Rear bushings

[GordonBH]

This may have been covered so if so just tell me to get off my ass and search for it.

Otherwise, I may have to replace my drivebelt (a very small stonechip bump) and thought I'd replace the bushings (7 yr old SS SB) so would welcome advice/tips on replacing them.

[Buck]

I have seen it done and it's a job, maybe just lubricate them. There are numerous postings on the other site as to how.
Buck

[johnny redneck]

Swing arm bushings are real ez to replace. To remove the existing bushing, screw a tap into the hole with a steel backer plate on the back side against the transmission and the tap will push the bushing right out of the frame. The swing arm bushings pound out, screw the tap in the hole and pound them out. The key to putting the new bearings in is to put the bearings in the freezer for a couple Hours to shrink them, and a little tap with a rubber mallet and they fall into place.

[CanuckHoss]

Bushings in the swingarm or bushings as in the bearings in the rear wheel??

Just wondering as translations across the pond are different..

[GordonBH]

Hi Barry,

Yep, you're so right -I meant swingarm bushings, not rear bearings. There's so much on the other site that seems to contradict itself but I guess the key thing is the swingarm bushings must be hard fast into the swing arm, have some end play 1-2 thou and rotate around the swingarm bolts freely but not loosely.

There's a lot of talk re 100 ft/lbs crushing the bushings and that you have to ream them out after they are pressed in - bit of a swine but I've tackled harder than thet.

[CanuckHoss]

Hi Barry,

Yep, you're so right -I meant swingarm bushings, not rear bearings. There's so much on the other site that seems to contradict itself but I guess the key thing is the swingarm bushings must be hard fast into the swing arm, have some end play 1-2 thou and rotate around the swingarm bolts freely but not loosely.

There's a lot of talk re 100 ft/lbs crushing the bushings and that you have to ream them out after they are pressed in - bit of a swine but I've tackled harder than thet.

Good you clarified...do you have access to a machine shop?

Bryan Ward did a modification to the swingarm bolts on each side...he drilled into the end that is towards the outside of the bike far enough in to be where the bushing sits. Then holes were then drilled in towards that hole to meet it in 3 or 4 places I believe.
The hole drilled in from the end was tapped so a grease zerk could be spun in for greasing and then I think taken out until next time .

[GordonBH]

Hi Barry,

I do all my own non-machinist work but I'll ask a local engineering shop re the bolts. In the meantime I'll get them out in the next couple of weeks and grease them - I was thinking of axle bearing grease - thick n sticky!

What's the lowdown guys? 50 or 100 ft/lbs torque

[SRF]

If spacers are setup correctly either torque should work fine. Reaming shouldn't be needed if the bushing are pressed in and fit the holes properly. If they are hammered in and damaged or if the holes they are going into are too small then they may need to be reamed. Mine pressed in fine and 100 ft/lbs of torque worked as it should.

[Carl La Fong]

I believe that there is an inherent flaw in the BH swing arm and the bushing setup. The swing arm has an ear on each side that the pivot bolt passes through. The bolt then goes through the bushing and a nut secures everything. The problem is, the bolt is only supported at one end. This causes the bolt to cock under power and try to wallow the bushing out . This is more pronounced on the drive side. When I built my swing arm, I built it as BH would have with the single ear on each side. Since I used flange mount bearings instead of bushings, the belt pulled on the pivot bolts and rotated the bearings in their mounts. I had to remove the swing arm and weld another ear on each side to support the pivot at each end. I understand that my use of the spherical bearings exacerbated the tendency of the pivot to move but the fact is clear that there is a tremendous amount of force being applied to a mechanically questionable design. How much abuse is that poorly supported bushing/pivot assembly taking during a major burnout?

[GordonBH]

Update:

Be aware that the popular diagram of the rear bushing set I used is not necessarily complete. When I tapped mine out (very easy job) I found that there are 2 extra shims, one on either side - inboard of the bushing flanges where they face the swing arm holes.

These are not the ones to set the end play in the swing arm. They do not appear in the (still very helpful) diagram so look out for them. In my case they are both 16 thou - imagine one left out and a 17-20 end play!

I did have to ream the bushings despite very gently pressing them in too.