Rear Paralever Needle roller bearings

[Pukmeister]

Anyone had to change them on their GS/GSA?

My '08 GSA felt a bit odd lately and I could feel/hear play at the rear wheel at 6/12 O'clock. Further investigation shows grit in the LHS needle rollers due to a failed felt sealing washer and visible play. The sealed rolling element bearing on the RHS is fine.

I've stripped it down and drifted out the roller cage, the roller sleeve surface appears fine visually and is not worn (checked with micrometer) so can be reused (plus not shown on parts fiche). Hopefully a new bearing and felt washer will sort it, should be back on the road soon once I order the parts.

Is this a common problem on the 1200's? Not had to replace one before.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Part number 2 in this diagram,
33 17 7 665 148 PIVOT PIN

 

[Pukmeister]

Many thanks for that, the MAXBMW online fiche for 2008 GSA didn't show the part number.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

You will find it listed with swing arm parts, number 15.

 

[Pukmeister]

Parts on order, about £30 plus vat. Gonna pull the driveshaft off the gearbox end and lube the splines, I may pull the swing arm and grease/reset its bearings whilst I'm at it and service the rear brake caliper also. I have spare new swing arm bearings in my garage stock if I find any wear.

 

[cookie]

i'm pretty sure Pikey Dave had these replaced a while back as they were badly fecked.

he mentioned this morning that the swing arm bearings have just been done too, so not unknown.

 

[Spout]

Gonna pull the driveshaft off the gearbox end and lube the splines, I may pull the swing arm and grease/reset its bearings whilst I'm at it .

You may find you'll have to take swing arm off to get the %@!$ driveshaft back on anyway

 

[G5RJO]

Swing arm stays put...

You may find you'll have to take swing arm off to get the %@!$ driveshaft back on anyway

Nah, piece of piss..... well, piece of string...

Tie it through the UJ then you can use that to lift it in position to engage it.

Done this a few times now and never (as yet) had to pull the swing arm.

Just make sure you pull the gaiter off the gearbox as opposed to the swing arm end or it will be a proper bugger to relocate that...DAMHIK

Roger.

 

[Pukmeister]

Job all done, now I can actually feel connected to the road via the rear tyre instead of the weird slight wobble I was getting. New bearing and sleeve are a flush fit with the side of the swing arm and no felt washer visible, unlike previously. I reckon it wasn't refitted properly by the mechanic when my final drive was previously replaced under warranty.

Driveshaft at the gearbox end is a sod to refit, luckily I got it back on at the second attempt. Splines and shaft were pristine, but worth a check and lube.

 

[Bendy toy]

I really dont know why bike makers use needle rollers in positions that reciprocate over a small radius. They fail because same area of the same few rollers and the associated races do all of the work and the grease gets pushed out of the way. I appreciate grease nipples are not practical on rolling element bearings, but why are they so opposed to using sintered bushes with grease nipples? Bushes are by far the best option for small radius reciprocating movements.

These days they could also try polymer bearings (not poly bushes) with similar effect - no lubrication needed and cheap to replace. They are used on agricultural machinery so are well up to the aggressive working conditions.

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

New bearing and sleeve are a flush fit with the side of the swing arm and no felt washer visible, unlike previously.

The felt washer is now made of a squishy rubber material and it keeps the crap and moisture out of the bearing.
You should have an O ring on the spacer on the inside and the squishy seal on the pivot pin.
Think the bearing was central in the housing and not flush with one side or the other, when I greased mine a few months ago,

 

[Pukmeister]

The new seal I was sold is still felt material, no seal on the inside as the needle roller bearing has a lip seal fitted.

On the opposite side is a spacer inboard of the plain bearing that has a very thin section O ring around its circumference as a seal.

What I meant to say is the outer face of the trunnion sleeve on the needle roller side now sits flush with the FD hinge whereas it was slightly proud beforehand and the felt seal was visible (and trashed). When the wheel was rocked at 6/12 O'clock you could see and feel movement at the needle roller side.

 

[Steptoe]

i'm pretty sure Pikey Dave had these replaced a while back as they were badly fecked.

he mentioned this morning that the swing arm bearings have just been done too, so not unknown.

It's a fairly common problem.

You may find you'll have to take swing arm off to get the %@!$ driveshaft back on anyway

No you don't.

 

[pikeydave]

It's a fairly common problem.



No you don't.

Started getting a tell tale rust mark oozing from under the seal. Was still intact and had I been living in Brazil as a rentboy I'd have just cleaned, greased and bunged it back in. Bearing is alot better wearing than the 1150 taper roller set up that needed changing (along with the top hats if you pushed it) every 40k on my old RT. Easy to do. Got the workshop at CWs to push the needle bearing in as I havent got a press for a "drink".
Swinging arm bearing got fucked at 90k mostly due to shite getting in the swing arm through fucked gaiters & 5 winters...so be warned my luvlies...

Might have some pics of the carnage somewhere...

So far all that's been replaced on my 6yr old appraching 100k GSA is:

Front wheel bearings
paralever+swing arm bearings
gear indicator switch
rear disc at 91k
bottom bearing on the Wilburs
front eng. cover(only for cosmetics)
Gaitors
A couple of wiring/chaffing/corrosion probs on the wiring
Upgrade to LED rear due shite original.
And that's about it.