Scottie
XS650 Member
Hi Riders, my first post here. Old guy riding since 1960. My son bought me a 1980 XS650SG to give me a project while my fused ankle heals. Yep ... a repair of a 54 year old injury done on a scooter. I have been lurking for about 6 weeks and I want to say this is a great support group. I will contribute as warranted, but right now I need a little advice with the swingarm. Here's the bike
So, the bike is my first XS650. It didn't run when I got it, but it took me about 3 hours to get it running and another day to get it running well. The bike has a PAMCO and the E-Advancer and the pin coupling the advance rod to the camshaft had fallen out and was missing. I made a new pin, timed it and it fired right up. Then pulled the carbs and rebuilt them because the PO had said he rebuilt them...what I figured was the problem when I bought it, but indeed it wasn't. There was some kind of green granules in the bowls, so cleaning was a good idea. I am not able to walk, so I had a friend come over and ride it for me. I have straightened up the wiring and relocated the E-Advancer and have been cleaning the frame, etc. When I pulled the rear wheel, the swingarm has some movement and so I thought it'd be good to replace the bushings. I have read several threads on this and thought I'd share a tool I have and ask advice on my best course of action.
To remove the factory nylon bushings, I have an old tool that works perfect. It is a tapered-thread punch. I simply threaded it into the bushing, held the SA in the vice and tapped it out. Flipped it over and did the other bushing. Here are some pics.
Here's my situation: My pivot bolt is not cracked - I checked it with inspection dye. The pilot shaft was well torqued when I loosened it. The SA fit well to the frame, i.e. it didn't just fall to the ground when I pulled the pivot bolt. There is evidence of wear between the pivot hand the outer tube. The outer tube cleared by old bushings by about 0.002" on each side, so the pivot bolt should have pinched the frame so as to stop the outer tube from rotating. That would mean the outer tube would rotate in the bushings as designed. Still, there was some wear evident. Bushings were worn, outer tube was worn (shiny) where it rotated within the bushings, but also there was wear between the outer tube and the pilot shaft.
I think the way to go with this is to replace the pivot bolt with the solid one, the outer tube, the seals and the bushings and the seals (thrust covers). But that is over $100 at mikesex. My outer tube is probably good despite the wear, and my pivot bolt is also good despite its wear except it has the hollow threaded area issue. So, the question is, is mikesex the way to go? I am concerned the new bushings will not fit my outer tube unless I get a matching outer tube from Mikes and then the pivot bolt I have is hollow. Am I best advised to simply go for the whole kit from Mikes? Or is there an alternative? Scottie
So, the bike is my first XS650. It didn't run when I got it, but it took me about 3 hours to get it running and another day to get it running well. The bike has a PAMCO and the E-Advancer and the pin coupling the advance rod to the camshaft had fallen out and was missing. I made a new pin, timed it and it fired right up. Then pulled the carbs and rebuilt them because the PO had said he rebuilt them...what I figured was the problem when I bought it, but indeed it wasn't. There was some kind of green granules in the bowls, so cleaning was a good idea. I am not able to walk, so I had a friend come over and ride it for me. I have straightened up the wiring and relocated the E-Advancer and have been cleaning the frame, etc. When I pulled the rear wheel, the swingarm has some movement and so I thought it'd be good to replace the bushings. I have read several threads on this and thought I'd share a tool I have and ask advice on my best course of action.
To remove the factory nylon bushings, I have an old tool that works perfect. It is a tapered-thread punch. I simply threaded it into the bushing, held the SA in the vice and tapped it out. Flipped it over and did the other bushing. Here are some pics.
Here's my situation: My pivot bolt is not cracked - I checked it with inspection dye. The pilot shaft was well torqued when I loosened it. The SA fit well to the frame, i.e. it didn't just fall to the ground when I pulled the pivot bolt. There is evidence of wear between the pivot hand the outer tube. The outer tube cleared by old bushings by about 0.002" on each side, so the pivot bolt should have pinched the frame so as to stop the outer tube from rotating. That would mean the outer tube would rotate in the bushings as designed. Still, there was some wear evident. Bushings were worn, outer tube was worn (shiny) where it rotated within the bushings, but also there was wear between the outer tube and the pilot shaft.
I think the way to go with this is to replace the pivot bolt with the solid one, the outer tube, the seals and the bushings and the seals (thrust covers). But that is over $100 at mikesex. My outer tube is probably good despite the wear, and my pivot bolt is also good despite its wear except it has the hollow threaded area issue. So, the question is, is mikesex the way to go? I am concerned the new bushings will not fit my outer tube unless I get a matching outer tube from Mikes and then the pivot bolt I have is hollow. Am I best advised to simply go for the whole kit from Mikes? Or is there an alternative? Scottie