Topic: Swingarm Question

[KB02]

I'm ready now to bring my stuff to the powder coaters, but before I do, I need to take out the bushings and everything from the swingarm. I looked in the Honda service manual and it doesn't seem to say "How" you do this.

Any tips?

[Alan F.]

Hey KB, there was a recent thread where a member was having trouble getting the collar out of his swingarm, he soaked it in a 50/50 mix of acetone and tranny fluid for a weekend and it tapped out with little resistance (he was having trouble pressing it out if I remember correctly)
The bushings I understand are best removed by cutting a slot in them with a hand-held hacksaw blade, once a slot is cut in the bushings they're no longer a press fit in their bores and are easily removed.

Hope this helps.
-Alan

[ksmith0034]

YES!!!  Take the bushings out FIRST! 
I had my swingarm chromed before taking the bushings out, then decided to replace them.  Guess what - I STILL can't get those stupid things out.  I hammered and pulled, but to no avail.  I tried cutting them from the inside, but got into the swingarm a bit and stopped.  I don't have a clue what to do now.
So learn from my mistake:  take the bushings out FIRST.

[MCRider]

YES!!!  Take the bushings out FIRST! 
I had my swingarm chromed before taking the bushings out, then decided to replace them.  Guess what - I STILL can't get those stupid things out.  I hammered and pulled, but to no avail.  I tried cutting them from the inside, but got into the swingarm a bit and stopped.  I don't have a clue what to do now.
So learn from my mistake:  take the bushings out FIRST.

Guessing that there is a lip of chrome keeping the bushing from coming out?  even so it likely would't come out without cutting.

A rather extreme but perhaps necessary fix would be to get it to a machine shop. They could set it up in a mill and bore out the bushing, chrome lip etc. Care would be to not bore to far in diameter nor too far in depth.

Sounds like you may need the help of HondaMan.

[WHALEMAN]

When I had mine powdercoated I also removed and replaced with new the bottom shock mount bushes which have rubber in them. Not real easy to get out and press new in. Dan

[rhinoracer]

It shouldn't make any differencce, I changed mine after the powdercoating and they came out easily.

What I did was take a proper size flat washer (the ones for 3/8" bolts fit almost perfect in the swingarm bore).

I ground two flats on the washer to slide it thru the bushings - don't grind more than needed to fit the I.D. of the bushings.

I slid the ground washer thru the bushing and once inside rotated it so the un-ground sides of the washer grabbed the bushing from the inside and hammered away with a 5lb sledge hammer and the largest drift punch that will fit thru the opposite side.

Three things:
1. Make sure you use some lube especially thru the bottom where the bushing is sliding to.
2. Size does matter. I tried a 1.5 lb, a 3 lb and a 5 lb sledge hammer. The smaller ones banged at the washer and distorted it, the 5 lb gave it a solid 'thunk' and got the bushings moving.
And 3. If you're into buying tools you'll only use once they sell bearing extractors so you don't have to fabricate.

[KB02]

16 oz Eastwig Hammer and the right sized socket the bushing came right out. Getting those fiberous end caps out was a pain in the but... hey, I wanted to replace those anyway...