Rear suspension service.

[Garnet]

I took the rear suspension linkage apart this afternoon and re-greased the bearings. Fairly simple job, about an hour and a half, taking my sweet time. My bike has only been on the road for a year and has 10,000k or just over 6000 miles on it. At this time, the service was not necessary as the bearings all had grease and the seals seem to be holding out water, but I feel better as I live in the PNW and ride year round.

One thing I did see was, the frame pivot and the two link pivots could easily have a grease fitting added. The lower shock bearing would need to be pressed out first for a hole to be drilled. Next winter when I do this again, I will have some Zerks handy, and may pull the swingarm and do it as well.

 

[Rennie]

I read somewhere that people who had taken apart the rear dog bone linkage found it hadn't been greased in production? Now I can't find that information as it may have been elsewhere? Can you give more detail as to how you dismantled it and did you take the shock completely off? Also if you could service the linkage with the wheel on or does it have to come off? Thanks in advance - Rennie

 

[Antarius]

I read somewhere that people who had taken apart the rear dog bone linkage found it hadn't been greased in production? Now I can't find that information as it may have been elsewhere? Can you give more detail as to how you dismantled it and did you take the shock completely off? Also if you could service the linkage with the wheel on or does it have to come off? Thanks in advance - Rennie

You can remove the shock without removing the rear wheel. I've done it numerous times with a center stand and weight on the front or a jack under the bike to unload the shock.

 

[itlives]

Please take pics when you add the zerk fittings.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

It's a pretty straight service. Remove the dog bone links then the pivot and clean and grease it up. I found "some" grease in mine bug not enough.

 

[Garnet]

The job was very straight forward. Bike was on the center stand, rear wheel was in place and the shock was in place, then I slid a piece of wood under the rear wheel to keep it from falling down (makes it easier to install the final bolt when re-installing everything). I also removed the muffler half way through as it made life much easier. It's just one bolt on the exhaust clamp and the mounting bolt, super quick off and back on.

The one thing I should have done was washed the linkage area before I started. I don't normally wash bearing areas with a high pressure hose as it can force water in places that can cause problems. Anyway I spent some time picking stray that fell in to the bearings while I was handling the linkages.



If you are thinking of adding grease fittings, have a look under the bike before you start the disassembing. Mark the spots where you can get a grease gun into the center of the pivot and swing arm where bolts #9 and 10 go through. Once apart you can see that there is a gap between bearings #13 as well as spacers #2 and 4 and the dogbone #5.
Then you can easily drill holes on your marks and install self tapping zerks. After that you can pump the space full of grease which will force it's way through the bearings and keep the water out.

Good luck.

 

[Rennie]

How do you access the top shock mount with the wheel on?

 

[bamamate]

How do you access the top shock mount with the wheel on?

Right side of the bike under the black plastic is a hole in the frame where a socket on an extension can reach the nut. The bolt is a hex and can be reached on the left side. Changed my shock without removing the tire. I put a short 2x4 under the tire to use as leverage to raise and lower swingarm a little to help with lining things back up.

 

[djsb]

Has anyone had to replace the needle roller bearings yet? If so which tool did you use? The service manual lists the following OEM tools

Bearing remover set, 17mm 07936-3710300
Remover handle 07936-3710100
Remover weight 07741-0010201

There are additional tools listed for use with a hydraulic press (which I don't have).

Would this motion pro tool do the job?

Deluxe Suspension Bearing Service Tool | Motion Pro

Anyone use another set of tools?


PS Also if you have replaced the bearing with other than the OEM parts wich ones did you choose. For instance do Pivot Works supply equivalent roller bearings?
Thanks.
PPS I do NOT have a large vice and bench so I cant use that method. Thanks.

 

[Antarius]

Nope. Not yet. Almost 20k miles. Still fine.