Regreasing swing arm and head race bearings
 

Ive decided im going to try and see if i can re-grease the swing arm bearings and head race bearings over christmas as they have never been done to my knowledge yet. However ive never done this before but im up for doing it but wanting to see if i need anything special bar standard spanners and ignorance :HappyRoll_ANPIUI:

Also wondering if anyone can link me to the rest of these guide notes

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?...ght=suspension

Also wondering if there are any guides like this for regreasing the head race bearings?

Had a quick search and cant see to find any.

Part 1: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20735

Part 2: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20736

Part 3: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20737

Part 4: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20738

Service your steering head bearings: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=12483

All the tools needed (or ways to get round needing them) are covered at various points within the threads, just read them though before you start.

Cheers buddy that will give me some reading tomorrow while waiting on the girlfriend while she has to work and i get to put my feet up!!!:nod:

Ehhh ehhh I've been a bit ham fisted and still can't get the swing arm bolt to come out!!! I've tried my best to drift it out but am now knackering the nut and also a socket head which I'm busing to help not damage the threads on the bolt anymore. I've sprayed around each end as much as I can with wd40 but nothings moved.

any suggestions?

I've got the main suspension linkage out (triangle bit with 3 bearings) so I'm nearly there now just need the swing arm out.

also anyone know where I can get a new swing arm nut/bolt from?

They do seize up I'm afraid. Sometimes the only course of action is brute force and ignorance and as a result you may well have to sacrifice the the pivot bolt (which is highly likely to be corroded anyway). Laying the bike on its side can sometimes help give you a better whack at it?

OE parts I always get from here.

I'd put it on it's side and spray sparingly with WD40 and leave overnight to allow time for it to seep down in.

After that keep the nut on,but screwed out some and bang away at it. As stated you might just have to get a new one and it'll be easier to whack whilst on it's side.

:)



.

That's the head race bearings loose so packed with a bit of grease and new one on the way. The swing arm bolt is well and truely lodged in and is going to take some time to try and get out, had the bike on it's stand for two days and kept spraying bolt head with wd40 but no movement and now the nuts banjoed. I've ordered a new bolt but refuse to pay nearly �25 for a 22mm nut. I'll sort something out!!!

Hi

IMO spraying the bolt head is not what's needed....the oil can't get onto and into the swing arm shaft with out gravity letting in ooze down whilst it's on it's side.

I suggest trying the same again but leaving the moto on it's side?

If you see my swing arm shaft and how it was corroded I can only imagine what a UK moto would be like taking into account road salt and dampness.

Don't forget a drift and lump hammer whilst it's on its side to give it a good clout or three.

:)


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Apply some heat with a blow lamp, or your missus creme br�l�e burner

WD40 isn't a great penetrating oil. Either use PlusGas or the graphite type of penetrating oil (Toolstation sell no-brand stuff fairly cheap). Although to be frank, I'm not 100% sure that penetrating oil will do much good in this case.

Neither do I think the small amount of heat available from a blowlamp would work given the huge heat sink effect of frame, swingarm etc. Possibly a gas welding torch but it is a bit medieval in that location.

I assume the pivot bolt nut can be removed but the bolt itself is seized in and won't rotate?

If that's the case I would apply a long breaker bar to the end of the bolt; if that doesn't work then an air driven impact gun - sometimes called a "rattle gun". The compressor and guns you can get from Lidl or Aldi are not usually man enough for this kind of job but you may be lucky if you can borrow one.

If you haven't got a man enough air impact gun, reassemble the bike and take a trip to one of the independent tyre fitting places (don't bother with Kwik Fit and their ilk - robbing B'strds).

Ask the friendly tyre fitter to apply one of their impact sockets and gun to loosen it off (remove the nut first, then refit when the bolt is loose).

This may cost you a couple of pints for the fitter but will be easier and less destructive.

It's what I used to do when I was faced with a stuck 36mm hub nut on VW campers - absolute sods....

All depends what's stuck to what... If the bolt turns but won't come out its probably corroded onto the collar in the bearing in which case brute force is the only way its coming out. Had something similar on my lads RM125 and had to cut the bolt by getting a junior hacksaw between frame and seal ... right effing job. Diesel is also worth trying as a release agent though.

If you've got the relay arm (triangle bit) out, I'd suggest trying to knock the swing arm bolt back in. Sounds like it has seized on a corroded section of the bolt.

Remove all corrosion on the visible parts of the bolt and apply cooper grease before trying to knock it back in. If you do manage to knock it back in you can use a strip of emery cloth to clean the remaining portions of the bolt. You can get to it in the gap created by removing the relay arm. Clean the corrosion off in small stages and lubricate the bolt with copper grease before trying to move it again (in or out).

Also check that you have not deformed the threaded end of the bolt so much that it will not pass through the hole anymore. If this is the case it may need to be cut out! It's a big bolt so should be okay but worth checking.

I did mine last summer and it was a proper barsteward.

When you do get it out, remember to clean and lubricate the holes in the frame before trying to install the new bolt.

Another thing to do at this point is clean and inspect your relay arm for cracks. My 2011 relay arm was covered in them at 3000 miles. I'll try to get a photo and upload to show you what I mean.

Good luck!

Sandman.

I can get the nut off but the bolt is completely stuck, I've tried to get a socket on the head of the bolt with a large bar but it's a thin head so keeps slipping off. I've already battered the nut that much it's now stripped the threads and the bolts not shifted.

I might try and lie the bike over on its rhs one evening and just full the nut cut out in the frame with wd40 and get my sledge hammer and drift out.

I've already ordered a new bolt so once this ones out it's staying out

Whatever you try, the biggest problem to overcome is how to prevent all the energy you apply with a hammer (however big) from dissipating through the frame rather than through the pivot bolt alone. Try to do it with the bike upright and you�ll never keep the frame still enough and half the energy from the hammer blow will be absorbed/transferred away from the stubborn pivot bolt.

You will have to lay it on its side (after removing the footrest and brake pedal and probably other bits too) then pack out between the frame and floor with blocks of wood. This way all the force from the hammer blows will be directed through the pivot bolt alone. An even better solution would be to insert a length of steel pipe into the recess in the frame around the bolt head and rest the bike on the pipe. This won�t give/flex at all and you�ll get maximum value out of what energy you put in.

Said exactly like my dad, already started the but for timber around work!!

Does anyone know the size, pitch and spacing of the swing arm pivot bolt?

I checked my old xtr/x manual and it says 16mm with 2mm pitch and I got and old 16mm nut to help trying to drift the old bolt out and it's a really tight fit. checked a new nut on the new bolt and you get about 1/2 a theead on before it needs tightened with a socket!!

Well the bolt is truly stuck, I had the bike on its side for over a week with wd40 on the nut end to try and let it penetrate, I've tried to drift it out and also tried a local mechanics to use an air rattle gun that takes lorry wheel nuts off but nothing!!!

At the moment it's not stopping the bike from working but is a bit of a pain not being able to get it out

Maxwell, did you eventually get this all sorted?
I'm just about to start mine.

HarryP, did you and or Maxwell get it solved?

Hi HiJac, Pleased to say I had an easy ride with this, couple of good wacks and out it popped.