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Rear suspension needle bearings in suspension connecting rod & swingarm (dog bones)

It has put me off buying another aprilia though !

no worries ida..


suzuki bandit, 6000 mile.. 6 outa 8 studs snapped ................ they must use different cheese these days..
 
Not exactly a big deal lol.. chop them buff flat.. drill tap Healey coil.. job done.

I removed my headers last night - front one for the first time.. one came off dead on.. other had rotted from 13mm to 11mm it brought the stud out with.. and the last one had to have a nick slices into the nut and beat off lol surprisingly enough... I was expecting it to be a lot worse..
 
Hello. Thinking of doing my bearings again as am going on a trip later

I have a small amount of play up and down, so want to replace the bearings, some if not all.

Does anyone know the bearing part number so I don't have to go via aprilia ???

Many thanks in advance
 
[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/banditfister2/media/imagesCA2BG2NQ.jpg.html][IMG]

Crikey there's alway some feck in problems on the Apes.
But so as you don't feel left out. My newly acquired XT660R which replaced the la'al XT225 SEROW has round header bolts with 7mm Allen bolt heads. Which when I tried to loosen them to give down pipes a dismantle clean up just disintegrated! Well known XT Problem a aggro! Just when you think you'll have no issues something comes along to make your nights in the workshop longer lol. Oh Yeh shine round and now no Allen key hole just a rusty pulp of round hole :-/
 
The Hornets are worse as they be older.

Well even though I greased the bearing last year, they were dirty and now gone. Still had grease, but just dirty again. A bit orange so assume the seals have failed. Orderd new bearings from Simply Bearings and some new seals. My pins have wear marks on them, one has a dimple (ahh how nice)...now then....do I use new pins...Ape want a bit for them and I'm a tight sod cos saving my pennies for new house etc...decisions...
 
All done. the play is now a mere rattle while the bike is jacked up. thanks for info guys :thumbup
 
if you dinnae hae an Abba type stand or yer roofs nae strong enough you can insert to long rods or bolts into the holes each side o the frame at he swing arm pivot ( ah actually used two o my long reach T Bar Allen keys) and chock it up on blocks.

I did it this way worked a treat. Firstly put bike on rear paddock stand and use this to lower onto the pile o blocks, or whatever ye have tae hand, to land the bike on tae yer blocks. Pack the blocks up as close as ye can before ye drop the paddock stand to get max lift.

Thanks guys for all the great info on this thread, and especially for this tip Rico.

I can say it works a treat, and is a dodle to do. See pic below. A bar of 12mm diameter fits perfectly. But long Allen keys of about 10mm (AF) will also work fine.

I also removed the front panel between radiators and loosened front exhaust stud nuts a few turns to get collector off front pipe. Relatively easy to do too, and a lot less hassle than loosening the rear exhaust header pipe. Will replace front exhaust stud nuts with new galvanised (or stainless) ones to stop further rust deterioration.

IMG_20150926_162045.jpg

All I need now is to rig up a jig to press the old bearings out, (and push news ones in) as the one nearest the rear wheel was shot. This is the one that gets all the spray from the road. If this ones good the rest should be fine too.

Also checking for a UK supplier of Teflon washers... perchance anyone can recommend one.
 
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All I need now is to rig up a jig to press the old bearings out, (and push news ones in) as the one nearest the rear wheel was shot.

I did mine recently. All that yer need is a length of m10 screwed rod, some m10 nuts, a couple of penny washers (mudguard washers) and yer socket set.

Cut the screwed rod to length and use a socket the correct size (think mine was a 15 or 17mm) that fits the internal size of the dog bone, pass the rod through and stick the washer and nut on and start tightening the nut.

You can drift the old bearings out nae problem, just need a bit of rod or a fecked screwdriver.
 
"Also checking for a UK supplier of Teflon washers... perchance anyone can recommend one".

Think i bought some from Spoonz over on rsvr...

aprilia.me Forums

Only a few pence and keeps all the crap out :)

As above a bolt or screwed rod to remove the bearings.... or a vice if you have access to one...
 
Thanks chaps.

Yes, just ordered set of Teflon washers from 'Spooky' (£6 + few pence) for set of 6 incl. postage. And ordered some Carlube 'Aquaslip' Marine/waterproof grease from eBay for £5 + postage.

Won't be long now and the jigsaws should be back together and ready to run.

What with new silencer and new -1 (16 tooth) front sprocket, can't wait to give do a 'test' run!
 
Couple of questions:

For a Gen1, is the hole through;
- each end of the dog bone, and also,
- through the underside of the swingarm
... bored through all the way at the same diameter? (I.e. no step, so bearings can push through all the way?)

I presume so... but need to be 100% sure before applying more pressure. :)

I assume best way to reinsert new bearings is to pull in from opposition sides, and use a suitably thick washer between bearing and puller, to allow sealing washer to be inserted afterwards.

There appears to be a gap between both bearings, so it's not possible to push both new bearings in from the same side, and end up with them both at the correct outer positions.

Agreed?
- Hope that makes sense...
 
Wholes are the same bore.... no step

You can put the bearings in from either side. If you put them in from the side they sit you won't have to push / pull them as far.

There is a gap between them.

Measure the gap at the seal end & push them in slowly from the seal end and you can't go wrong...

This is for a Gen 2 .. pretty sure Gen 1 is the same

Good luck :)
 
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