swingarm bearing install questions

[gbw]

Hello again! I have a few more questions regarding my 77 GS750B. Hate to be a bother but really appreciate the generous answers that have been provided to date.

My Clymer's manual suggests taking the rear swingarm to the dealer to have the bearings replaced. The reason stated is that you need a special tool and that since it is not likely you will do this more than once in the bike's life, better to just take it to the dealer.
Questions:
1. Is that right. Am I better having a dealer do this?
2. What is this magical tool?

The manual provides no other information. I did a search here and don't see any step-by-step directions for swingarm bearing replacement. In fact in the one post I found (from years ago) it seemed like the guy was having trouble doing it himself.

The dealer is going to charge me $80/hr for the work. I expect it will take an hour or less. $80 is no big deal especially if this tool is $300 but if I can do it myself and save the $80...well...why not. Heck, I got the swingarm off all by myself. As BassCliff suggested, if I stick around here long enough I may just turn into a bike mechanic!

Any info or advice?

Thanks,
gbw

[Agemax]

hi mate, its basically the same principal as changing wheel bearings.try and get a purchase on one bearing with a long drift, knock it until there is play in the middle spacer so you can slide it away. then knock one out, remove the spacer and knock the other out.

when replacing, clean the surfaces thourouly and find/make a suitable drift to knock the new bearings in. put them in the freezer overnight so they shrink a bit to aid fitting. put one bearing in one side, turn over the swing arm, pop the spacer in using a drift or bar slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the bearing to keep the spacer lined up then drift in the other bearing.

dont forget to pack with grease before reassembling as the swingarm bearings often get over looked during regular maintenance.

hope this helps mate

[bonanzadave]

What is this magical tool?

Probably a bearing puller and a bearing press. I did mine and didnt use them. My swing arm has a long spacer between the bearings that I was able to get a punch on and drive the bearings out from the opposite sides. I did freeze the new bearings and they went right in with not much effort by tapping on them with a big socket.

Try it yourself, just dont bung up the bearing seats in the swingarm. You can always use the dealer as plan B.

[gbw]

hi mate, its basically the same principal as changing wheel bearings.try and get a purchase on one bearing with a long drift, knock it until there is play in the middle spacer so you can slide it away. then knock one out, remove the spacer and knock the other out.

when replacing, clean the surfaces thourouly and find/make a suitable drift to knock the new bearings in. put them in the freezer overnight so they shrink a bit to aid fitting. put one bearing in one side, turn over the swing arm, pop the spacer in using a drift or bar slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the bearing to keep the spacer lined up then drift in the other bearing.

dont forget to pack with grease before reassembling as the swingarm bearings often get over looked during regular maintenance.

hope this helps mate

Thanks. I was finally able to get them out last night. Destroyed one trying to tap it out. So I used a tiny grinder bit in my drill to carefully cut a groove in the outside race. Once that side was out I used my 19mm socket on a couple of extensions to tap out the other side. Kind of a pain but saved at least $80 over having the dealer do it!

Can't wait to put the new ones in. Hopefully they will show up in the next day or so.

Probably a bearing puller and a bearing press. I did mine and didnt use them. My swing arm has a long spacer between the bearings that I was able to get a punch on and drive the bearings out from the opposite sides. I did freeze the new bearings and they went right in with not much effort by tapping on them with a big socket.

Try it yourself, just dont bung up the bearing seats in the swingarm. You can always use the dealer as plan B.

Thanks for the encouragement. It was the "you can always use the dealer as plan B" that gave me the courage to stick with it.

Really appreciate you guys.

gbw