Swing arm bushings

[countryboy10]

Hey I'm new to the forum and new to xs650's. I recently got a 82 xs650 and while I was installing new lights I happen to grab the rear tire and the swing arm moved. It looks like the bushing are bad. I know bronze bushing are on mikes xs for it and was wondering is it something that needs to be replaced ASAP or can it wait till next winter? I'm ready to start riding.

 

[Street Tracker]

I would check the bolt torque and check everything and tighten it back up. They all wobble stock so most are ridden this way for years. It is a handling issue that is not comfortable at high speed its worse! I don't know how much your is wobbling either so you can take it from there.

 

[countryboy10]

Alright thanks. Mine does shake at like 65-70 I think. My spedo is broken so I'm not sure on the speed. I checked the nut and it is tight. I'm just going to be riding the bike on back roads and to work which isn't on any major roads so I think it will be ok for this riding season

 

[Street Tracker]

just be safe we want you riding not having to use obamacare!

 

[pahako]

It could most likely wait, but it is not difficult to replace them. Just need to take off the rear tire and swing arm. I replaced mine (not ever having done it before) in less than a couple of hours. Could probably do it much quicker now that I know what is involved.

 

[CDNTX650]

they are easy to do. Clean out the holes in the swinger quickly with a dremel and sanding drum, piece of 1/2inch rod and nuts. Grease em a little and use the rod and nuts to draw them in. took me more time to get the tire and swinger off.

 

[countryboy10]

I was thinking about putting the bushings in the freezer to shrink them and heat the arm up a little to expand it and tap them in with a rubber hammer

 

[rusty rocket]

I was thinking about putting the bushings in the freezer to shrink them and heat the arm up a little to expand it and tap them in with a rubber hammer

I've heard that is a no no. MMM from 650 central told me to use a 1/2 piece of ready rod and two nuts and draw the bushings into the swing arm. Havnt done it yet but MMM knows his shit

 

[CDNTX650]

I tried that way with a mallet....all i did was wreck one cause i couldnt get it more than half way in. So i have one extra now. The redi rod way is super easy.

 

[countryboy10]

Go to 5:00 and watch.
I use the freezer thing with a lot of stuff to slip bearings and stuff on. Maybe u didnt leave in long enough. I've never replaced a motorcycle swing arm bushing before maybe it's different, it worked for this guy though

 

[CDNTX650]

I left them in overnight. There was no way it was going in. the redi rod took 5 minutes

 

[pahako]

Maybe I just got lucky, but mine went in with no problems. I put a piece of wood over the bushing and hit it with a hammer, and they went right in.

 

[jdizon]

I was thinking about putting the bushings in the freezer to shrink them and heat the arm up a little to expand it and tap them in with a rubber hammer

This works fine. I just did mine 2 weeks ago and slipped right in after freezing. Some people have complained about the Mikexs bushing and having to ream them to fit cylinder/sleeve after they're in. I'm one of them.

I used a flapped disk on mine so cylinders rotate freely.

 

[countryboy10]

Well I finally got around to putting the bushings in. I got busy and forgot about the bushings in the freezer so they where in there a few days. But they went right in. One went in with a couple hits of the hammer the other went half way in so I used the rod the rest of the way, and the sleeve I got from mikes xs along with the bushing fit together nicely not to tight not to loose.

And does anyone know the swing arm and axle nut torgue? Also the front axle pinch nuts and axle nut? I know some people said the factory torque was to tight for the axle

 

[5twins]

All the torque values are given in the factory shop manual which is on-line here for free. Go the the "Chassis" chapter .....

http://www.biker.net/650_service/650service main.html

Axle nuts are pretty near impossible to set at the spec because it is given as a single number value. The axle nut is a castle style and must be aligned with holes through the axle to fit the cotter key. Chances are, that won't happen exactly when the given torque spec is reached. You'll need to make the nut a little tighter or looser to align the holes and get the cotter pin in. Yamaha should have speced the torque value as a range so at least you'd have some chance of aligning the cotter pin holes and being in the torque range.