84 TEcate Swingarm Bearings

[Frankencelery]

When I pulled the engine in my 84 Tecate to redo the top end, I realized it probably made sense to do the swingarm bearings. So I bought a set, but I don't really know how to get the old ones out! I tried using a bolt and the right size washer to pull them out towards the center, but that didn't work. What's the best way, short of removing the swingarm and sending it to someone who knows what they're doing? :wondering

[El Camexican]

I use a 1/2" threaded rod and a stack of thick washers to pull cage bearings out of swing arms. Sometimes you need to turn the wrench pretty hard. You might try soaking the bearings in penetrating oil, or heating them up before you start tightening the nuts, but usually all you need to do is tighten the nuts are tight as you can by hand and then whack the "push" end of the rod with a steel hammer. Yes it will damage the threads, but you can put a nut on it if you want to hit the nut and not the threaded rod.

Then try tightening the nuts again, it they turn easier you're on the right track. Repeat till the cages come out.

Installation should be easier. Freeze the bearings and heat the swing arm. You can pull them in with the same rod and washer set up, just make sure they go in straight and stop if anything is weird. I usually put a small sanding drum on my die grinder and polish out the swing arm first. Makes the holes clean and a little bigger. Wipe the inside of the swing arm holes with anti seize before you heat it.

[christph]

My procedure is similar to the one described above but I use sockets instead of washers. A 14 or 15 mm socket should fit inside the swingarm. Thread a rod (or long bolt) through the socket and bearing with a nut on the end. The nut should be on the square hole side of the socket, this will allow you to hold on to it and turn it. Use the finest pitch thread you can find as course thread makes it harder to turn the nut. Find a thick fender washer for the other side with a hole just a little larger than the size of the bearing (14 to 15 mm) so it can pass through, but small enough so it can rest on the outside rim of the hole. This is your support for a large socket. Place the large socket, 19 to 22 mm, on the large washer and thread the rod through it. The bearing should be able to fit inside the socket--the octagonal part. Now you can put a nut on the backside of the large socket and pull the bearing out. I wouldn't recommend hammering on the bearing. The sleeve the needle bearings are encased in is not that thick and will mushroom with hammer blows, making it harder to extract. The slow high pressure of an extractor is best.

[El Camexican]

Good points Christph. I forgot to mention I use a section of pipe on the extraction side that is larger than the bearing. The hammering part is only to get it to move in extreme cases (which seems to be often for me) and if you have a socket that fits in the hole awesome, it works much better than washers.

[bkm]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160513/002af115dd66dbd34664a7df2f080118.jpg

I have a set of Delrin Swingarm bushings being sent to Keith Salyer for testing. If they pass his muster they will be available for sale.

[Frankencelery]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I haven't been back out there to try it yet, but I will this weekend. I had previously tried to put the bolt all the way through both sides, and I felt like I was going to bend the two ends together, so I quit. Your descriptions seem to be to do one side at a time, which is what I will try next.

[El Camexican]

I had previously tried to put the bolt all the way through both sides, and I felt like I was going to bend the two ends together, so I quit.

Yea, don't do that. One side at a time and I would think pulling them from the inside to the outside is the easiest way to work with it, but if you to try my hammer blow thing to break it loose you'll need to use a solid bar passed through the other hole to do it.

[onformula1]

I would tackle this job with a four part process-

1- Return the bearings

2- Buy this http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-h-frame-industrial-heavy-duty-floor-shop-press-60604.html

3- Buy bkm's kit

4- Kickback and admire your new performance editions to your Tecate & shop and enjoy your favorite beverage.

[Frankencelery]

I would tackle this job with a four part process-

1- Return the bearings

2- Buy this http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-h-frame-industrial-heavy-duty-floor-shop-press-60604.html

3- Buy bkm's kit

4- Kickback and admire your new performance editions to your Tecate & shop and enjoy your favorite beverage.

Right. But...no.

[Frankencelery]

Got 'er done! Various combination of bolts and sockets allowed me to press out the old ones and press in the new ones. The part I really didn't like about this assembly is that there's no seat or stop to the bearing. You have to just guess at the center position. That's really weird to me.