Ive decided im going to try and see if i can re-grease the swing arm bearings and head race bearings over christmas as they have never been done to my knowledge yet. However ive never done this before but im up for doing it but wanting to see if i need anything special bar standard spanners and ignorance

Also wondering if anyone can link me to the rest of these guide notes

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?...ght=suspension

Also wondering if there are any guides like this for regreasing the head race bearings?

Had a quick search and cant see to find any.

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Plough on

Part 1: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20735

Part 2: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20736

Part 3: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20737

Part 4: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20738

Service your steering head bearings: http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=12483

All the tools needed (or ways to get round needing them) are covered at various points within the threads, just read them though before you start.

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Cheers buddy that will give me some reading tomorrow while waiting on the girlfriend while she has to work and i get to put my feet up!!!

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Ehhh ehhh I've been a bit ham fisted and still can't get the swing arm bolt to come out!!! I've tried my best to drift it out but am now knackering the nut and also a socket head which I'm busing to help not damage the threads on the bolt anymore. I've sprayed around each end as much as I can with wd40 but nothings moved.

any suggestions?

I've got the main suspension linkage out (triangle bit with 3 bearings) so I'm nearly there now just need the swing arm out.

also anyone know where I can get a new swing arm nut/bolt from?

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Plough on

They do seize up I'm afraid. Sometimes the only course of action is brute force and ignorance and as a result you may well have to sacrifice the the pivot bolt (which is highly likely to be corroded anyway). Laying the bike on its side can sometimes help give you a better whack at it?

OE parts I always get from here.

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I'd put it on it's side and spray sparingly with WD40 and leave overnight to allow time for it to seep down in.

After that keep the nut on,but screwed out some and bang away at it. As stated you might just have to get a new one and it'll be easier to whack whilst on it's side.





.

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The Suit:What would you consider to be your greatest weakness?
Me: Honesty.
The Suit: Honesty? I don't think honesty could be construed as a weakness.
Me: I don't give a f**k what you think.

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Apply some heat with a blow lamp, or your missus creme br�l�e burner

WD40 isn't a great penetrating oil. Either use PlusGas or the graphite type of penetrating oil (Toolstation sell no-brand stuff fairly cheap). Although to be frank, I'm not 100% sure that penetrating oil will do much good in this case.

Neither do I think the small amount of heat available from a blowlamp would work given the huge heat sink effect of frame, swingarm etc. Possibly a gas welding torch but it is a bit medieval in that location.

I assume the pivot bolt nut can be removed but the bolt itself is seized in and won't rotate?

If that's the case I would apply a long breaker bar to the end of the bolt; if that doesn't work then an air driven impact gun - sometimes called a "rattle gun". The compressor and guns you can get from Lidl or Aldi are not usually man enough for this kind of job but you may be lucky if you can borrow one.

If you haven't got a man enough air impact gun, reassemble the bike and take a trip to one of the independent tyre fitting places (don't bother with Kwik Fit and their ilk - robbing B'strds).

Ask the friendly tyre fitter to apply one of their impact sockets and gun to loosen it off (remove the nut first, then refit when the bolt is loose).

This may cost you a couple of pints for the fitter but will be easier and less destructive.

It's what I used to do when I was faced with a stuck 36mm hub nut on VW campers - absolute sods....

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Simon

Brighton, UK

If you've got the relay arm (triangle bit) out, I'd suggest trying to knock the swing arm bolt back in. Sounds like it has seized on a corroded section of the bolt.

Remove all corrosion on the visible parts of the bolt and apply cooper grease before trying to knock it back in. If you do manage to knock it back in you can use a strip of emery cloth to clean the remaining portions of the bolt. You can get to it in the gap created by removing the relay arm. Clean the corrosion off in small stages and lubricate the bolt with copper grease before trying to move it again (in or out).

Also check that you have not deformed the threaded end of the bolt so much that it will not pass through the hole anymore. If this is the case it may need to be cut out! It's a big bolt so should be okay but worth checking.

I did mine last summer and it was a proper barsteward.

When you do get it out, remember to clean and lubricate the holes in the frame before trying to install the new bolt.

Another thing to do at this point is clean and inspect your relay arm for cracks. My 2011 relay arm was covered in them at 3000 miles. I'll try to get a photo and upload to show you what I mean.

Good luck!

Sandman.

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2011 XT660Z, in BLACK of course!
Mods done:
Lost the will to keep track!

I can get the nut off but the bolt is completely stuck, I've tried to get a socket on the head of the bolt with a large bar but it's a thin head so keeps slipping off. I've already battered the nut that much it's now stripped the threads and the bolts not shifted.

I might try and lie the bike over on its rhs one evening and just full the nut cut out in the frame with wd40 and get my sledge hammer and drift out.

I've already ordered a new bolt so once this ones out it's staying out

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Plough on