Lube those swingarm bolts!

Hi all,

I've spent the last four days trying to get my swingarm bolt out. I put it off for about a year, and that's about six months too long. I ride where there's a lot of sand, and salty water.

I've been doing the PB blaster and heat method and finally got the bolt to turn, but no luck in getting it to move outwards yet. I've been using a brass drift and a 3# hammer to try and knock it out with no luck yet. The bolt acts like it's seized/galled onto the bearing sleeves.

Google "seized stuck swingarm bolt" for a bunch of horror stories out there.

I'll let everyone know the outcome on this when there is one.

So, a word to the wise... Pull and lube those swingarm bolts while you still can!

Thanks for the heads-up, TC.

I think I'll have my mechanic do the SA work.

I'm doing this next weekend (thanks Hodakaguy!!). Does anyone know of a DIY for doing this job?

This link should help you get started.
http://www.xr650r.us/preload/

I had to destroy a swinging arm on a 250 trail bike to get the pin out so the first job I did when I bought my pig was to strip down the suspension and put fresh grease in.
The chances are that the pin is corroded where it passes through the engine so any heat and penetrating fluid should be focused in this area. A friend of mine uses a hydraulic puller to get the stubborn ones out but I don't think this will be necessary with yours if you can twist it easily.
Good Luck

Mines stuffed to! Thats on an 05, with only 12000 miles on.
Getting some new bits, and will force my local shop to have a good go!

I've just ordered the tools mentioned in the xr650r.us article, should be here next week.

I'll make them available for loan once I've lubed swingarms and bolts on 4 machines.

Hew wrote:This link should help you get started.
http://www.xr650r.us/preload/

I had to destroy a swinging arm on a 250 trail bike to get the pin out so the first job I did when I bought my pig was to strip down the suspension and put fresh grease in.
The chances are that the pin is corroded where it passes through the engine so any heat and penetrating fluid should be focused in this area. A friend of mine uses a hydraulic puller to get the stubborn ones out but I don't think this will be necessary with yours if you can twist it easily.
Good Luck

Hodaka guy loaned me his tools so I'm good to go there. Any parts I need to replace/order for this job?

If there isn't already a DIY, I'll make one when I do mine.

Yeti wrote:Hodaka guy loaned me his tools so I'm good to go there. Any parts I need to replace/order for this job?

If there isn't already a DIY, I'll make one when I do mine.

When Hodakaguy, mamacone & I did ours we simply followed the manual.
I know we took a few pix but it was mainly to show that we had more grease on our face than what came stock in the swingarm. We also changed the fork fluid the same day...Makes for a long day when you do the full meal deal. No parts needed unless you screw something up along the way.
Have fun!

Well gang, I'm still at it with no real results to show for it. Lots of banging, spraying and heating, but no luck yet.

I went to the local dealer and talked to their service guys today. They said that they had another XRR that had a seized swingarm bolt once, and they ended up cracking the engine case when they finally got the bolt out. At $75/hour with no guaranteed results, I'll think I'll pass. They were really reluctant to take on the job anyway. Can't say that I blame them!

Of course the real fun will start once I get the swingarm off. Who knows how hard those wasted bearings are going to be to press out.

Stay tuned...

Well, I'm still fighting the good fight with my swingarm. Here's the latest update...

I ended up drilling the bolt head side of the bolt in about 3.5". Enough to get through the frame area. I then used a sawzall (with moded, cut down blade) to cut two cuts inside of the bolt to collapse it. I then pulled out the pieces with some big needle nose.

Without the bolt head on there, I was able to open up the gap between the engine and swingarm on the right hand side. I carefully used the sawzall to cut the bolt in half. The bolt remanent pulled right out by hand to the left side. The collar in the right hand side was thoroughly seized/galled to the bolt.

On to the next problem. The bearings cases are trashed and stuck in the swingarm. Not enough of a lip left to press out. All the needle bearings were out of the race and had settled to the bottom of the swingarm. They looked like a bunch of burnt, blackened macaroni noodles. I've got one of the old shells out so far by grinding it down with a mini die grinder and then pulling it out with the pliers. Just
three more to go like that, and I'll be ready to put it all back together.

I'll post some pictures of the carnage when I wrap this up.

Thunderchild wrote:Well, I'm still fighting the good fight with my swingarm. Here's the latest update...

I ended up drilling the bolt head side of the bolt in about 3.5". Enough to get through the frame area. I then used a sawzall (with moded, cut down blade) to cut two cuts inside of the bolt to collapse it. I then pulled out the pieces with some big needle nose.

Without the bolt head on there, I was able to open up the gap between the engine and swingarm on the right hand side. I carefully used the sawzall to cut the bolt in half. The bolt remanent pulled right out by hand to the left side. The collar in the right hand side was thoroughly seized/galled to the bolt.

On to the next problem. The bearings cases are trashed and stuck in the swingarm. Not enough of a lip left to press out. All the needle bearings were out of the race and had settled to the bottom of the swingarm. They looked like a bunch of burnt, blackened macaroni noodles. I've got one of the old shells out so far by grinding it down with a mini die grinder and then pulling it out with the pliers. Just
three more to go like that, and I'll be ready to put it all back together.

I'll post some pictures of the carnage when I wrap this up.

Well done Thunderchild Glad you have got it out. Looking forward to the pictures

Wow sounds like that job can be a real beeoch. Im lucky the PO did my swingarm bearings before i took it off his hands. The steering stem bearings will be my next project to tackle. Keep kickin butt Thunderchild

Way to go TC, just think how much better she'll handle when it's all said and done.

Here's the majic juice I use to unstick stuck stuff; https://secure.cnchost.com/kanolabs.com/orders/order_siltrial.shtml

Soak her down and let sit for the duration of the favorite beverage consumption.

Well, I wrapped this up a week or so ago, just been too busy to post the final post on this saga.

All the new bearings pressed in real easy and I used marine grade grease, just like I have in the past. I had to touch up some small gouges in the swingarm that I caused with the die grinder, but it was all minor nicks.

I went ahead and installed a new chain slider and rollers since I had access to everthing with the swingarm off the bike.

The scary thing was/is that I do lube the swingarm bearings every six months, I guess I just had too many trips around salt water this time between PM sessions. It's a lot easier when you can get the bolt out!

Here's a few pictures of the damage. I think some of the damage was caused by all the heating and banging done trying to get the bolt out before I resorted to cutting it.









Feels good to be back on the dirt again! Ride on, Brothers, ride on!

hairy dog wrote:Way to go TC, just think how much better she'll handle when it's all said and done.

Here's the majic juice I use to unstick stuck stuff; https://secure.cnchost.com/kanolabs.com/orders/order_siltrial.shtml

Soak her down and let sit for the duration of the favorite beverage consumption.

HD,

I tried PB blaster and Kroil both. I would lay the bike on its side to let in soak down in the area where it was needed, but no joy. I did that routine for a solid three weeks before I gave up and got medieval on the dang thing.

And yes, it does feel better! It went bad so gradually that I really didn't notice how bad it had gotten compared to what it should feel like.

In any case,

Here's a guy making a nice wrench for this. He doesn't appear to make both wrenches. Still, the price is half Honda's and the lever arm seems more useful. But I don't know why Honda made the other one anyway.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120381615832&_trksid=p2759.l1259

Great news that you have got it out. I bet a lot of this went on first

Well done

Hew wrote:Great news that you have got it out. I bet a lot of this went on first

Well done

lol! You know it!