Rear wheel bearings + swingarm bearings

**SMOKEU** · 3rd June 2012, 19:05

My bike failed a WOF for rear wheel bearings and apparently the swingarm is loose. Bike is a 600 SRAD. Is it a big job to replace them, and is it something that someone who has a fair bit of experience working on cars can do easily?

**Fast Eddie** · 3rd June 2012, 19:31

if you've got a brain and opposable thumbs you should be alright..

get the haynes manual for your bike eh.. or similar.

bearings may need to be pressed in and getting old ones out could be tricky. at least if u take the wheel n swing arm off u can take it somewhere if u get stuck

**Fast Eddie** · 3rd June 2012, 19:32

does the bike not feel funny when your riding it? flicking from left to right or even tracking in a straight line?

**Kickaha** · 3rd June 2012, 19:39

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie

if you've got a brain and opposable thumbs you should be alright..

Ah, now you mention it I can see why you struggle so much

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

Is it a big job to replace them, and is it something that someone who has a fair bit of experience working on cars can do easily?

Wheel bearings are fairly easy and most swingarm bearings aren't to hard although sometimes you have to buy factory parts rather than from a bearing shop

If you need a hand I can help out

**tigertim20** · 3rd June 2012, 19:41

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

My bike failed a WOF for rear wheel bearings and apparently the swingarm is loose. Bike is a 600 SRAD. Is it a big job to replace them, and is it something that someone who has a fair bit of experience working on cars can do easily?

nah its an easy job, do it on a week day in case you need to run up to an engineering shop to get anything pressed out - someone will do it on their lunch break for a 6 pack probably, but Ive always been able to get them out fine by myself. its not a big job at all, youll be fine.

Do a google for 'tradebit' they do online manuals, Ive bought a few off them, usually around $15, buy via paypal so its safe as, and they email you your manual in PDF format within 5 minutes, having a manual will be helpful in the future as you start doing more jobs on it.

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie

does the bike not feel funny when your riding it? flicking from left to right or even tracking in a straight line?

youd think so, my old CBR had just the tiniest amount of play, enough that the guy testing at the drags was iffy about whether or not to let me run or not (he said yes in the end but told me to fox it straight away). I hadnt noticed it, but then tiny little differences are hard to pick up immediatelty, especially when you ride every day, as they happen so slowly over a period of time.
If theyve only just started to get loose, he may not notice it - hence what wof checks are for, lucky it got picked up here, instead of after a bin in 4 months time!

**tigertim20** · 3rd June 2012, 19:46

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

My bike failed a WOF for rear wheel bearings and apparently the swingarm is loose. Bike is a 600 SRAD. Is it a big job to replace them, and is it something that someone who has a fair bit of experience working on cars can do easily?

oh, your part number for bearings in the rear wheel is 09262-32008 youll need two obviously.

also save this as a bookmark mate, you can see exploded diagrams of any part on your bike, and it has all the part numbers you will need (yours is a 98 right?)
http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_p...GSXR750/64.htm
select year from the far left menu, then your bike from the next menu, then the area of the bike, and you get exploded diagrams with all part numbers - makes it easier if you want to order online or from overseas etc, as often youll get bits way cheaper than at the dealer

**SMOKEU** · 3rd June 2012, 20:05

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie

does the bike not feel funny when your riding it? flicking from left to right or even tracking in a straight line?

It feels fine. But then again, I'm still a n00b on a bike so I can't really tell but if I let go of the handlebars when I'm riding it then it just keeps going in a straight line or slightly left due to the camber of the road.

Originally Posted by Kickaha

If you need a hand I can help out

I'll let you know if I get stuck.

Originally Posted by tigertim20

(yours is a 98 right?)

Yup.

**neels** · 3rd June 2012, 20:38

Wheel bearings are normally not a problem, drop the wheel out and punch the old ones out, find the right sized socket to bash the new ones in with.

Swingarm bearings can be a bit arse, as often the outers are quite lightweight and don't give you much to hammer to get them out, but if all else fails you can always collapse them in to remove them. Gettting the new ones in without munting them takes a bit of care, but possible with pretty basic tools.

