Swingarm Removal With Pictures?

[liv2day]

Originally Posted by Jakobi

Linkages get grease every time the shock is out and thats been pretty frequently.

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it.

This will come across as a completely newb question, but I'm learning as I go and my other bike didn't have linkage.

So, can someone either explain or show with a picture what exactly should be greased on the linkage? Is it a matter of removing the nuts/bolts and applying grease to those?

gasgasman - I'm not sure what that link was supposed to bring up; just a ton of Google translations that couldn't be displayed in my browser (probably something to do with the firewall at work).

[pscook]

Originally Posted by liv2day

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it.

This will come across as a completely newb question, but I'm learning as I go and my other bike didn't have linkage.

So, can someone either explain or show with a picture what exactly should be greased on the linkage? Is it a matter of removing the nuts/bolts and applying grease to those?

gasgasman - I'm not sure what that link was supposed to bring up; just a ton of Google translations that couldn't be displayed in my browser (probably something to do with the firewall at work).

When you remove the linkage, there is a hardened steel sleeve that surrounds the bolt and rides on the rollers (between the links). It is the "bearing race," and you want to remove that sleeve and grease the rollers themselves. Then a reasonable coating of grease on the bolt and in the voids behind the bearing seals.

[papa_j]

Originally Posted by liv2day

Thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it.

This will come across as a completely newb question, but I'm learning as I go and my other bike didn't have linkage.

So, can someone either explain or show with a picture what exactly should be greased on the linkage? Is it a matter of removing the nuts/bolts and applying grease to those?

gasgasman - I'm not sure what that link was supposed to bring up; just a ton of Google translations that couldn't be displayed in my browser (probably something to do with the firewall at work).

I too am a newb and I would also like the information. I have owned my 2011 gasser for two years and have only performed minimal amounts of maintenance. On Sunday in a drunken fit* I channeled Jakobi's spirit of maintenance and pulled the suspension so that I could send it off for service and tuning. Now that I have the suspension off I am looking for things to grease.

For reference despite the clear instructions in other posts about removing the rear shock in 10 minutes it took me 1 hour during which I "busted" three knuckles, divorced my wife, and confessed my sins twice (it was a circus).



*There was actually no drinking involved.

[Jakobi]

I haven't had the linkage off the new bike yet, and was thinking I should pull the shock to swap the spring and measure up the sag. Might get this done over the next few days so if thats the case I'll take some photos. Its really quite simple.

[Jakobi]

Hahaha Pappa.. how did you remove the shock??

I've found best is to:
Remove the seat and tank (4 x 8mm - leave shrouds on)
Remove silencer (2 x 10mm nuts)
Snip the zipties both frame guards and then remove the 2 bolts holding the rear master cylinder and guard on (2 x allen head)
Remove lower subframe bolts (2 x 12mm)
Loosen upper subframe (2 x 12mm bolt and 13mm nuts)
Loosen airboot on carb
Swing the entire subframe up
Remove front linkage pivot (3/16th ring end bolt and 18mm head).
With bike on stand lift the back wheel slighly to unload and the pin should slide out easily.
Pivot the tie rod down and then undo the 15mm bolt on the lower shock mount.
Remove 14mm upper shock mount bolt.
Pull shock out.

Its a bit of work, but I find doesn't take all that long.

[djroggen]

+1 the the previous post. Best way.

[papa_j]

What is the torque speck for the front linkage pivot? 81NM? This is the front pivot of the "dog bone".

[papa_j]

Second do people use the bar torque wrench, click, or electric. I have been using an old fashioned bar torque wrench but some times it feels as though despite tension the torque reading is low.

[Zman]

Great ideas to loosen the engine mounts and unload any pressure on the shaft! If the pivot shaft is rusted in place you may wish to try to soak it with PB Blaster over some time. Try to avoid hitting the threaded end of the shaft directly so you don't mess up the threads. You can thread the nut on several turns to protect the end of the threads. This means that you probably need to order a swingarm bearing kit. Get some marine bearing grease for the reassembly.

[Moto7man]

Originally Posted by pappa_j

Second do people use the bar torque wrench, click, or electric. I have been using an old fashioned bar torque wrench but some times it feels as though despite tension the torque reading is low.

On the 2011 EC300 the GasGas manual specifies 81NM for the linkage pivots. I just serviced my linkage and I torqued them with a mechanical torque wrench to 81NM each.