So I'm feelin' pretty stupid or stumped on my swingarm bushings.

[raven2345]

I never looked too closely at my swingarm, but I can't for the life of me figure out what I'm missing. I'm going to assume the new bronze bushings go into either side of the swingarm. Well, it looks as if I already have some sort of replacement metal bushings? And, what is in the swingarm right now, has a much smaller diameter hole than the bronze bushings. I really doubt the PO would have done that, as he did not ride the bike for almost 20 years. I'll try to get a picture ASAP, but I think I might have spent a needless money. Oh well.

 

[jetero41]

prettys stupid ??? Try 20 kicks with the right side plug wire hanging.......
Wish I could help with your question....

 

[Maddog Marty]

Hmmm, I've not done this particular operation to any XS yet but it seems to me that you remove the stock/standard bushings and replace them with the new bronze ones. But if the inside diameter hole is smaller that is odd, indeed, unless there were different ones for different years/models. I'm sure those in the know will chime in soon, then we can both learn from it. I have a set of bronze bushings myself waiting to go into my bike...

 

[xjwmx]

Could be it has the plastic bushings, but the metal and the smaller holes you see are in the end caps that go over the bushings. The hole in that is the same size as the bolt. The actual bushings have a hole that's big enough for a tube that that bolt goes through.

 

[raven2345]

Jetero, I've been in that same boat too. A little worse, even. Trying to start my car with the wire from the coil to dizzy off, or a breaker bar on my crank pulley nut and popping the pulley loose, and replacing my ECU with an SOHC instad of the DOHC. Now my motor is getting rebuilt.

Maddog, I figured it was that easy, but I'm just not feelin' any plastic bushings...

Xj, I did notice that it looks like there may be some sort of cap... I'll go check it out again. Maybe this time with a mallet and flathead...

 

[xjwmx]

^Yes, tap the caps off and you'll probably see the plastic bushings. Save and reuse the caps if you didn't get new ones.

 

[raven2345]

Well, now I'm not so sure... I can see a seperation at either end of the swingarm, but both sides, in and out just feel like complete metal. Not sure where the camera is at the moment, but I'll try and post a pic tomorrow.

 

[gggGary]

Her's the parts blow up

This thread covers a lot of the usual issues
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2887

 

[raven2345]

Gary, just to start from page 1, #2 in the diagram is what we all replace, right? and without #7 and #4 in the way, #2 becomes the end of the swing arm pivot, correct? Because the #2 on my swing arm, definitely does not feel like any sort of plastic...

 

[xjwmx]

^All correct. I think #7 is an optional shim; mine didn't have one or need one. As far as what you have, it's sounding like it's been modified already, but maybe not so well? A pic is worth 100^10 words.

Scrape it and see if it's the color of bronze. Put a magnet on it and see if it's steel...

 

[raven2345]

I'm thinking now that it has been modified. The only reason I think against that, is the PO didn't ride the bike very much. It still even has the tires from '75. I'm still looking for my camera too. Hahah

 

[xjwmx]

I'm still looking for my camera too. Hahah

Sound like my brother. A place for everything and everything in it's place

 

[raven2345]

Man you don't even know how often I lose track of things. My phone was dead and in my bookbag for two days, it usually takes me about ten minutes to find my screwdriver anytime I set it down, blah blah. Lol but yea, apparently my mom has the camera with her at the moment.

Anyways, I've tapped the "bushing" and get a nice metal ding out of it and I've even hit it head on with a screwdriver and it makes a little dent. So somehow I already have some sort of metal bushings, or the plastic is super hard.

 

[Dakota_Lew]

Yea I just did my swing arm bushing's a couple of weeks ago, the seals (part 4) I just threw away, my motto is if I have it ripped apart to begin with it gets replace out courtesy to a 30+ year old bike. Once you pop those seals off the bushing will be obvious. I had a serious problem though the PO didn't grease it worth a damn so that bushing was like cement in swing arm and stuck on the pivot sleeve (part 3). I heated it and pounded on it to no avail. I got fed up and did a little "garage chemistry" and soaked it for 24 hours to try and break up the rust that was holding it. I ended up getting it semi lose after soaking it, then took the bushing tool and pounded it out the rest of the way, took about 30 minutes but we got it out. Bottom line, it was a nightmare for me but that was just bad maintenance from the PO and it was a Minnesota bike, and Minnesota's winter road maintenance are notoriously hard on vehicles.

Here is a horrible picture i took when i first pulled it out, its off my phone so I apologize its not the greatest but it wasn't meant to post. You can see the bushing still glued on to one side. Might give you a better idea.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[xjwmx]

somehow I already have some sort of metal bushings, or the plastic is super hard.

Put a meter on it and see if it will conduct electricity.

 

[raven2345]

I take it the lipped end of the bushing that's exposed on the end of the swingarm was already broken off or something like that?

 

[Gordon]

The plastic bushing's from the factory are very hard, and will feel like metal. Often time's they are so rusted into the swingarm that it take's two bull's and a man to get them out. I presume you allready have new bushing's so you might as well replace them , esp. if you have it apart. How I did it was I drove a long 1/2" drive extension in from the other side with a socket that just fit through the bushing.

 

[raven2345]

Xj, the volt meter was a great idea. I just used the multimeter and tested for continuity, and got none at all.

Gordon, I do indeed have the new bushings. Now just to see whether or not I have my half drive extension on me. I hate letting people borrow my tools.

 

[weekendrider]

Put a torch on them. If original they will burn.

 

[gggGary]

Yeah heat is your friend. slitting the bushings with a hacksaw blade can help too. I use 1/2" extensions as drifts and regret it about every time. Is #3 out? my ho-made tool shown towards the end of the thread works pretty good, is easy to make and saves a socket extension from getting beat up.