If you need a hand let me know, plenty of room in the shed to pull another bike apart...

**willytheekid** · 3rd June 2012, 21:58

Originally Posted by SMOKEU

My bike failed a WOF for rear wheel bearings and apparently the swingarm is loose

Get thee to the ChCh Wednesday Maintenance Evening!! (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht-Ride/page90)

6th of june is the next one

6pm start, At Wofman's place, Gloucester Motors.

Cnr Gloucester Street and Fitzgerald Ave.

Just turn up(All are welcome), introduce yourself, and ask Wolfman and the team to share with you some maintenance tips etc

(...in fact if you get the bearings, they can put them in for you

)

...the team will show you how to check for these thiings and much much more...all ya gotta do is ask (everyone has to learn at some point)

take care mate & Ride safe

**Fast Eddie** · 3rd June 2012, 22:18

Originally Posted by willytheekid

Get thee to the ChCh Wednesday Maintenance Evening!! (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht-Ride/page90)

6th of june is the next one

6pm start, At Wofman's place, Gloucester Motors.

Cnr Gloucester Street and Fitzgerald Ave.

Just turn up(All are welcome), introduce yourself, and ask Wolfman and the team to share with you some maintenance tips etc

(...in fact if you get the bearings, they can put them in for you

)

there ya go, then you get the job done and you can watch and learn for next time

**Fast Eddie** · 3rd June 2012, 22:22

Originally Posted by Kickaha

Ah, now you mention it I can see why you struggle so much

brain or thumbs? inbreeding has one or two drawbacks I 'spose..

**carburator** · 4th June 2012, 01:32

most modern swing arm bearings are needle rollers and they do not like rough treatment.

my advice is pull the swing arm out, pop off the bearing covers carefully ( note down the bearing numbers )
and if possible double check the size with a vernier.

See if you can get them from a bearing shop, otherwise off to the local bike dealer
( and we all know the mark up they stick on stuff! )

9/10 when your kncking the little bleepers out you tend to smash out the bearing cage
and then have to dremel cut the main outer bearing to remove it.

Instalation, use a heatgun on the swingarm to open up the area where the bearing is going
( sometimes I heat the buggers on removal due to alloy expands faster than steel. )

if you don't have acess to a press ( and frankly you don't need one ) buy some threaded rod
cut some end plates and use a socket of the right size for the final seating ..

**DEATH_INC.** · 4th June 2012, 06:10

One thing, check that the adjuster that centers the arm is tight (it's actually the pivot bolt). You'll need to loosen the locknut and main nut and nip it up. They can loosen up and make you think the bearings are shot....
I have a manual on the pooter I can try to send ya (it may be too big-98mb) if ya pm me your e-mail.

**SMOKEU** · 4th June 2012, 11:51

Originally Posted by DEATH_INC.

One thing, check that the adjuster that centers the arm is tight (it's actually the pivot bolt). You'll need to loosen the locknut and main nut and nip it up. They can loosen up and make you think the bearings are shot....
I have a manual on the pooter I can try to send ya (it may be too big-98mb) if ya pm me your e-mail.

Is that the SRAD workshop manual? I think I've got a copy buried deep on one of my HDDs. I'll try and fish it out.

**paturoa** · 4th June 2012, 12:18

This is a very simple job and you do not need a lot of experience. You wil have to be careful but you don't need a press or any flash tools,

Take some photos of where the current bearings are, noting the seal orientations so that you put the new ones in correctly to the right depth.

The old ones are a breeze to get out. Insert a suitable peice of pipe from the other side and use your favourite precision percussion tool (hammer). Gently tap progressively around the bearing, not just in one place.

Keep the bearings you need these next.

Make sure that the recesses are clean and I give them an extremely light coat of grease.

Before you put the new ones in, tripple check that they are the same as the old ones you took out.

Now, place the old bearing on top of the new one, and gently tap the new ones home. Again work your way around the bearing so it doesn't attempt to go in on an angle. NEVER tap the inner of the bearing as this may munt the rollers, needles or balls depending on the bearing.

Also the reputabe bearing shops will almost always have the bearings you want for considerably less price thean OEMs. This may require you to take the old ones out first and down to the shop to ensure a match.