Swingarm, Shock Arm Lubrication Question - Anyone Lubed Those Yet?

[silvergoose]

Just my 2 cents,but I have owned many drive shaft bike (3 currently). I have used moly paste grease on the splines, such as Honda Moly, or Dupont Krytox.

Swingarm bearings along with the shock link bearings all received Dupont Krytox. Krytox is an outstanding lube.


Good Luck

 

[RCinNC]

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't find it until after I posted a new thread regarding swingarm maintenance.

I did the swingarm maintenance today. I noted that the service manual says to remove the pivot shaft end plate before you loosen and remove the pivot shaft. There wasn't enough room to get a ratchet and socket head driver bit in there, and I was getting concerned about stripping out the socket head on the retaining bolt when using a hex key. I couldn't even get to the lower retaining bolt with a hex key; the universal joint was in the way. I then found this post and saw BWC's post about the end plate, and there was no need to remove it. So, I ended up doing it that way, and there didn't seem to be any problem. My big question is, why does the manual say to remove the thing in the first place? As far as I can tell, the plate just holds the pivot shaft nut in its recess so it doesn't fall out when you remove the pivot shaft. Does anyone know the reason why Yamaha's engineers say it should be removed before you take out the pivot shaft?

 

[spam16v]

Because some unpaid intern wrote the manual as a summer college project for engineering school and probably had to work with assumptions and nobody proof read their work. Not that I’ve ever seen such a thing happen.... (sarcastic voice)

 

[BWC]

I know this is an old thread, but I didn't find it until after I posted a new thread regarding swingarm maintenance.

I did the swingarm maintenance today. I noted that the service manual says to remove the pivot shaft end plate before you loosen and remove the pivot shaft. There wasn't enough room to get a ratchet and socket head driver bit in there, and I was getting concerned about stripping out the socket head on the retaining bolt when using a hex key. I couldn't even get to the lower retaining bolt with a hex key; the universal joint was in the way. I then found this post and saw BWC's post about the end plate, and there was no need to remove it. So, I ended up doing it that way, and there didn't seem to be any problem. My big question is, why does the manual say to remove the thing in the first place? As far as I can tell, the plate just holds the pivot shaft nut in its recess so it doesn't fall out when you remove the pivot shaft. Does anyone know the reason why Yamaha's engineers say it should be removed before you take out the pivot shaft?

It turns out there is a good reason I now find out why Yamaha has you remove that challenging threaded pivot shaft end plate with its two screws.
I had a call from a local owner who was unable to get the swingarm pivot shaft out. Fortunately he had followed the manual and removed the threaded end plate before trying to remove the shaft. When he went to unthread the pivot shaft it did turn and unthread from the threaded end plate but because the inner spacer had rusted to the pivot shaft it backed that threaded end plate out instead of the shaft coming out. If the end plate retainer and screws had not been removed it would have damaged those parts. This making any sense?
He used a length of thread rod passed through the hollow pivot shaft and with a slide hammer attatched to the thread rod he managed to break the pivot shaft free of the inner spacer and remove it.
So most of us get lucky and the pivot shaft unthreads and comes out without issue but if the inner spacer is rusted to the pivot shaft it can cause problems.
Another good reason to pull the rear suspension apart sooner than later for a service and get some grease in there.

 

[RCinNC]

Absolutely makes sense, BWC, and thanks for the response. I knew there had to be a reason. We all like to occasionally bash the guys who designed our bikes, but in general they seem like they know what they're doing. I really don't know how I'd have removed that lower screw on the end plate with the swingarm still attached; none of my tools would fit in there.

Reassembly is on hold right now as I wait for a new exhaust gasket. In the meanwhile, I've been spraying those two screws on the end plate with PB Blaster, to give me the best chance of getting them out without wrecking the socket heads. I may even replace them with hex head bolts, if there's enough clearance; I could probably get a small box wrench into that space easier than a hex key.

The pivot shaft will definitely get a coat of anti-seize before it goes back in, just like the axles always do.

 

[RCinNC]

Well, today I managed to turn the whole remove/don't remove the end plate into a moot issue. After multiple applications of PB Blaster, soaking overnight, heat from a torch, and shocking it, that damn little screw at the top of the end plate refused to budge. It did, however, claim the ball end of the hex key I was using to try and loosen it; said ball end broke off the hex key and is now stuck in the socket of the screw.

