swing arm bearing replacement

[Anonymous]

I have a GS650E with 16k miles. It needs new swing arm bearings. My Clymer book says to take it into the shop -- not to try to replace them myself. Is this really necessary? Has anybody changed these out? Can it be done with a long drift, for example? Also, what is a "self-lubricating" chain. I was looking around for a match to my 530/106 chain and came across this term in JC Whitney (I know. I know). It's not O-Ring but claims to have all the lube it'll ever need -- something about "sintered bushings."
Anybody have experience with these?

[Hap Call]

I've changed out my swingarm bearing...it helps to have a few special tools like a hydraulic press and it can be a pain in the asre knocking the old bearing out. It might be worth your money to remove the swingarm and take it to a machine shop with the replacement bearings and have them push out the old ones and press in the new ones.

Find out what size they are...I have some bearings that fit the 1100...if they are the same I will send a set to you for a lot less than what the dealer wants.

Hap

[Anonymous]

Remove the swingarm. A drift and big hammer will dispense of the old, pressed in races. The install of new, tapered bearings isn't very difficult. There are two per side and a metal sleeve that slips in between them and over your swingarm pivot bolt.

[focus frenzy]

another reason why I love my shafty, the shaft driven bikes use large tapered roller berings that have large threaded adjusters, just screw the adjusters out and the swing arm and bearings slide right out.

[bwringer]

You can probably get medieval and get the job done with a big hammer and punch, but any machine shop can quickly press the old bearings out and the new bearings in for $10 or so.

[Anonymous]

just a quick tip for pressing cartridge bearings at home. use a large socket (the same size as the O.D. of the bearing race) and tap in with a hammer. a little green locktite will hold them tight too.

[jimcor]

My dealer did it while I waited for $15 bucks labor. I thought that was a righteous deal...of course the bearings weren't cheap tho'.

[Anonymous]

Thanks

These bearings on the '81 650E are narrow and deep, and
my standard drifts won't even reach all the way through the long swing arm cylinder to the backside of the bearing. I don't know if the bearings taper or not. If so, not much. I'd have to buy an extra long drift just to get at the first bearing. In order to use a socket for removal, I'd have to get one bearing out before I could fit a socket into the cylinder to knock out the second one. Catch 22.

I've ordered the parts. 11.99 each. And I'll let the machine shop guys change them out.

Thanks again.

T

[Poot]

I also have the same question of doing them myself on my GS 850.

My left swingarm bearing is still ok, but my right one had blown itself to pieces....


I've completely dissasembled my back end, and was wondering what the process would be to remove them, as my manual as well skips it.

I am willing to learn it myself, but don't know what "drifting" is? any help would be fantastic!


POOT

[Anonymous]

dislodging bearings

I'm no expert, but drifts and punches are long heavy-duty metal hand tools. Often they can be used to knock bearings, bearing cups, etc. loose -- either by placing the tool directly against the part, or more preferably against a socket that is the same circumference as the part. Then you bang on the back of the drift or punch (a pin punch has a flat tip) with a heavy hammer.

From what I've seen, people use whatever works to knock out the bearings without damaging any of the parts.

I've done it many times with a variety of wheel bearings. But with wheel hubs it's easier to get at the back side. My gs650e swing arm is long and narrow, with deep needle bearings in each end. Also, the place where the bearings rest appears to be recessed inside -- so it would be a bad idea to try to push the bearing all the way through & out the other side.

I've seen diagrams of some of the other GS swing arms, and some look pretty accessible with bearings that are easier to get at.

My parts haven't arrived yet, but I'm eager to get the ride put back together -- along with the improved suspension.

BTW -- You might want to replace both bearings at the same time. That's what I'm doing, even though only one of mine is really messed up. There has clearly been additional stress on the other one.

[Poot]

I agree about buying 2 bearings... The thing is, my right bearing was blown apart. so I have no problem getting at the left one through the swingarm with maybe a crowbar and a rubber mallet. My uncle has been in the construction business for quite a long time , and may be able to help me.

It is now the pressing in that concerns me.... Just how much force is needed to press the bearings in?

[Anonymous]

swing arm bearing odyssey

Boy this one was a booger, but I got it done. Two machine shops plus the mechanincs in the OKC Suzuki service center all told me they couldn't press out (or in) these bearings, and wouldn't even try. So, I figured I couldn't do any worse than them. I got an extra long pin punch with a back end that would just fit through the one good bearing on the opposite side of the swing arm. I used that to try and bang the old (bad) bearing out. No luck. The lip on the needle bearing housing is just too too thin. So, I had to break it apart and cut it out. Ugly.
Pushing the new bearing in was a breeze. With the swing arm in a vise, I matched up a good socket to the outside of the new bearing sleeve. The outer lip is larger and stronger. I also stuck the back end of that new pin punch inside the swing arm from below, so that it stuck out of the top, and fit through the new bearing sleeve, and even into the socket -- helping keep everything straight. (That last part may not be absolutely necessary). A few firm hits with a heavy duty hammer did the trick. I'm waiting for a new inner race to finish the job. It should get here today. Despite my earlier advice, I decided not to replace the other bearing. I inspected it again and greased it. It seems to spin all right, and the race looked fine too. The inner lip of those damned sleeves are so thin that even with the other bearing out (as yours is) I didn't want the hassle of trying to knock it out. I think the swing arm will work OK now. [-o<
New problem -- I'm having trouble finding a machine screw to replace one of the ones I had to break in order to get the sprocket cover off.
6mm by 95 mm, 1.0 pitch, with a phillips head (or preferably a very small hex head).
So Poot, I don't know if your bearings are as wimpy as mine, but let me know how it goes.

Tim

[Poot]

Will do. Waiting on the bearings to come in, hopefully this week...

I've been offered to get the work done by a shop near my house, but wonder if a bearing house could provide new races? They should just be a matter of dimensions?

Anyways, I was thinking of using the end of a crowbar to knock the other bearing out, and I have a dremel tool if theres trouble getting the races out on the right, or left side. I could also warm up the metal with a torch, possibly making it easier to remove.

its good to know that they're relatively easy to pop in. Might save me some dollars, if I can just do it myself. every penny counts!

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Anonymous]

I've done it without the presses and hydraulics. Can be done, but very frustrating and time consuming.

Vic

[Anonymous]

bearings

Poot,

I see you've got a shaft drive model. That's going to be very different from
mine, and you shouldn't have the long thin needle-bearings to mess with.

There should be a diagram with dimensions on bikebandit.com.
They list most GS models online -- just not mine. :?

Good luck.

Tim

81 650E