Swingarm bearing removal - chain drive

[Sci85]

Hey guys,

Searched through the forums and found some old threads that said to tap out the swingarm bearings with a drift if you don't have a press (which of course I don't but it's on the list hehe). Anyway, before I go banging on anything, I want to make certain that I do it right. In the picture below, the bearing is covered. The fiche seems to show that it is a washer but it's attached on my swingarm pretty solid. Is this indeed a washer or ? If not, how do you get the bearing out then? I tried to turn it using some pliers around the circumference but it did'tn budge.



Thanks,
Sci85

[Nessism]

I seem to recall they are cup shaped thrust washers. Time for new ones I'd say. They should come off if you gently punch them off toward the outside of the swingarm.

EDIT: found this info...
Part# 08211-16381
Desc WASHER THRUST

[GateKeeper]

It does come off, it's more like a dust cap, than a washer, I have a picture I will upload for you

here are the pics





.

[Sci85]

Yeah, I had a dust cap that covered this but that unpainted portion just doesn't seem to want to move. Maybe it's just rusted against the swingarm and a few hits will free it then I can work the bearing out?

[Nessism]

On second thought, it looks like just the end of the swingarm and the bearing. You will have to destroy the bearings to get them out.

Good luck

[GateKeeper]

Yeah, I had a dust cap that covered this but that unpainted portion just doesn't seem to want to move. Maybe it's just rusted against the swingarm and a few hits will free it then I can work the bearing out?

look at my first picture, it's the part then that the dust cap sits on...

this you cannot remove, it's like a step down for the cap

just hit those bearings and get em out

you don't have a press, do you know how your going to get the new bearings in ?

there was a guy who used a threaded rod, put a large washer and nut on one end, right through the swingarm, then place his bearing where he wanted it to go, another large washer to cover this bearing, and another nut, start tightening, and this will compress the bearing into it's spot

I hope that makes sense, or you saw the other posters pic of his method

[gearhead13]

Yes, once you get the old ones out, I just used a long threaded rod with washers and nuts to pull the bearings in place. Dont forget the spacer inside. My old ones were rough, but I never saw a set THAT bad

[chuck hahn]

If its just a washer stuck to the outside, a few taps with a hammer will knock it off. I would find a bucket and find some kinda oil to immerse the end in for a good long soaking to maybe help loosen the rust around the bearings..anything you can do BEFORE trying to drift them out is gonna be a very big help on those!!!

[Sci85]

Wow, thanks GK and Gearhead. I would have never come up with such a clever idea. I just love you guys' Enginuity.

So, in reference To Ed's reply, so you have to destroy them to get them out? Then how in the heck will you get them back in if that piece does not come off the swingarm or did I misunderstand and that piece does indeed come off. Never seen a swingarm like this that had that retainer that would not come out.

And yeah, they are pretty bad. Rarely do you find an owner that properly maintains the swingarm or steering head bearings..

Thanks!

[GateKeeper]

Looking at your picture a bit more, and I see that there is a small piece missing bottom right corner, this makes me believe there is in fact possibly a very thin washer still stuck to the bearing, I have these as well, not shown in my picture, but they are very, very thin, perhaps this is what you are seeing, and being that you have so much rust, they fused to the bearing face, and the swingarm face.

I would just hammer out the bearing, you really don't have a choice, and the part that is fused to the bearing will either chip off, or break off and anything that is left you will need to remove, I don't think you need to worry about soaking it for a long time, as your bearing is shot, but it might help with the removal of the bearing casing, but if it breaks it will all come out no matter what.

Just a thought

[Sci85]

Well thanks every one for the input. Now that the games are on this will just have to wait until tomorrow. Will update once I figure it out.

[allojohn]

So, in reference To Ed's reply, so you have to destroy them to get them out? Then how in the heck will you get them back in

You will have to beat the sh!t out of the bearings to get them out - destroying them in the process. The left one is usually worse as it's downhill when on the sidestand and the water that got in lays in that bearing.

Put the new bearings in the freezer overnight and heat up the swingarm prior to insertion. Gently tap 'em in with a rubber mallet.

[Suzuki_Don]

When I did mine the internals of the bearing collapsed and all the rollers came out leaving the thin outer casing still stuck in the swinging arm. I used a dremel type tool to grind a slot in it so it would become loose and come out. Be careful not to grind into the swinging arm surface. The first bearing is the hardest to get out as you cannot line a drift up with the bearing to drive it out. Once the first bearing is out, the internal spacer can be removed and then the final bearing driven out easily (hopefully).

[bwringer]

A hydraulic press makes this, well, not easy, but a lot less unpossible.

For bearings that badly corroded, you basically have to destroy the thin metal bearing shell in order to collapse it inwards and peel it out of there. A small sharp cold chisel will do the trick. Some fine Dremel work might also help you get a chisel started.

Oh, and don't forget the spacer when you reassemble. DAMHIK.

[Sci85]

Ok, well I finally figured out that what I thought was a washer in the pic I posted was no washer at all. The end of the swingarm was so gunked up that you couldn't see the bearing end haha. After shooting some PB blaster in there and I wiped it up, I could see the bearing face versus the swingarm face. Doh!

Anyway, I was able to use my blind bearing puller to get the right one out but the left one wouldn't budge as allojohn referenced. So I dropped a similarly sized socket down the hole and my 19mm t-wrench on top of that and banged it out.

Luckily I was able to remove the internal spacer before the work started otherwise it would have been a lot more difficult.

Anyway, PTL that saga is over with. Thanks everyone for all the input. I can always count on you guys.

Sci85