Cleaning linkages on mx and road bikes, and grease nipples?

[soundbeltfarm]

as title suggests,
i checked the lower linkages on my mx bike after quicker with age done his and we both had shagged bearings ,
i will admit i'ver never checked mine but he has his,
how often do you do yours?
i just cleaned them up and re greased the needle bearings and put back together i was suprised i could notice.
i will order a new set but my other question is can i drill holes in the middle of the linkage and put a grease nipple in there and just loosen off the linkage nuts and pump grease into them or do you think this will weaken the linkage?
or just plain not work?
why dont they come out with grease nipples as standard?
alot of questions but its quite interesting for me as i do all the other maintainence on the bike and am real anal about it but its just never occured to me to check them,
i dont clean with a water blaster just a hose , dynamo and brush.
cheers in advance
Karl

[Motu]

The service schedule requires the linkage to be stripped and lubed - but customers don't want to pay for such extensive servicing.If it only cost $50 to change oils,do tappets,change filters and plugs,strip and lube suspn linkage,strip and lube wheel bearings,strip and lube steering head bearings - then everyone would do it.But because it actually cost money they will pay for minimum servicing....and expect everything done.

[Pussy]

I've found through personal experience on several new Suzuki road bikes that there is always a minimal amount of grease on the linkage bearings, right from the crate. I reckon they just wizz them past a grease pot!
I normally disassemble them every 18 months or so, and repack them with Bel-Ray waterproof grease

[Quicker_with_age]

I've found through personal experience on several new Suzuki road bikes that there is always a minimal amount of grease on the linkage bearings

Exactly, I pulled my bike to bits as soon as I got it and greased every bearing cause they have bugger all grease on them from the factory, I have only greased the linkage bearing once since then and one bearing needs replacing. I think my main problem is I am very particular about cleaning my bike often ( probably more often than I ride it lol) and I use a water blaster which is not good for that reason.

[Robert Taylor]

Exactly, I pulled my bike to bits as soon as I got it and greased every bearing cause they have bugger all grease on them from the factory, I have only greased the linkage bearing once since then and one bearing needs replacing. I think my main problem is I am very particular about cleaning my bike often ( probably more often than I ride it lol) and I use a water blaster which is not good for that reason.

Its unfair to single out Suzuki, every manufacturer is minimalist with grease pre-packing. As are the highest percentage of end users in not following a rigid maintenance regime, given that the operating conditions are extreme and the negative by product of power washing.
Its always a little perverse that the maximum return is expected on the machine come resale or trade in time, when all too often the maintenance has been wanting.

[Shaun]

Real important I think is, The Fact that the stearing head bearings come out with this limited grease slime ON THEM ONLY, NOT IN THEM!

[soundbeltfarm]

i posted this thumper talk too and a reply i had there was that grease nipples are a big no no as he has seen lenkages break from people drilling into them and putting nipples on there.
i was really surprised when i cleaned and re packed mine that i could notice a difference.
i wonder how many people could benefit from doing theirs.

[pete376403]

I'd seen discussion of this on the KLR boards so pulled the rear suspension out of mine shortly after I got it. Ditto previous posters re the smear of white grease that was in there, also noted corrosion starting on the swingarm bolt, probably due to a strangely placed vent hole in the frame. Reports say that if this is left unchecked it becomes next to impossible to get the bolt out later.
Power washers are a bad thing when used around bearings, yet many people think maintenance consists of making the bike squeaky clean after a ride, and little else.

[Quicker_with_age]

Its unfair to single out Suzuki

I never did single out Suzuki, I fact I found the same thing with most of the brand new bikes I have owned over the years.

yet many people think maintenance consists of making the bike squeaky clean after a ride, and little else.

Well its a start, I know of many people who dont even do that!!

[vagrant]

Real important I think is, The Fact that the stearing head bearings come out with this limited grease slime ON THEM ONLY, NOT IN THEM!

So called "sealed" wheel bearings too. The grease on them appears to be of a preservative nature only, yet the retailers don't go out of their way to recommend that the bearings be cleaned and repacked before installation.

[Taz]

Drilled and nippled my 97 YZ250 years back. Bearing cages need a corresponding hole also and need to be pressed in with this hole matching up to the grease nipple hole unless there is a groove around the bore of the linkage itself. Worked great and didn't break as I don't jump as high and long as Ricky Carmicheal.

[Buddy L]

i also noticed this with my new bike, its getting close to 30 hours so i will repack the bearings with grease again at that point.
My KDX came with grease nipples everywhere and so does Dads KLX.
on my friends DRZ400 he had to drill in nipples into most places.