Skewed Swingarm Bearing tubes

[Calvin Blackmore]

Hi Folks:

I am in the midst of reassembly of the rear suspension having disaasembled the works to assure all seals and bearings were in good order.

Sadly, and probaly typically, the swingarm bearing for the driveline side was pitted and excessively worn.

The fact that I had to use a drift to knock out the pivot shaft should have bene a clue for me.

No matter well just replace them no big deal and a monor expens BUT

The tubes into which the bearings seat are misaligned.
The right side looks aquare but the left is painfully off.

It looks to be a factory defect as the tube on the right has its weld seam perfectly paralell to the bearing tube and square tube of the swingarm.

So who can elaborate on the proper way to set up a measuring jig for this.

If the issue is the factory's fault then cutting out and rewelding the left side should fix the problem ( so would a junk part off Ebay)

Of course I could fabricate a 20 ton press and start experimenting.

Commiserate please.

[Calvin Blackmore]

Okie no takers eh?

How bout this someone with a 1983 GS 550 L send me the swingarm off their bike........as a gift so to speak.............as it were.........

[first timer]

got some pictures to help us out?

[bradleymaynar]

Was the bike ever involved in a wreck? If so, the frame could have been tweaked. I can't imagine it being a factory defect. Unless you can find out from Suzuki directly. I would think that is a serious enough problem to dictate some record from them.

Brad bt

[Bopi]

Line bore and resleeve , use an indicator first to gauge any alignment problems, swing one side to zero and see if the other side matches. if you think the right side is correct, then align and bore the left to match

of course it depends on how far out it is and how much wall will be left

seems the wall would be a little thin

maybe a reamer

or just bend it a bit with a piece of pipe of the same dia.

you did say you got the pivot shaft out so it should go back in

this is yours in the thumb right.

[Calvin Blackmore]

Yes that is the one.
I will try and take some pics ont he weekend and post them.

The idea of reboring the sleeves is interesting.
It seems that is exactly what was done in the manufacture of the swingarm. Almost as if the rougly aligned everything then put it in spec by machining hte bores to allow for proper or close to proper alignment.

This bike was never in an accident and has been owned by me since day 1.

Thanks for the advice btw...

[Bopi]

It could also be that the pivot shaft bolt is bent rather than the bores being out of alighment. it seems you have two pressed bearings on either side of each bracket end. you then have a sleeve for each and a bolt that is common to both.

the bearings should be pressed into the bracket/arm, the sleeves reasonably tight but not binding unless its also a press against the inner race and play subsequently would be allowed in the through bolt.

I'd check there first