I’m currently doing some light restoration on my 2008 1200 sport.
After some strip down I noticed the swing arm gaiter was split, so decided I’d service the swing arm whilst replacing the gaiter.
My problem is, the swing arm pivot pin will not come out. I’ve triple and quadruple checked that everything that should be removed or loosened is so.
When you come to remove the pin it starts off ok then tightens up, if you continue to force it, it bangs as if being pulled back over the threads.
I think the pin has seized on the bearing. when you look as you’re turning the swing arm pin, it appears the bearing is also turning. So as you turn the pin out the pin tightens up against the swing arm lug then jumps back in when to much pressure is applied.
I have no idea how I’m going to get this out., suppose I could cut through the middle of the pin and take each side out separately, but it’s tight for space.
a) Are you trying to do it on your own such that the weight of the swing arm is loading the shaft up so that you can’t pull it out
b) Can you grab the shaft in the middle with a pair of mole grips where it wont matter if it gets a bit damaged and then twat them with a hammer (I’m assuming the end of the shaft isn’t threaded for a slide hammer)
c) can you thread the weird 4 lug ring nut/bush thingy back on a few threads and pull on that that to get things moving
PS
I’m interested to see how you succeed as I’m probably going to pull the swing arm on my 2005 Breva 1100 over the winter and knowledge is King in these cases
Room was very tight and impossible to get the the shock off whilst the swing arm was still in place, had to grind the pre load screw off to get the shock out., didn’t really matter as the shock is being replaced.
Anyhow, eventually I managed to get a small grinder at the pin and cut an 1" piece out of it.
The right side piece just screwed out but the left side was truly stuck. I managed to get a drift on it on knock it out with some very hefty blows.
I was starting to get worried that it was more than just corroded on, but as it turned out this was exactly the problem.
When the swing arm eventually came off a fair bit of water ran out. With the swing arm gaiter split, which can’t be seen until you remove the right side footrest mount, water will have run into it.
I suspect there may be lots of bikes out there with this problem, that generally goes un-noticed.
I think you are right, Steve. On some models the rubber gaiter can’t be seen and re the bearings, there are plenty of reports and photos of dry CARC bearings and even completely corroded and destroyed swingarm bearings. Guzzi’s are still be assembled with little grease (and without thought for these wetter parts of the world?). It should be a priority to grease swingarm bearings and rear suspension linkage/bearings, which are also dry and corrode/seize. The other thing you mention is the gaiter/bellows. I found mine, on 2008 Griso, completely perished and split everywhere. (The material in these early models may be worse than more recent rubbers?) On the Griso you can’t see the bellows until other parts are disassembled, so it does need a conscious check.
I have recently taken out the pin, taken off the CARC, taken apart suspension – to attend to all those matters. I expected the pin to be difficult to extract but thankfully it came out easily. In your description you don’t mention the bush on the end of the pin. I took it off with a C spanner, or you could make a peg spanner (or resort to something more brutal). Did it come off for you ok? Or what exactly was seized?
– I am assuming the set-up is the same as on Griso CARC –
Next bearings to attend to will be the steering head.
I did the rear end disassembly and reassembly single handed so it is possible ok.
I made a flap to keep rear wheel water from lashing directly onto the spring and swingarm pin. (I didn’t want to fit a hugger.) It would be useful if Guzzi had the pin protected inside a tube, which would keep water from running to the bearings.
The bush on the end of the pin came out easily. What was seized…The inner face of the left/near side bearing was seized solid onto the swing arm pin. Not a problem in itself as the bearing itself wasn’t seized so still worked as it should. The problem arose when it comes to removing the swing arm pin, it will not come out as the bearing is pulled out against the shoulder of the swing arm which stops the pin from coming any further as it’s seized against the pin.
I should be able to do this (I’m looking at the parts diagram and the workshop manual) but I’m struggling to get my head around this assembly
a) Are the bearings installed one on each side of the swing arm and the one you had the problem with is the one on the LH side that is clamped with the 2 M6 cap screws? The parts drawing is a bit confusing
b) Is there a shoulder inside the swing arm here to stop the bearing going all the way through on the LH side
Great link Tris .
To anyone servicing the swinging arm bearings & linkages take care to use the correct grease.
It’s a lot of work, you don’t want to fall on the last hurdle.
I use Rocol Sapphire Hi-Load 2. (contains Molybdenum Disulphide) on all pivot work.
Use a grease suitable for high loads low movement.
Always worth fitting Grease Nipples while it’s all apart, did that on my Stelvio.
Linkage.jpg
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Don’t forget to drill exit holes for the old Grease to escape, otherwise you’ll just blow the seals out.
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Not sure how the Frame around the Swingarm Pivot on the Sport compares to the Stelvio, but it’s not really feasible to fit Nipples for the Swingarm Bearings on the latter.
Luckily it’s so easy to strip down it doesn’t really matter!