I'm just going to rely on a liberal application of anti-seize to the outside of the pivot shaft when I reassemble it, and hope for the best next time I do the swingarm maintenance.

 

[BWC]

I'm just going to rely on a liberal application of anti-seize to the outside of the pivot shaft when I reassemble it, and hope for the best next time I do the swingarm maintenance.

Ive serviced my 12 and my new to me 13s swingarm and didn’t remove the threaded end plate retainer and it’s two screws and helped with a few others and haven’t run into an internal spacer/ pivot bolt issues. And since your pivot bolt came apart O.K. I don’t think it will be a problem just leaving that threaded end plate and it’s retainer alone and reassembling.
Yamaha makes a well built bike for the most part, they just need to budget for a little more grease on the initial assembly.

 

[RCinNC]

Thanks for the help, BWC!

 

[holligl]

Did the swing arm & relay arm service so maybe these pics. might be of some help. Muffler has to be removed to do the swingarm pivot and the muffler/exhaust pipe needs to be removed to get the last bolt out of the front pivot point on the relay arm.

Didn't get a pic. of removing the final drive,its pretty easy. Remove the 4 closed head nuts after removing the rear wheel assem. and slide out the drive shaft assem. from the swingarm housing.

Took this pic. to show the nut for the swing arm bolt which has a retaining plate ( two screws and plate just to the right of the U-joint) Manual says to remove the plate. Dosen't need to be. Just use a 27mm (1 1/16) socket , same size as rear axel nut, and remove the swing arm bolt after removing the shock, rear brake master cylinder cover, brake stay, lines etc. off the swing arm.

Does the shock have to be totally removed or can it just be disconnected at the bottom? I have an ES, and hoping not to mess with the stuff on top.

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[holligl]

HELP NEEDED! Service manual calls out removing the muffler. I can not get the front relay arm bolt out.

Apparently you need to remove the whole exhaust? Tempted to lube it the best I can in this state.
BTW the ES shock is a real pain to work out. Hope I can get it back in there. Moving on to the swing arm since I have it this far.

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[Gigitt]

You don’t have to loosen the exhaust to remove the rear ES shock link front bolt. You can push the bushing out to the RHS and this will give you just enough space to angle the bolt out the LHS.
Just be careful now as you have exposed the fine needle bearings. Put the bushing back in till you need to reinstall it all so the needle bearing don’t drop out. Remember to grease up the suspension bushings as well before you reassemble.

We have been talking about this in the threads for installing Rear end raising links.

 

[holligl]

OK, HELP #2. Pretty sure the drive shaft is supposed to simply slide out of the final drive. This one isn't coming. It will press in against the spring but won't pull out. Circlip and washer removed. Can someone confirm it should simply pull out?

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[holligl]

You don’t have to loosen the exhaust to remove the rear ES shock link front bolt. You can push the bushing out to the RHS and this will give you just enough space to angle the bolt out the LHS.
Just be careful now as you have exposed the fine needle bearings. Put the bushing back in till you need to reinstall it all so the needle bearing don’t drop out. Remember to grease up the suspension bushings as well before you reassemble.

We have been talking about this in the threads for installing Rear end raising links.

I did read that, and I do have all the links off and will lube and reseal those. I just don't see enough room (~1/4 in) to get seals and bushing out of the relay pivot.

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[jrusell]

You will need to remove the exhaust to get the pivot off. When putting it back reverse it and put the bolt in the right side and the nut on the left. That way you will not need to touch the exhaust the next time.

I used this as an opportunity to polish up the headers on the workbench and make them look new again.

 

[Gigitt]

I did read that, and I do have all the links off and will lube and reseal those. I just don't see enough room (~1/4 in) to get seals and bushing out of the relay pivot.

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Sorry I see now which bolt you mean...

You will need to remove the exhaust to get the pivot off. When putting it back reverse it and put the bolt in the right side and the nut on the left. That way you will not need to touch the exhaust the next time.

I used this as an opportunity to polish up the headers on the workbench and make them look new again.

Ahyes.

 

[holligl]

OK, HELP #2. Pretty sure the drive shaft is supposed to simply slide out of the final drive. This one isn't coming. It will press in against the spring but won't pull out. Circlip and washer removed. Can someone confirm it should simply pull out?

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The seal is a real bear to get out, lots of WD40, pulling, and a sharp thin blade to work it loose. Then you have to do the same thing to get the seal off the shaft. Don't plan on doing that again any time soon. Just leave the shaft in the final drive...

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