Mike's Swingarm Greasing

by MakoMike - Member # 2369 on http://www.thumpertalk.com/, originally written by Mike Rudolph

Visit this thread on thumpertalk here http://www.thumpertalk.com/bike/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f;=10&t;=000748

This is my first post, so here goes. Hopefully this will help you I know it helped me. Never having torn a bike down before my buddy gave me the directions for greasing my 6 day old WR250F. I did it in about 3 hours and it all went fine.

First before you begin, you are going to need some tools. I’m sure you’ve got these but just in case:

• 19 mm socket
• 22 mm socket
• 19mm combo wrench
• 22mm combo wrench (a 7/8” will also work that’s what I use)
• 10 or 12” Crescent wrench (for axle) otherwise use a 27mm socket
• 14mm, 12mm, 10mm &; 8mm Hex/Allen head sizes
• 6mm, 5mm and 4mm (sockets are best for when you torque)
• Torque wrench
• Good slippery grease, I use some Valvoline stuff.
• Acid or small paint brush for applying grease.
• Lock-tite medium strength (blue stuff) works well.

Okay here it is in a nutshell:

1. a. Place bike on bike stand or something sturdy to get the rear wheel off the ground and that is stable enough to hold the bike.
   b. Remove seat, radiator shrouds, gas tank, and side panels.
2. Remove rear wheel, a trick I learned, you do not have to loosen the chain tightening nut/bolt, leave them where they are).
3. Remove rear exhaust, be careful with the packing that goes into the header pipe, install a clean rag in header pipe.
4. For rear brake pedal, remove locking clip for brake pedal bolt.

Remove brake pedal bolt (6mm allen head).

5. Remove brake reservoir (8mm), and brake guard(4?mm allen head).

Whole rear brake assembly should come off the bike now, just set this aside.

