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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Swing arm won't drop all the way down
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Message started by engineer on 08/17/13 at 18:37:08

Title: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by engineer on 08/17/13 at 18:37:08

I put some 11 1/2 inch shocks on my bike and had trouble getting the swing arm down far enough to mount them. I jacked up the bike, removed the stock shocks and the arm dropped about three quarters of an inch and stopped. I checked the belt tension and the rear brake cable tension to make certain they were not holding it up. I couldn't see anything preventing the swing arm from dropping farther.

I finally forced it down within 1/8 of fitting the new shocks and made up the rest of the distance by compressing the shocks. I got them mounted and everything seems fine but I am curious. What held up the swing arm?

I would have investigated more but I was anxious to get riding.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by Oldfeller on 08/17/13 at 19:28:12

Belt tension. Bet it is "right tight" now with them longer shocks. You may want to loosen the rear axle and readjust for proper belt tension all over again since you changed your shocks out.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by paulmarshall on 08/17/13 at 20:54:18

I had that problem. For me it was the roller bearings needed replacing. Smoother ride afterwards too.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by Charon - FSO on 08/18/13 at 07:05:33

Suzuki calls for "inspecting" the rear suspension every so often as part of the regular scheduled maintenance. I think it is every 4000 miles or so. Far as I can tell, "inspect" means remove and look to see condition.

My Kawasaki 250 Ninja calls for lubricating the swing arm bushings and the Uni-Trak bushings every 6000 miles, and the folks on the Ninja forum strongly suggest doing so. They say Kawasaki is none too generous with the grease on initial assembly, and when I did mine I found that was the case. It might be placebo effect, but mine seemed more compliant after I lubed it. It is a real nuisance, because everything has to come off including the swing arm. God forbid they should put Zerks on it.

My Yamaha 250 Star called for lubing the swing arm bushings at 4000 miles. Once again, the swing arm has to be removed. It definitely needed grease. See above comment about Zerks.

I tried to remove the swing arm on my S40, but didn't have enough muscle to loosen the through bolt. So I settled for moving the swing arm through its (limited) travel, feeling for play and roughness. Based on my other two bikes, I strongly suggest removing the swing arm and greasing the bearings. They probably need it.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by WD on 08/18/13 at 08:15:38

Take the swingarm to a machine shop and have zerks properly installed. 20 minute job, but you'll never have problems with it. I plan on doing mine in house since I have the right machines and materials to deal with it here. Using my 1963 Honda with factory zerks as the template/design model, even the clutch release bar pivot set up has a zerk on it.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by Digger on 08/20/13 at 20:59:01

7F545D4E53523C0 wrote:

Good words from Char, as usual.....

It's been my personal experience (with my old motocross bike) that, after you get in there and do the swingarm/linkage lube job right, using a robust, high quality grease, you may never need to do that job again. I suggest using a high quality, waterproof aluminum-complex grease. Lithium-complex greases are typically just water resistant and will emulsify in the presence of water.....not a good thing.

For applications not calling for a moly content, I like this stuff:

http://www.belray.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product-image-medium-190x166/series_images/99540-Bel-Ray-Waterproof-G.png (http://www.belray.com/bel-ray-waterproof-grease)

If the application DOES call for moly grease, I like this:

http://www.schaefferoil.com/cmss_files/imagelibrary/221-moly.jpg (http://www.schaefferoil.com/221-moly-ultra.html)

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/20/13 at 21:24:27

Hey, Digger,, $/tube on that grease? It looks quality. I may wanna get some for the backhoe.,

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by engineer on 08/21/13 at 11:33:09

Thanks for all the great suggestions. It looks like the problem was the grease in the bearings because with time sitting on the stand the swing arm eventually drifted down a little. I am guessing that the old grease had piled up at the limit of the normal rotational travel in the bearing and had gotten stiff with age.

The drive belt was fine. It was loose before I put the new shocks on and now the tension is perfect.

When I get time I will disassemble the through bolt etc. and lube it with a premium grease. After reading your comments it is obvious to me now that it needs some fresh lube. Once I get it apart I'll see if I can put grease fittings on it. I've got the motivation now and I want to see if fresh lube will help the arm and shocks respond a little better.

Title: Re: Swing arm won't drop all the way down
Post by Digger on 08/22/13 at 20:55:12

4C5355524F4879497941535F14260 wrote:

Hey, Digger,, $/tube on that grease? It looks quality. I may wanna get some for the backhoe.,

Jus,

I assume you're talkin' about the Schaeffer grease. The price was right in line with other good greases.....about 6 bux or so. I was able to find it locally.

http://www.schaefferoil.com/greases.html

For your application, you may be interested in the #238 grease (http://www.schaefferoil.com/238-supreme-grease.html). Thicker, with more moly.....not recommended for wheel bearings, however.