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Arbor press worked. Now there's the replacement dilemma. I plan on taking care of them, the removal process is a PITA, and I don't want to take 'em out if I don't have to.

I contacted CBR. If I go CBR, I'll still have to get the seals and inner bearing shafts from Kaw, right?

CBR has wheel bearings 'cuz they are a large and common application (6004-2RS and the like), but he doesn't have all bearings-KDX...the lower steering stem, for example (last I asked anyway). What I like about his wheel bearing 'kits' is the lifetime warranty part (seals of the kit not included). There is absolutely zero point to arguing with anyone that has the point of view, 'I used cheap crappo chinese bearings, and I don't have any problems with 'em!' I'm glad they like 'em..and they are welcome to use whatever they like. I could not care any less than I already do about it.

I don't know that CBR has any 'lifetime' warranty on bearings other than wheel bearings. Lacking that, I doubt their needle roller bearings are going to be better than OEM. They will both likely be japanese sourced. I don't buy bearings from them because they are the lowest priced supplier.

Don't know about seals and sleeves/collars. Doubt they will have those. Too application-specific for them to mess with.

Haven't talked about this...but what grease are you going to use? Another imo..but I've had better luck with cheap (not chinese crappo though) BelRay waterproof grease than I've had with very spendy hot-rod synthetics.

What shape was the lower shock bearing in? That's the weak point of the entire rear suspension..its failure rate is much higher than any other joint.


Re: 'I have not had a problem with the All Balls steer head bearings I replaced back in 2003 ...'

My happiness for you over that fact is simply boundless.

It just gets tiring every f'n time someone mentions a product that does not meet your "high standards" you gotta tell 'em its CRAP!

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canyncarvr wrote: What shape was the lower shock bearing in? That's the weak point of the entire rear suspension..its failure rate is much higher than any other joint.

Everything in the linkage (rocker arm???) looks clean and silvery. A little lubed but needing more. There was no slop in that bearing when loosening that nut.



There was some side to side motion in the highlighted bearing in this diagram.

Is there something I should note during re-assembly?

Side to side = shot to hell. Well, I guess that depends on how MUCH side-to-side there was. The collar will move a litte bit even in a new bearing, but not very much. If the bearing was bad, you could see it. If the collar is shot (a lot of corrosion where it rides in the needles), neither one (bearing or collar) are probably any good.

That's the mount to the frame, right? If it's bad...and the lower shock is good...that's a strange turn of events.

Mr. Wibbens wrote:It just gets tiring every f'n time someone mentions a product that does not meet your "high standards" you gotta tell 'em its CRAP!

AllsBalls bearings work..just a fraction of the time a better bearing does. If you don't mind your wheel snicking from side to side after a six month run with AllsBalls...that's fine with me.

OK...so AllsBalls are good? Then an NSK (or the like) is much much better.

Choose your weapon...take your poison.

Talk to Charlie at CBR. Ask him if chinese bearings are good. I don't come up with this stuff all by my lonesome whilst sitting in the crescent moon house outback......

Hope ol' Charlie aint rebadging Allballs!!

Re: '...side-to-side...'



You mean on the axis of the sleeve? Sorry..that's not at all what I got from what you said..but, if that was indeed your meaning...don't worry about it. It didn't occur to me that on-axis movement would be anything to question.

See? We have it all here. From, 'shot-to-hell' to 'don't worry about it'...both responses to the same question!!!

I'd type a lot less if I just posted two so-called answers to every question:

'Yes.'

'No.'


And maybe to spice it up every now and then:

'Maybe.'

That oughtta cover it..........

Replaced bearings and greased liberally. Anti-seize here and there and the swing-arm is on tight! No wiggle or slop, nice. Thanks for everyone's help. On to the steering bearings

Two years later and my AllBallz swing arm bearing kit is holding up. Annual clean and regrease is the key. Make this a reminded for winter maintenance... get out there and grease those bearings.

On another note, the lower shock bearing is toast; but that one is the original! Was there an alternative bearing or bushing for its replacement? I thought I remember CC talking about that.

You're lucky then, my swingarm bearings were in pretty bad shape after only 1 year, same with the lower shock bearing.
I'm surprised you got two years....your riding conditions can't be very dry in Connecticut are they?

I installed All Balls for both swingarm & lower shock...I've got nothing to compare them to really but they didn't seem to last long...maybe it's the grease I'm using (Lucas Heavy Duty)?

I usually use a vise, and two sockets - one large diameter socket to push the bearing into, and one smaller socket that is just slightly smaller than the bearing OD, to push it out. I usually apply some heat to the swingarm bearing section during this process - and sometimes it would be nice to have 3 hands...

[quote="canyncarvr"]Lots of vendors make kits of stuff....and a good lot of them are chinese bearings..which are crap. Kind'a like japanese bearings used to be crap..but now they are about the best choice.

Dunno if you are referring to china made stuff, then it is crap. but if you are referring to japanese stuff, they are the best other than germany made. also if you are a frog in the well. let me tell you that chinese or rather asians are all over the world now making quailty stuff than you can expect. if i were to choose from japan make or USA made. it gotta be japan made. to correct you actually you should use china made and not chinese made. cos lots of chinese do not come from china.

exbee wrote:You're lucky then, my swingarm bearings were in pretty bad shape after only 1 year, same with the lower shock bearing.
I'm surprised you got two years....your riding conditions can't be very dry in Connecticut are they?

I installed All Balls for both swingarm & lower shock...I've got nothing to compare them to really but they didn't seem to last long...maybe it's the grease I'm using (Lucas Heavy Duty)?

CT conditions (New England) are far from dry. Rocks, Roots, Ruts and plenty of mud and water.

I used Belray and they were still pretty lubed when I cleaned them. Going on season three with these.