Swingarm bearings - advice

I’ve almost stripped the bike down, just the swingarm to remove - I assume a bit of gentle persuasion with rubber mallet and drift will be needed.

When it is all finally apart, will it be worthwhile changing the rubber bushes to something else?

It took rather more than a bit of gentle persuasion to remove the pin. Brute force wouldn’t work. So I drew it out by using thicker and thicker spacers and the not so gentle use of an impact socket. It’s buggered the end nut, but the shaft is fine. Next job is to remove the swollen rubber bearings - a job for my mate to do as there’s a bit of welding needed to tidy it up

"A bit of welding to tidy it up"?
There was a thread just recently regarding the removal and insertion of rubber swingarm bushings. If I remember a 10 ton hydraulic press was involved in the replacement and no one had anything nice to say about removing or installing said bushings.

Step 1:Get rid of the Rubberlastics however; sawzall (recipro saw) with thin blade works.

Step 2: Go to Sintered Bronze bearings with a 3/4" spindle, kept in place securely, lubricated like a Commando, and including sintered bronze thrust washers on the ends.

Bunting Bearings is your source. I can send CAD drawings and instructions.

THUS:





You do have to open up the spindle holes and drill 4 new safety bolt holes. Also, bearings need the outer faces relieved for the o-rings.

I found my 60 year old "Clayflex^ bushings were perfectly serviceable and left them in place.
A hydraulic press is needed to remove/replace.

Slick

Cheers for that Paul, but in view of the effort required I will stay stock.

Talking about effort - what a performance to remove the pin and then the swingarm! It took a bit of ingenuity to ease it out as the “remove the lh nut and drift the pin through” was never going to work.


The “little bit of welding” is to tidy up the chaincase mounting bracket where the slack chain has rubbed them down, and similar marks on the pivot area. Only slight but as my mate is a welder turned mechanic and relishes the opportunity to get his kit out, and he’s just bought himself a £2k Tig kit, he’s happy to tidy them up.

He can remove the bushes with his 20ton press so I can get it powdercoated, and then press in new ones. With a new pin to replace the mullered one.

I need a friend with a 20 ton press and a T welder. Sounds like you got it figured out, if you get inspired, post some pictures.

Same deal , done tidy .
A bit of overkill .

Manx had hard bushes Std. Cannae find a picture .

If you were just a potterer , the rubber bushes would be O.K. ,




Of course a TRIUMPH swing arm has none of these problems . Pity they dont fit .

If the pin fits the frame holes nicely , those side brackets are a bit over the top . a FINE thread bush spindle would tighten down fine , IF theres full length spacer set up .

Flatspot said:

Cheers for that Paul, but in view of the effort required I will stay stock.

Click to expand...

90% of the effort is removing the old rubberlastics.

That is STEP 1 of ANY solution anyway you slice it...