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570 Swingarm removal...

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pegscraper

Joined Dec 2010
280 Posts | 6+
Yorkshire UK
Well, back here after quite a while, still with the 2010 570 and still going strong!
The swingarm bearings are up for renewal and I've bought the repair kit. The swingarm itself moves free but the bolt is stuck solid. After some heafty blows with a copper mallet, no joy and I'm wary of causing damage. I now have the bike on it's side and soaking the treaded end of the swingarm in penetrating fluid. Just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks I've not thought of?
 
put it sideways under a press, put something soft over the end as a medium and then press it, anything else and the shaft gets it! yes it is a lot of work..... and yes, it will be a big press too! and yes, it'll take 4-6 people and the footrests out....and the wheels.

Taffy
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I don't have access to a press but I have a 10 ton bottle jack so, if all else fails, I'll try and rig something up with that. Looking at the exploded diagram I'm guessing the steel spacers inside the needle bearings have corroded onto the bolt so heat won't be much use. I'm not in any rush so, first up, I'm going to leave the bike on it's alternate sides for a few days soaking each end of the bolt in fluid, an easy option if it works but if it doesn't, it hasn't cost me anything.
 
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Quite often a propane torch WILL work on the bolt- BE CAREFUL- just the thermal shock will do the job.
 
It's been soaking now for a couple of days but still no movement. It's hard to tell where the bolt is actually seized. It could be one or both bearings, where the bolt passes through the engine cases or all three. I've tried carefully heating each end of the bolt but to no avail and I'm very wary of heating the alloy swingarm or engine cases. A 10mm threaded rod will pass through the hollow bolt so I'm going to try pulling it through from the RHS with a length of rod, some spacers and nuts. Maybe a combination of the threaded rod + lube + heat will be successful. I've a feeling that a new bolt will also be in order when it eventually comes out. Quite pricey around £60 but what the hell. I'll also be looking to see if drilling the swingarm and fitting some grease nipples is possible.
The Heim joint bearing it perfect. One of the first things I did when new was take out the bolt, pack with waterproof grease and reassemble with a waterproof protective sock, hence no corrosion and the bolt practically falls out. Perhaps if I'd done the same with the swingarm I wouldn't be posting this! Hindsight and all that.
 
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You could always try a air chisel with a drift in it the vibrations may loosen it it’s what I use on cv joints when they’re stuck in the hub.
 
Well, that was a B***H! After numerous attempts with big hammers, drifts, heat etc, ended up tapping a M12 thread into the head of the bolt and screwing in a length of threaded rod, then pulling it out with a combination of heat, freezer spray and an impact driver. The first threaded rod I tried just sheared so replaced it with some 8.8 rated high tensile stuff, that's how tight it was. It turns out the sprocket side was the problem, the other side was pretty good which is surprising as the side with the chain gets smothered in chain lube so you'd think that would help keep corrosion at bay. I'm just hoping the use of heat hasn't affected the strength of the swingarm and engine cases at all.
 

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using the bolt again then?

well you are from Yorkshire..... should buff up nicely!!!

Taffy
 
What you can't really see is the threaded end of the bolt has split and spread, even with the use of a brass drift so I've ordered a new one at £58:eek:. I start therapy on Monday.
I'm just glad to finally get the thing out. I was considering the possibilty of fitting grease nipples but I can't see how the grease would get to where it's needed without modifying (drilling a hole in) the needle bearings. Maybe sealing one end of the bolt, then fitting a grease nipple on the other end and drilling a small hole in the bearing sleeves and a corresponding hole in the bolt would work but maybe I'll just make a point of removing and greasing the bolt periodically instead of leaving it 12 years. MY BAD!!!
 
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There is, and has been for years, a grease shortage amongst all motorcycle, bicycle, car, most manufactuers that assemble things that need grease. It isn't that expensive, I think it's just messy. When I worked with a mountain bike suspension manufacturer that hand assembled a lot of components, grease or lube made the assembly more time consuming because o-rings and little bits stuck together, so they went in dry, and failed! It was cheaper to pay me for the warranty work than to slow down the process!
Back in the day when I was replacing bikes every model change, the first thing to do was grease steering head/ swingarm pivot/ wheel bearings/ linkage bearings with GOOD grease and plenty of it. If you do that to you swingarm- pack it in and plenty of it- you will never have to worry about it again.
Just DON'T use a pressure washer. Evil things in the wrong hands.
Rik
 
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Believe it or not, the bike is serviced regularly. Engine, still sweet and strong at 470+ hrs after many 15Hr oil and filter changes, air filter, tappet checks, coolant changes, plus wheel bearings, front fork rebuilds etc etc. This is the only bike I've ever had swingarm bearing problems on in 40+ years of riding but that's not an excuse, more a reason the SA got "forgotten". I don't compete on this bike, it's occasional leisure riding only but it does take some stick when I'm in the mood. Prior to this (own fault) problem, the only issues I've had are a bad fuel pump within 6 months from new, a cam chain tensioner which I replaced with a DJH manual item and a leaking shift shaft seal. That's pretty good reliability in my book. I guess spares will get progressively harder to source as time goes on but while ever they're available I'll keep the 570.
I also NEVER use a jet washer on any of my bikes. I've repacked the new SA bearings with some white marine spec bearing grease which I use on the wheel bearings to good effect.
 
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Bought a used Husqvarna with slightly bent front axle it was a Bear to remove. Wondering if that was your problem ? Of course I mean your swing arm axle at least part of the problem.
 
The swingarm bolt was dead true but very badly seized to the LH bearing sleeve. The RH bearing wasn't seized or badly corroded but there was very little grease left in there. I've had a thought that maybe the aerosol chain lube I've been using somehow attacked the bearing seals allowing water ingress on the LH bearing. I just don't see why the condition of both bearings was so different. The lube is suitable for O ring chains but are bearing seals made from the same material as O rings? I made sure the new bearings and bolt are well packed with waterproof grease. With everything new the bolt obviously slides in and out pretty easily now so that baby is coming out every few months for a re grease!
 
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