Sussex Scrapbook
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Nature walks in Sussex throughout the year
Saturday 1st August 2009
Swing arm refurbishment
When working on the bike two weeks ago we noticed that there was some play in the swing arm, so today we planned on just pulling out the swing arm bolt, replacing the two bushes and putting the bolt back in. Unfortunately it very soon became evident that the bushes were in good condition, which meant that the play was down to worn bearings instead. To replace them meant taking the swing arm right out, a much longer job, especially when everything is seized solid. It's impossible to keep this area of the bike clean and in good condition as it's tucked away behind other components and takes the full brunt of the English weather, so this small job took over five hours, a vast amount of swearing and cursing and at least six cups of tea.
OK Dave, put down the tea, let's do this thing!
Rear exhaust pipe, wheel and chain guards off.
Swing arm bolt out
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Removing the rear shock bolts from the swing arm didn't go to plan. The bolts
had fused to their bushes,
and only came out half-way, which was enough to remove them from the swing arm,
but then they were still stuck in the shocks.
The shocks wouldn't come off from their front mountings, they were completely
rusted on,
so we were left with a real problem getting the bushes out (or in!).
We'll have a quick cuppa and leave this problem until later.
Dave gets on the lathe and rustles up a drift to push out the two swing arm
bushes.
Wallop!...
... and out they come.
One dirty, rusty, abused swing arm removed. Don't look at the bearings.
I said don't look...oh the shame...
... for pity's sake no more.
OK, lets get them awful things out. Back on the lathe for another bit of drift
production.
Wallop!...
Noooooooooo!
This is what they should look like (apparently).
Clean, shiny, renovated and happy.
Now onto them troublesome shock bushes. We needed this puller to get them out...
... with one man holding the arms in place and one man winding up the puller, we
soon had them out. What a relief!
Here's one of the rotten things. No moving the bolts though: they're going to
have to go back in like that.
Amber nectar to settle the nerves.
To make the old bushes easier to install, Dave took a smidgeon off of them with
the lathe.
I've got nice clean undercarriage now!
Reassembly, with just a dab or two of copper slip. The bushes slipped in snugly
and from there on
it all went almost perfectly.
Et voila: renovated, clean and lubricated.
Unfortunately the shocks need replacing as soon as financially possible and
their front mounting bolts may need sawing off.
Watch this space.