There's no bearing in the LS650 swingarm (Suzuki cost cutting). It's just a greased bushing. Yours looks dry as a bone. Whether it's bent or damaged, I can't tell from the photos.

From what I understand there is a needle bearing pressed into the frame, not the swing arm. Dimensions seem to be 22x29x30mm

My Clymer manual indicates there are two needle bearings involved in the mounting of the rear swing arm. I will try and remove the parts I can without special tools and I plan to order a kit with pullers for internal bearings so I can extract the old bearings from the frame

I dont think they are pressed. Usually that stuff is all just slid in.  Maybe Im wrong about this bike, but every swing arm Ive ever rebuilt they just slid in by hand.

The kit seems pretty cheap though.  It doesnt appear that SKF has the same size.

https://www.motosport.com/product?adpos=1o1&cc=us&creative=331604524038&devic...

SpamyToo wrote on 01/21/20 at 04:02:12:


That page wasn't available in the EU but you are correct. SKF doesn't seem to make bearings in this size but I have found several stores in Sweden so the bearing wont be difficult to get. I just hope the frame isn't too badly pitted and destroyed by the rust.

Not much left of the bearing

Kamelryttarn, that is one worn out scooter.  How many miles/km are on the clock?

Regarding your original problem, tire has deep groove worn into the left sidewall, I think you have uncovered the problem.

The swingarm pivot is 7" wide.  The distance from the center of the pivot bolt to the center of the rear axle is 19.5".  The ratio is 2.8:1.  The worn out bearings allow the swingarm to shift left and right.  On acceleration, the driving force pushes the pivot hard against the forward side of the bearing bores, things should remain sort of in alignment.  But on deceleration, the braking force tries to pull the swingarm back, but the belt  force is trying to pull it forward.  This results in the opposing forces skewing the rear of the swing arm hard to the left.

Your pictures indicate that there is probably about 1/16" to 1/8" movement in those bearings.  That would result in a movement at the rear axle of between 3/8" to 3/4".  The result is the tire rubbing on the left fender bolts during deceleration.

That thing must have been scary to ride.

Your picture of the pulley also looks to me like it runs too close to the swingarm.  That clearance is controlled by the spacers and bearings in the rear wheel assembly.  There are actually four spacers (pc 2, 17, 18 & 19).  Check the clearance between the rim of the pulley and the swingarm.  If all is right, the pulley should look like this with about 11/32" clearance between the rim and the swingarm.

The nomenclature for the assembly actually provides the dimensions for three of the spacers (2, 18 & 19).  It refers to spacer 17 as "Retainer, Drum", but its a spacer.  The three sets of dimensions should help you check it out.