Topic: Swing Arm Bushing Removal

[The Gurg]

Hey all-
Trying to get these swing arm bushings out. Cut through them with a hacksaw using the method described in Hondaman’s book. Also rented a blind bearing puller from Napa (fits inside the bushings perfectly). Not coming out using the puller with the small amount of material left in the two cuts in each bushing.

Hesitant to go further and cut into the swing arm a tiny bit. Any other ideas or should I just take the plunge and keep sawing? Saw a trick of using canned air (used to clean computer parts) to cool down parts. Thought about trying that.

Any advice?

[BenelliSEI]

You are doing all the right stuff! Carefully make sure both cuts are cleanly through the busing. A small “scar” on the swing arm won’t do any real harm, you can clean it up afterwards. I’d get the small section of bushing hot with a propane torch and then let it cool completely. It should just tap out after that, and the other section might need the same treatment....... persevere 😡

[bryanj]

Good this plastic aint it! Basically brute force is the only way, amazing that the steel coller wears more than the plastic bushes

[The Lone Builder]

It’s easy to think you’re all the way through the bushing when you’re not quite. As said earlier, a small cut in the swing arm isn’t serious, so be brave, cut all the way through!

Once you’re sure you are through, heat it till it’s almost glowing and then try to drive, with a big hammer, a small chisel in behind the bushing. It will then collapse in on itself, or you can cut it out piece by piece with the chisel.

Persevere, you’ll get there

[The Gurg]

Thanks for the encouragement all!

Can definitely see that I’m not quite through the bushings. I did try to chisel out the piece with a flathead screw drive and rubber mallet. Assuming I don’t try to get under the piece, just hit it square on.

The overuse of painter’s tape is to protect the powder coating. Bushings should have come out before oops. Read that over 200F can smudge the power coating if you handle the part. Have a MAPP gas torch and propane on hand, assuming propane would be better (mapp gas burns slightly hotter).

Should I use gas with the powder coating?

[pjlogue]

My suggestion is to get yourself a length of 1/2" round steel stock and cut it about 8"-10" longer than the width of the swing arm.  Make the cut at a slight angle ~5-01 degrees.  Get your self a heavy 2-3 Lb hammer and position the slightly longer end of the rod through the opposite side of the swing arm and get a good footing on the edge of the bushing and give it a solid smack.  You want all the energy in the hammer to go into the end of the rod.  Just keep doing this and alternate the side of the bushing you pound on.  If the end of the rod rounds over renew the edge with a file or bench grinder.  It will eventually come out.  This method has never failed me when bearing pullers have.

-P.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I used a 3/8" rachet extension's square corner edge and a hammer to tap them out from the opposite side.

[Alan F.]

Once you've sawn through the bushing should lose tension and your saw cut will appear visually narrower. You'll also feel the difference when your hacksaw is through and its teeth are against against the steel swingarm. Compare it to digging with a shovel in dirt, you know when you've hit a rock.

[Tom C]

I'm glad that I removed the bushings from the CB350f and CT90 swingarms that I've had powder coated!  I think that next time I'll install the new bushings before powder coating. 

I was able to bash them out from the opposite side using a metal rod and a big hammer.  I have heard that the use of an impact hammer can make the job easier - anybody out there ever used an impact hammer to remove swingarm bushings?

Good luck with you bushing extraction! and installation....