856 bearing kits?

[rotorhead]

i've always wondered about getting bearings on the swingarm of my 856, but never found a kit. has anyone tried this before? is it even possible? i've tried searching the site, although strangely enough, the word "bearing" shows up a grand total of once, and that was for a wheel. i've heard that removing the swingarm is a royal PITA, so i'm wondering if it would be worth my time. then again, there is a LOT of stiction in that swingarm. with the shock removed, it definitely took more force than i'd like to move the arm. granted, when in use, it moves far easier under my body weight. but i've always heard that smoother is better when it comes to suspension. and seeing as i'll never get 6 inches of travel out of her, quality is better than quantity. hrm... along that line of thought, is there a way to increase the travel of an 856? better left as is?

thanks!
greg

[orange]

Talk to Simon on this forum - he does it - may even do it for you...

[shovelon]

Simon did two of my swingarms and is a big improvement.

But it just may need a regreasing. Try to find OP's swingarm bearing easy-grease procedure. Saved me lots of time and hassle.

Thanks OP!

[willem]

Greg,

I've done a "quick & easy" conversion on one of my 856's using those familiar 3/4" bearing out of a set of rollerblades. (Cheap and very easy to find.) This eliminated any stiction, but added a lot of play in the most critical joint. It also added a little weight.

My advice is if you're determined to do this, do it right. Follow Simon's cookbook to the letter and it should be fine. Watch out, though... some early 856's have the pivot bore off the centerline to fix clearance issues on the frame. They can't be easily converted.

A properly cleaned and lubed pivot is really sweet with virtually no stiction. In fact, it should feel like it has bearings. In relation to the suspension forces, it's a few orders of magnitude less. Not even a detectable difference once you factor in the leverage ratios, etc.

BTW, It's not really that hard to remove a swingarm after you've done it once or twice. Just be sure to keep your parts together!

[Simon]

OK this is what my bearings look like,
http://idriders.com/proflex/galleries/Simon/PHTOpivot.jpg

however it takes a bit of work and is not a straight replacement without a bit of machining,
as Willem mentions not all 856's are as compatable
due to some having an offset pivot,

your best bet which shovelon recommends is a re grease,
also appears the bearing/bush pinch bolts are to tight,
ensure these are set correctly after re greasing,

don't worry about doing this yourself unlike the
Oz 4500 5500 bikes the swingarm is easy to remove
and re fit,but you don't even need to do this just for
a re lube if you just do one side at a time.

Simon.

[rotorhead]

fantastic info, folks! i'll give the bushings a re-grease first and see how that works. i've never taken them apart, so that's more than likely what's going on. also, the pinch bolts may or may not be too tight. i've never touched them myself, but perhaps they were too tight when bought from the shop. good to know the bearings (if needed) are of a common size, hopefully available as sealed. now i only need to find a proper torque wrench to set them right. the wrench i have is a bit overkill (3/4 drive... good for engines, bad for bikes).

other than that, i'm glad to know i'm not the only guy kooky enough to still ride a frame this old. it's got a LOT of life left, so i see no point in putting it out to pasture. that, and everyone that sees it thinks it's the coolest thing on two wheels. i'd have to agree with them!

thanks!
greg

[kiwi]

the pinch bolts should be just tight(or loose enough) to let the swingarm fall slowly under its own weight

[Simon]

Don't forget a dab of loctite 242 (blue) on the pinch bolt threads.

Simon.