Hi Gang I have The Riot in bits again. Hopefully just some long over due spannering.
I have sent the rear shock off to be refurbed (poss replaced) and I have stripped out the linkages. The bearings look past there best on this part, 1 bearing feels gritty, its gotten rusty judging by the colour of the oil I’ve just soaked through it and the other bearing feels like it runs tight then loser (not loose). Is it normal practice to send this away for new bearings or get a new linkage?
just sorted this on my KTM 620 mate, mine were rusty and falling apart!!
its worth finding out how much the whole thing is as the bearings aint cheap on there own.
it did the same on my GSXR and the bearings where 85 quid and the whole unit was 120.
Its tricky to get them out, on the gixer there really thin but on the KTM there meaty, yours look meaty, that makes it easyer.
you have to press them out and use a bit off heat to losen them up.
I used 2 sockets and a vice plus a blow torch.
you need a socket a bit bigger that the bearing on one side and one the same size as the outer race of the bearing on the other.
if you havent got the kit its a bit of a pain, you could get the bearings and take it to a bike shop, im shure they would only charge like 10 or 20 quid maybe 30 to do the work but then you into the price of the whole unit already put together.
I’d say once the bearings are out it would be worth taking them along to a trade supplier and see if they can match em up, i normally use bearing traders and they have always bin alright with small cash orders.
Top posting Gang! Thank you. I think that Chunky Monkey once recommended http://www.bearingtraders.com/ too. I’ll check tomo what the new price is as suggested and make some decisions. The small rusty bearing in there is a rubber mounted affair. Feels like ball bearings rather than needles like t’other one?
Its so weird looking at these parts being silver in colour, they’ve been covered in oily crud for so long! Look at the colour of that swing arm!
Interesting post and replies fellas (for me anyway) - I’m going to be inspecting and probably replacing the bearings on my ZX7R’s swingarm+suspension linkage - plus I’m gonna have to look at the head race bearings - (e.g. the bike makes a strange clunking noise just after I put the brakes on - it’s nothing to do with the brakes so I guess it’s the head bearings).
Frankly I’m not looking forward to any of it and will probably drop the swingarm off with some professionals to extract and replace the bearings - I didn’t realise bearings were so expensive Adz! (feck :crazy: ) - i’ll definitely be trying bearingtraders first!
Hope you get the riot back together without any aggravation Sneaky .
I forgot to call Len Wade M/C’s to see how much the new linkages are. GS Jetech in South Wooford have the rear shock. I saw this on fleabay, GS can get the same for a few quid less. Mark checked it out, these are Showa units. £152 for the new one or about £90 to rebuild the old…assuming it aint mullered?
Its about 50notes for a full bearing kit and they want an hours labour at £40 odd. I think my time is prolly worth more than that and I may just get them to do it?
Dude I have the same problem with my gixer at the minute! Ive just spent an afternoon with B from BM Race science who has had a look at dialing in a suspension set up for me. Him and Les reckon its my fork internals nocking as aposed to the race bearings. So id double check with someone before getting the bearing replaced.
Hold your front brake in and give your forks a shove? …clicking??? Mine foookin does
or alternatively check your head by getting someone to take the weight off the wheel and check the freeplay by holding the fork legs and rocking them back and forth?
Thanks so much for this info Ry - i’ll definitely check this out - you may have saved me a lot of trouble - cheers mate!
Personally if it’s the kind of job that you do relatively rarely - and requires the the use of special (expensive) tools that you won’t use again for ages or can be difficult (e.g. bearings can be a bugger to extract/insert) - then i’d drop the bits off with someone who does it for a living - you’ve already done one of the most important money saving parts of the job by dismantling the bike yourself.
The new shock is at GS Jetech and they’ve done the bearings in the linkages! Mrs McC should collect tomo and my baby is on the road for the weekend!:w00t: Unless I break summit’else?:pinch:
Thank you. I think that Chunky Monkey once recommended 
Look at the colour of that swing arm!
