a half day of beating, heating, & chiseling, the bearings finally came out. That trully is a bad design on Suzuki's behalf. Things could have been changed to make that an easier job.