hi all,
so my bike failed the mot as ‘rear suspension bearing has excessive free play’
even this is what’s in the paper basically there is too much side to side movement if the swingarm, it’s quite a lot, the guy told me it could be the bearings even it seems like some spacer is missing…
any if you had a similar issue before?
i’m wondering whether is possible to do a quick check simply removing the axle without taking wheel ans suspensions off…
Try tweaking the swingarm axle and all your suspension linkages to make sure everything is tight…
The tester has felt free play so the problem is there… You might have worn needle bearings in your swinger. Quite an involved job to change them but it can be done…
Had to do those on a couple of bikes . Aprilia required the dog bone replaced … Old yamaha XS I dropped out the swingarm and shoved a spacer in … sorted 
. Its not very difficult depending on the type of bike … Some you can do quite easily by just swinging the arm back on the suspension linkages some you need to remove them . It depends what bike you have ??
i’ll try today to tighten all the bolts involved even though they seemed fine…
it’s a cb400sf and i’ll try to upload the page of the manual to show you how it is…
hold on…
here…
That just gave me an error message … But CB400 is a twin shock ?? That makes it pretty easy . Chances are you bushes that push in the ends of the holes of your swingarm that the spindle goes through are worn out . Best … replace bushes … Desperate MOT pass bodge job … tempoary spacers … then new bushes once you order them .
ok it doesn’t work,
basically this is the order from left to right:
collar, pivot
dust seal
needle bearing
center pivot distance
2 bearings, radial ball
circlip, internal
oil seal
collar
my concerne is if there is any way to detect the issue without taking all these parts out from the swingarm…
Best case as I said … Collars/bushes are worn out … Its the most likley part to be fooked if its side to side play only .You still gotta pull out the spindle and drop the arm away from the frame . If your having it out it best to give the rest a check over and savage application of grease , It would be silly not to .
You need to get in there and have a look mate… Get someone to wiggle it and see if you can spot exactly where the play is…
the tester actually told me the felt like there were some spacers worn or missing so it may be like you said, the bushes
i really was hoping to detect the problem without taking the swingarm off, this would involve taking the wheel and then the suspensions off first, right?
yeah cb400sf has twin shocks
http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-cb400f-super-sport-400-four-k0-usa_model444/partslist/F++13.html
Parts 8 are the bit that is likely to be fooked and causing side to side . Although there is the potential for a washer or 2 maybe missing that could also cause it . Old bikes … you never really know till you pull it apart .
Take the swingarm off, pull the spacers out and stick them in some calipers to see if they’re within tolerance…
That or just buy some new ones as above…
And yes your is the newer model but it wont have changed much … Twin shock is be as twin shock is . Where in London are you ? To be honest I think youyr tester is a good bloke and is giving you the hint to fire a bodgy spacer in there and he will pass it
thank you both guys, you are always helpful,
i’ll try to do some more test this evening and i let you know…
the mot station is near putney bridge, they are very nice and also last year they gave me some tips with the previous bike…
Oooo well would ya look at that … the newer ones are even simpler . Having now looked . Could just be a split dust seal . Them bearings will need a grease and probably replaced … But a spacer will get it MOT pass .
No worries mate, hope you’re back on the road soon! 
Oh and any sign of that milling machine heading towards your garage? You’re in for some gin if you get it running…
Nope :crying: Still got a hornet in the way .
If i manage to sort the mot simply fitting the spacers, who sells them? what material should i buy?
Well… there are 2 ways of going about it … The worst way is got get some good heavy string and wrap it around between swingarm and frame then cover it in grease to hide it and dont ride far .
The much much better way is to find out the size of the hole in the dust seals and then buy or make some metel washers that will fit in there . A drilled out 2 pence coin or 2 would probably do it . But you need to know how big a hole you need to drill .
