Paralever bushings vs. OEM needle bearings

[dancata]

If the OEM bearings on your 11xx GS would fail, what would you chooose?

OEM needle bearings again or
J L Paralever bushings made out of sintered graphited bronze?

I am asking because I want to produce some bushings and would like your feedback on this, if it would be worth to or not.

Dan.

 

[MikeP]

OEM needle-rollers for me.

 

[Steptoe]

Still on my original needle roller bearings after 60K miles.

Just keep them adjusted correctly and grease every 18 months or so.

 

[MattW]

OEM needle rollers for me.

 

[davegs]

Bearing up

Why would you wish to change these to bushes? orignals have been used for ever and always seem to be reliable as long as the ajustment is checked occasionally I've done 87000 on mine with no probs, including a few miles in Romania!.
dave GS.

 

[dancata]

My bike now has 114k km, and I have some serious play in the rear wheel; since only the BMW dealer has them, he asks for ~ 90 eur / 2 bearings :|

I have the bronze and the outer race, and it's said that these bushings last a lifetime. The bronze has graphite in it, so even if the moly paste is gone, there is still some lubing in there

The bronze bushing has 2 mm wear space, but from now on, I intend to open my bike every winter and lube everything in there, splines, etc.

 

[monkeyboy]

My bike now has 114k km, and I have some serious play in the rear wheel; since only the BMW dealer has them, he asks for ~ 90 eur / 2 bearings :|

I have the bronze and the outer race, and it's said that these bushings last a lifetime. The bronze has graphite in it, so even if the moly paste is gone, there is still some lubing in there

The bronze bushing has 2 mm wear space, but from now on, I intend to open my bike every winter and lube everything in there, splines, etc.

I'd try the bronze ones. I've changed the paralever bearings quite often - so either I can't adjust them properly (perfectly probable) or they just can't hack it. I've had sets disintegrate when I've removed them even though I've not had rear wheel play. I'm sure the bronze ones would last a lifetime. This is a 21th century solution that upgrades a 20th century one

 

[dancata]

Hopefully, I will make the first set on Saturday, then let you all know how it goes. If everything works ok, I will be selling those, of course under the price of the USA fellas.

 

[motobiker]

I will follow Steptoes advice as far as the originals ar concerned.. however if (or when) they do need to be replaced I will order a set of bushings from these fellas.

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

yes they are pricey.. but I'll balance that against money saved on the useless bling I've managed to resist completely over the years.

But.. right now it's not an issue.. the originals are just fine.

oh dear.. sods law dictates the thing will fall apart in the Carpathians in june.. think I better go lie down and have a crisis.

 

[dancata]

I will follow Steptoes advice as far as the originals ar concerned.. however if (or when) they do need to be replaced I will order a set of bushings from these fellas.

http://rubberchickenracinggarage.com/bushings.html

yes they are pricey.. but I'll balance that against money saved on the useless bling I've managed to resist completely over the years.

But.. right now it's not an issue.. the originals are just fine.

oh dear.. sods law dictates the thing will fall apart in the Carpathians in june.. think I better go lie down and have a crisis.

I didn't got the humor on that... What's wrong if I make a couple of these and sell them cheaper than the ones from overseas? You are entitled to chose if you want to get them from me or from overseas

Dan.

 

[motobiker]

Dan.. it may be years down the line before I need to replace them.. if you make some the same and still have them for sale.. with testimonials from people who have bought and used them with no problems.. then you'll have my business.

But.. you may have to wait a long time. if it ain't broke.. don't fix it, and mine weren't broke when I examined and greased them before christmas.

 

[dancata]

Words of truth above |^|

Greasing the bearings and splines every winter seems to be the key for a lifetime use without replacing.

 

[ebbo]

Steptoe has it right, lube the originals every few years and so long as they’re torqued right they should last a good long time, after all, they are usually run un-maintained to destruction.

The plain bearings, what happens when they don't get greased, seize up and tear the bearing cups out the swing arm?

 

[roddy]

Can I ask a daft question, I get a bit confused on what bearing these are ? is this the set that you can adjust using the big nut on the inside of the swingarm ? or are they somewhere else

 

[MattW]

Can I ask a daft question, I get a bit confused on what bearing these are ? is this the set that you can adjust using the big nut on the inside of the swingarm ? or are they somewhere else

Yep - they're the ones.

 

[monkeyboy]

Flippin heck - nothing lasts years on my flippin bike. The gearbox went (twice), and the final drive bearing to name but two major bits - It just depends how much use it gets and what that use is. Personally I don't reckon 1-2mm needle roller bearings stand a lot of pain being thrown at them.

Horses for courses anyway - if you make some and they're cheaper than rubber chicken then I'm in

 

[motobiker]

The plain bearings, what happens when they don't get greased, seize up and tear the bearing cups out the swing arm?

you can come on here and tell us all about it and fume while we snigger.

 

[roddy]

Yep - they're the ones.

 

[MattW]

The plain bearings, what happens when they don't get greased, seize up and tear the bearing cups out the swing arm?

I always thought they were self lubricating 'oilite' type stuff?

Anyway the OEM roller bearings can seize up in just the same way.
Because there's no true 'rotation' the rollers can hammer grooves into the inner race which then effectively locks the bearing (brinelling I believe it's called). The locked bearing then spins on the pinion (rather than the swingarm) and bu**ers it. I assume this happens when they're allowed to stay 'loose' for a too long and are then adjusted up tight.

I know this because it happened to me although I only discovered it just after I bought the bike, when I removed the swingarm to replace the gearbox output shaft seal - there was no external indication at all that anything was amiss. My left hand bearing inner race and pinion:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/Gyx_bW6yMaDjDDGXU_r3AQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_SSn2CtCOKnU/ScdT8GssOYI/AAAAAAAABZ4/jU89AvKvPRc/s800/IMG_4344.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/znc3Jbq76tCUmXKZ3__fRA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_SSn2CtCOKnU/ScdT25m9P6I/AAAAAAAABZc/3Vt4fV-lfVo/s800/IMG_4347.JPG" /></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/QYGeApJd4sZr46UMKRiHIg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_SSn2CtCOKnU/ScfFUaRrf7I/AAAAAAAABhM/7VoI0vAEj-w/s800/IMG_4351.JPG" /></a>

 

[niko]

they look like sealed bearing?
so do you just greese between the adjuster and the bearing?
and what greese?