Service your swingarm

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Groenie

Grey Hound
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
5,941
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Bike
Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
One reason the KLR is so cheap is because Kawa saves money wherever they can. R1 on each wheel bearing by not installing double sealed bearings, a few cents by not putting any grease anywhere.....

That's where the swingarm comes in. I have a 2006 in the grudge at the moment and the swingarm needed some lube. Getting most of the bolts and shafts out is a PITA, but the the big one, going through the knuckle is the main problem. The frame has "drain holes", but they only serve to let water in. Couple that with riding in the rain or water crossings and the total lack of any grease and you get a shaft that looks like this





You moer it with your biggest hammer and it won't budge. You need to make a tool and use some special muti - Acetone and ATF. The tool is basically two 10mm plates, some high tension threaded rod and a big bolt.



You have to loosen the rear engine mount in any case, so take it out completely and stick the one rod through that hole, like this



On the other side, where you need to apply pressure, it looks like this



Now you spray the muti into every hole or gap around the shaft and apply pressure, lots of it. It doesn't let go, especially after 8 years and 70 000km like this bike. Then you leave it and just moer the tensioning bolt with your big hammer every time you walk past. It will let go with a bang! Eventually..... This one let go after 3 days. On Malibu's bike, it took 2 weeks.....


And, NO, you can't borrow my tool.
 
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