suspension greasing

[midlifemoto]

how often should this get done...manual says every 600 miles....that's about twice a year for me....sound about right?

I did it when I got it last year and have about a dozen outings on it...try to avoid the area with the pressure washer but....

thanks

[KarlP]

Twice a year sounds fine but it depends how much use under what conditions.....
I probably do mine three times year, every time I get a flat, I guess

Go ahead, can't hurt anything.

[canyncarvr]

The only problem I had at 2X a year is the bottom shock bearing. It was toast at 4X a year.

Since I changed to a double sealed bearing at the shock bottom, the bike is good for a year+.

[midlifemoto]

yikes, I better stay on top of this pm

[canyncarvr]

You should have a bottom bearing, sleeve and seals in your maintenance 'kit' any time you take the Unitrack apart imo. No sense in waiting for the parts when you find you need one NOW. The OEM bearing is junk when it's brand new. The needles are wonky in the cage out of the box. It looks like there's room for about another 1/2 a needle in there....

Them being crooked to start with..there's not a lot of 'bearing' going on.

Use a waterproof grease. BelRay does a good job.

[midlifemoto]

"Since I changed to a double sealed bearing at the shock bottom"

is this an aftermarket part, and if so, where do i get one?

thx

[canyncarvr]

<My gallery> (linked in my signature)

<In thread pics>

<Page 14>

HERE!

Page 13 has a couple of pics, too.

[midlifemoto]

thanks!

[gtoron]

<My gallery> (linked in my signature)

<In thread pics>

<Page 14>

HERE!

Page 13 has a couple of pics, too.

CC is there a mcmaster replacements available for all the bearings? Ie swingarm etc

[canyncarvr]

I haven't looked for them.

BuyKaw lists the bearing sizes usually. You could use those numbers to search McMaster's catalog.

**edit**

Went looking....

I don't know about the rest of it without measuring a bearing that came out. Take a 22BM2816..a 92046A..front Unitrack (to frame).

I think those numbers relate to insidexoutsidexlength/width?? So that bearing would be 22mm shaft size, 28mm outside diameter, 16mm wide. That sounds about right.

McMaster doesn't list a roller for that shaft size.

The 16x16 double sealed bearing I use in the bottom shock is indeed a caged bearing: The pins run IN a cage. The OEM KAW bearing has no such cage so there are more pins..each of them retained in the outer race by the pin ends being machined. It would stand to reason that fewer pins would take a lesser load than more pins. Considering how long the double sealed bearing lasts..that isn't a problem.

PivotWorks makes bearing kits for the KDX suspension. Note they are NOT retained, NOT caged. You end up with liddle biddy needles all over the place when you service their bearings.

Maybe that has changed now. The PivotWorks kit I bought was a few years back.

The PW kits have different bearing widths, too. Where the OEM setup has two bearings with a gap between (conducive to zerk installation), the PW replacements are a single bearing that is wider.

[cleoent]

what are you guys talking about? A part within the shock, or the part where the shock bolts into the swingarm/bike?

I lubed my swingarm recently but i didn't put any grease at the top mount or the bottom mount where the shock attaches to the bike... big mistake?

[skipro3]

The shock mount lower is the worst for wear and needs greasing the most frequently. You know it's going when you have your rear tire off for service, grab the swing arm from behind and lift up and down to feel any play. Look at that shock bolt and see if it's moving. Mine does and I know I need to service it quick.

[KarlP]

I had a bad experience with a Pivot Works kit on the hybrid. Once assembled, the linkage still had slop in it. I traced it to two of the inner races. Both were undersized for the bearing they came with. I had to replace the inner races with OEM and all was well.

The KDX lower shock bearing seems to be poorly sealed. I kept finding muddy water in mine. CC's solution looks really good.

I have found that when those linkage bearings get a little slop in them it really plays hell with supension performance. Over the little stuff at speed the back end gets very harsh. Makes sense, it is slapping around with zero damping or spring.

I sure agree that one needs to have a spare lower shock bearing set handy at all times. I don't think I've ever pulled that linkage apart and not had to replace that bearing. Heck, slop in the linkage is usually why I'd pull it apart to regrease, and slop in the linkage seems to start with the lower shock bearing.

