Topic: powdercoating swingarm.... How to dismantle?

[Elniniomuchachos]

I'm going to have my frame and swing arm powdercoated next week. I need to know how to dismantle the swingarm. (get the bushings out, and everything else.

[bollingball]

I wonder what bike you have and did you download the manual from this site? You know that book with all the pictures in it with instructions on how things come apart

[markb]

The manual will help you remove the swingarm from the frame but getting the bushings out is a different matter.  The rear bushings can be a PITA.  I made up a tool to remove them.


You can accomplish the same thing with the right size sockets and some threaded rod and nuts.


For the bushings on the pivot shaft I use a piece of aluminum rod inserted in one end to reach the bushing on the other end and a hammer to tap it out.  The aluminum is soft enough that it won't damage the swing arm and I always replace the bushings anyway.  If someone has a better way to do this please chime in.  I'd like to learn a better way.
Mark

[Elniniomuchachos]

The bike is a 76 550.  So I'm guessing there is a space between the front bushing and the collar to be able to push them out?

[markb]

I should have waited for your reply on the bike, mine's 750.  But I believe it's similar.  This might be a good time to check the manual.  You can probably down load one from this site.  I'm guessing what you're calling the collar just pulls off.

[Really?]

Bookmarking.  I am thinking about doing the same thing with the swingarm.

[stueveone]

I am in the process of doing this very thing!
I, very slowly and gently, cut a notch most/all of the way through the swing arm bushing with a hacksaw and then used a metal bar inserted in one side to knock out the opposite side bushing. Went pretty well. Just go easy with the hacksaw so you don't go through the bushing all the way and mar up the swing arm.

I'm having Hondman do the bushing rebuild as every other option seems to involve planets aligning and voodoo spells. . . 

[MCRider]

The shock bushings do not have to come out, check with your powder coat guy. He has to mask the hole off anyway so you can get the bushings back in, so little point. And you risk chipping the coat putting them back in. Though the threaded rod tool is probably pretty slick.

I had mine chromed with the bushings in...twice.  They are tough, but again confirm with your PC guy, his opinion should be higher than mine.

The "collar" if we are talking about the thing that is actually called the collar, is the pivot pipe which runs the width of the swingarm pivot tube, and is completely removable, assuming it hasn't seized to the old bushings.

[stueveone]

"The shock bushings do not have to come out, check with your powder coat guy. He has to mask the hole off anyway so you can get the bushings back in, so little point. And you risk chipping the coat putting them back in. Though the threaded rod tool is probably pretty slick.

I had mine chromed with the bushings in...twice."

You know, I was thinking the same thing, but I just asked my powder coat guy a few weeks ago, West Coast Powder Coat, here in SF, and he recommended not having the bushings in, saying "unless they can withstand 400-800 degree temperatures.

So. . . which is worse? Chipped powdercoat or warped bushings?

[MCRider]

So he didn't really know either. If no one in the loop has experience, then they have to come out. I'm pretty sure people here have powdercoated without removing them, I certainly don't read much about removing the bushes though I do read people are PCing their swingarms.

My experience with chroming is not applicable as chrome doesn't get baked, but its a pretty nasty process otherwise.

So I guess I'm fishing for someone with experience.

[Flying J]

I listen in as i will be doing my swingarm when i get to the frame.

[Elniniomuchachos]

Alright, So I just removed the shock bushings. Fairly easily... I used a 13mm socket pushed up against the bushing, with a 7/8 socket on the other side. I put this whole mess into a vice and cranked it down. This pushed out the bushings. Worked pretty well.

Now... For the actual swing arm bushings...

Any Ideas?

[markb]

I use my removal tool to reinstall bushings too.  Or you can use a piece of threaded rod and sockets again to gently install the bushings after powder coating or painting.  Just be carefull when the bushing gets close to flush.  It helps to use a socket on the outside that just smaller than the hole for the bushing then you won't mess up the finished surface.

[Elniniomuchachos]

Yeah, I've got that part all figured out.
Now I need to figure out the pivot bushings. I think that the swing arm I am working on is from a 77 F (or 76F?). (I had 4 bikes, and picked the one that looked to be in the best condition.) Should I use the 76 Swing arm? Or does it matter?

Thanks guys for the help

[bollingball]

http://honda.westernhillshondayamaha.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=123149&category=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=1976&fveh=2943 Does this help

[bollingball]

The center collar is between the bushings on the later model they are a fiber type not to hard to get out don't worry about saving them once you get the first one out you can drive the other out with a brass drift or soft pipe. you can order oilite new ones as said earlier getting everything lined up is the trick. Not only do the bushes have to line up with each other but also be on line with the swingarm sort of like line boring engine main bearings. You may want to consider the HondaMan upgrade he does all this stuff plus a lot more like making sure the grease goes where it is suppose to and I think make sure the front is lined up with the rear axle

[Elniniomuchachos]

Is the grease fitting pressed in? I attempted to remove it with a wrench but wouldn't budge

[bollingball]

It has been awhile but I think it is threaded either way it should turn it is probably stuck try heat.