6. Loosen (but don’t remove) subframe bolt (at junction of tank and seat). Loosen completely the locking clip for the carbureator boot (from air box to carb).
7. Remove the allen head for the bottom part of the subframe. Lift up on rear fender, paying particular attention to the carb junction, this part should come apart smoothly. Lifting up on the rear fender, the subframe comes out of its brackets and swings all the way up. Rear fender should rest comfortably on the handlebars. Watch out for your radiator reservoir, it could spill some fluid out one of the return tubes. The tube to watch out for is the one that is now on the top (or the highest). If the fluid level is above this tube, then you’ve probably noticed fluid pouring on your floor by now. Not much I can say about that, maybe pinch the tube with something or drain into a bucket. Install a rag into the carb.
8. Remove the kickstand and the chain roller. Be careful to note the location of the important washer.
9. Now we can get to the rear shock and the rest of the swingarm.
10. Remove the gray plugs on both sides of your swingarm. Remove the bolt that is inside (19mm nut and 22mm head). There’s a washer on the nut side, make sure it comes out too. Might need to use a punch or screwdriver to push it through. Set it aside, note the side the nut was on and location of this bolt (it will help with reinstallation).
11. The swingarm relay arm might pivot out of the swingarm now, if not, no big deal. Next remove the bottom bolt to the rear shock, before the bolt comes out, loosen the top nut &; bolt for the shock. Once removed, rear shock should come out, set aside. To make things easier I sometimes take a tie down strap to hold up the swing arm.
12. Continue removing the bolts for the relay arm, one bolt is left on the arm and the other bolt is attached to the frame up under the engine. Remove this, too, set aside, note which side the nuts were on and which bolt went where. Set relay arm aside, keep the bushings inside, do not remove just yet.
13. Okay time for the big bolt that holds rear end of the bike. Simply remove the nut, there’s a washer there, and then wiggling the swingarm up and down, you might get lucky and push the bolt out. If not, I use a punch or screwdriver. Once it is out most of the way, I can just pull it for the rest. Now the swingarm should be completely detached. Your bike now looks really funny, as if it went through an amputation surgery.
14. This is the point where I take a break and get organized because it’s time to start greasing things and reinstalling.
15. I usually start with the relay arm (pg. 5-55). I set it on a paper towel or clean rag and meticulously remove the collars, noting which side they came out of. Be very careful as inside is a needle bearing, if something goes crooked it can screw things up. I remove the collars and apply grease to the inside of the needle bearring. I don’t rotate them as I don’t want to risk messing them up (I did that once and had to replace it). Do this to both bearrings. Grease the collars and reinsert be very careful. Go slow. Grease will ooze out, no biggy I take my brush and brush it into the inside of the collar. Set aside.
16. The connecting rod, do the same thing with this and be careful.
17. The rear shock---pg 5-65. Okay I got lucky with this one. The top bearring (called a hime ball), very important to grease. Remove the collar and dustseal, O-ring should just come off anyway. Rotate and wiggle the bearing around, force grease into the insides and wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. Reinstall O-ring, dustseal and collar making sure they’ve got grease on them. The rear bearring, be very careful, this is a needle bearring and when I did it, the needles started coming out, luckily I got them put back in but I was sweating it. I’ll leave it up to you, but this is an important bearring. Remove dust seals, and collar, grease the bearring and then reinstall seals, collar &; bushing. Rear shock is done.
18. The swingarm, using a brush apply grease to bearrings inside (first remove collar). Really put the stuff in there, there should be a good layer inbetween the two outside bearrings. You’ll notice that there’s probably not much in there to begin with. Reinstall collar, be careful. Put some grease inside the collar for where the bolt goes, this will make it easier to remove next time.
19. While you have your swingarm off, inspect the little screws that hold the chain rubber in place. If they are loose, I recommend lock-tite. I had 2 of these come off, what a pisser. Inspect your chain guide, too.
20. Let’s start putting stuff back together. First start with the swing arm. Apply grease to the bolt and put it in. Might need a hammer (use a block of wood then the hammer). Install washer and nut. Remove excess grease. Do not torque just yet. Make sure the chain is routed correctly and all those silly tubes on the back side of the carb. Speaking of which, now’s a good time to fool with the carb. Change jets, needle or whatever. You can do it with everything attached, too, but just a thought.
21. Install connecting rod to frame do not torque. Apply grease to the bolt.
22. Connect the connecting rod to the relay arm. Apply grease. Go ahead and torque this bolt.(58 ft. lb)
23. Install rear shock. Start with the top apply grease to bolt, do not tighten. Install bottom bolt apply grease and lock-tite the threads and torque to spec.
24. Install relay arm into swing arm. This thing should rotate into position, might need to use a screwdriver or punch to align it correctly. If this doesn’t work then you might have to back up a step or two. This is where I have my most difficulty. The last time I did it I started with the relay arm in the swingarm then attached the rear shock then the connecting rod. The problem with this procedure is that I could not torque one of the bolts for the connecting rod. I had to guess at the torque.
25. Once everything is installed, check proper torque of top of shock, connecting rod into frame, relay arm, swingarm to frame and swingarm to relay arm. Install caps for swingarm, note there is a mark, that mark points towards the engine.
26. Reinstall subframe. pay particular attention to carb side. Make sure everything lines up and the locking collar is installed correctly. Tighten locking collar. Make sure the rear rods of the subframe are into their grooves. Using an alignment tool, screwdriver or something, line up the holes. Install allen head bolts, first apply lock-tite to the thread. Torque to spec. Tighten top subframe bolt at tank/seat junction. Visually inspect the electrical wires that might have been binding during the subframe movements.
27. Reinstall rear brake. First grease the brake pedal bolt really well. I’ve seen these shear off from guys who don’t service their bikes. Grease it really well. Reinstall it into the rear brake, be careful of the O-rings, they should be in their grooves. Don’t install the spring yet. Go ahead and torque the bolt and reinstall the locking clip. Install the brake reservoir and the rest of brake assembly, don’t forget the guard. Install the spring for the rear brake. Install the brake hose on the swingarm, check the proper twist in the line. It should not touch the rear shock.
28. Reinstall the chain roller, don’t forget the placement of the washer it is behind the frame before the roller. Make sure this thing still turns.
29. Reinstall kickstand. I lock-tite the bolts. I don’t want it coming off (which it almost did last year).
30. Reinstall the exhaust. Be very careful with the packing. I lock-tite the 2 bolts, don’t want them coming off. Before you tighten, though, make sure all the bolts are started. Start tightening from the header side towards the muffler. I don’t know why, but everyone I know does it this way. Pay attention to how the locking collar goes look in the book if needed. Don’t want to blow your wad down your tube.
31. Almost there....I think we’re ready for the rear tire. Grease the axle bolt and pack some more grease into the little dust collars. Reinstall rear tire. Chain should be proper slack/tightness. If not adjust.
32. Reinstall side covers, tank, shrouds. Be careful with the tank.
    Start the bolts before tightening.
33. Reinstall seat. I hope there aren’t any parts left over. Now your bike is in great shape. It’s ready for anything mother nature wants to throw at it.

This procedure should be done about once a year. If you ride in wet/muddy conditions then more frequently. I think I do it about 3 times a year.
So that’s it. I hope the directions are clear. Look at your book. It is short on procedure, but at least it will show you where stuff goes. If necessary, give me a call or your local shop. Good luck.
Another inspection item eventually will be the steering head bearrings. Again, if you ride in wet conditions, this is really important. I’m saving this for after I bend the stock handlebars and put on new ones.