[cleoent]

could someone please clarify what part everyone is referring to... with a picture maybe.

[canyncarvr]

Re: ' A part within the shock, or the part where the shock bolts into the swingarm/bike?'

The bold part.


Re: 'I lubed my swingarm recently...'

There ARE bearings in the swingarm..but that's not where the shock bearing is.


Re: ' i didn't put any grease at the top mount '

The top mount is rubber with a bushing insert. Some grease on the bolt is sufficient.

RE: ' i didn't put any grease at..... the bottom mount where the shock attaches to the bike... big mistake?'

Yes. Well..not monumental..but it needs to be done. There HAVE been riders that have ignored it long enough to ruin the Unitrak link. It's not a cheap part to replace.



It's on BuyKawi...or RonAyers..it's the bottom shock mount...in the Unitrack link.



It's the 92046 bearing at the bottom. It doesn't fit in the bottom of the shock (as the diagram might seem to suggest). Follow the 'A' notation on the diagram. The 'A' at the bearing assy fits where the 'A' is on the Unitrack link.



Uh...besides..in a post just a few above this there are links, directions and more pictures showing the real thing.





What is it I'm missing?

Not to be menstrual about it..but posting all this junk with lines, pictures and arrows on the back of each one, with links, explanations, part numbers and even pictures of part numbers takes quite a lot of time. While it might be hard to find stuff sometimes using the search function..when it is IN the thread being read, when it's been asked already and shown already...please do READ it?

KarlP: I didn't intend a recommendation of PivotWorks. Sorry if I implied that. I don't like PivotWorks stuff..which is why the suspension kit I got from them years back is mostly still sitting in my parts bucket. There is something off about their suspension 'kit', too...I'm not real clear about it years later, but that 'kit' does NOT contain everything you need to service the suspension linkage. Seems it's missing the shock bearing, isn't it? The ONE thing that is just about ALWAYS bad is NOT in their 'kit'.

BTW...not everybody has had multiple failures with this bearing. Ski, fer example, had no or at most rare failure of that bearing. I replaced mine at least a 1/2 dozen times before my 'upgrade'.

[KarlP]

I didn't think anyone was recommending PW. I was just sharing an experience. Looking back through this thread I think that my post was not very usefull.

The original question was answered. The answer raises more questions, which is fine, they usually do. Those get answered and so on.....

So far I've had best results with OEM stuff. That has not been everybody elses experience, only mine.

[cleoent]

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It's on BuyKawi...or RonAyers..it's the bottom shock mount...in the Unitrack link.



It's the 92046 bearing at the bottom. It doesn't fit in the bottom of the shock (as the diagram might seem to suggest). Follow the 'A' notation on the diagram. The 'A' at the bearing assy fits where the 'A' is on the Unitrack link.



Uh...besides..in a post just a few above this there are links, directions and more pictures showing the real thing.





What is it I'm missing?

Not to be menstrual about it..but posting all this junk with lines, pictures and arrows on the back of each one, with links, explanations, part numbers and even pictures of part numbers takes quite a lot of time. While it might be hard to find stuff sometimes using the search function..when it is IN the thread being read, when it's been asked already and shown already...please do READ it?

KarlP: I didn't intend a recommendation of PivotWorks. Sorry if I implied that. I don't like PivotWorks stuff..which is why the suspension kit I got from them years back is mostly still sitting in my parts bucket. There is something off about their suspension 'kit', too...I'm not real clear about it years later, but that 'kit' does NOT contain everything you need to service the suspension linkage. Seems it's missing the shock bearing, isn't it? The ONE thing that is just about ALWAYS bad is NOT in their 'kit'.

BTW...not everybody has had multiple failures with this bearing. Ski, fer example, had no or at most rare failure of that bearing. I replaced mine at least a 1/2 dozen times before my 'upgrade'.

Is it really that awful to have to explain it again...

The search feature on this site is nothing to write home about.

[Indawoods]

Well I guess I could archive posts after so long... that would really narrow down your results. Also, I guess you are getting what you paid for too... Huh?

[cleoent]

Yeah, i love this place, i dont mind the search, i just dont like it when people make me search cuz i can't find ****!!!!!

[Indawoods]

I am working on a more functional search... should be up by Sunday night.