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After all the recommendations, I finally got round to the linkage. The lower spring bearing was 100% toasted, but was feeling pretty good about at least everything coming (falling) apart so I could refresh all the bearings.
..... until I came to the rocker arm bolt. It was stuck to the sleeve with no way to get a drift on it.
Not sure if y’all have any better tricks, but that took 2 hours, several sizes of screw drivers and retooled (ground to fit) chisel as wedges to using the bolt shoulder as a prying edge. Every size got me about 1/16-1/8” closer. Then switch screw diver or re-grind the chisel to get a little more force.
Not sure what I would have done if that shoulder broke. I was pretty close to wearing it off.
But it worked and she’s apart, anyway.
Will have to see how well the lower shock hole cleans up.
Fingers crossed, I can salvage the link.

Yikes! Those bearing are toast! That's why rear suspension bearings should at least be pulled apart and checked once a year.

haha! No doubt.
I suspect my bike was on the once every 25 years plan. I was please to find that All Balls has nice kit(s) for replacing all this.

I hope everything goes back together with no issues.

If that bore is not smooth, you may have trouble.

Good luck with the All Balls. That one is often neglected. Consider OEM for that one.

Easily the most neglected part of any modern suspension bike.

I had a linkage bolt seized to a frame so bad that I had to heat it up over and over and use an impact. Linkages are most neglected just after the suspension itself I would say. I think you got off pretty good.

That linkage bore does not look too good.

You got that right. I am not liking what I found. I have been running the shock bolt on the oil seals for a long time. Really should just go buy the susp arm now and save future work. But of course that not how I roll.
Since All Balls kit came with shock bearing, I am
gonna use it as sacrificial lamb to see if I can get it back together straight-ish without smooshing the s*** out of it.
If it goes back together I’ll be watching it more than 1x per year to see if it’s just going to fail fast. If it starts to go, I’ll swap in OEM. And if that goes time for new arm. Pay me now or pay me later. Everything else looks pretty good so far.

mighty clean though!

Start shopping for a replacement. That area takes a beating even when OEM and fresh.

Good plan. They are $193 new and seem to be avail. I always wonder if I need to buy it when I see it, or if new stock is fairly avail. Seems it was used on at least 2 other models. Salvage would be good, if it doesn’t look like mine.

This Kawasaki 39007-1229 ARM-SUSP,UNI TRAK fits the following models and components:

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1996 KDX200 - KDX200-H2 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2005 KDX220R - KDX220-A12 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2001 KDX220R - KDX220-A8 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2002 KDX220R - KDX220-A9 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2004 KDX220R - KDX220-A11 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2001 KDX200 - KDX200-H7 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2003 KDX220R - KDX220-A10 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2000 KDX200 - KDX200-H6 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2005 KDX200 - KDX200-H11 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2000 KDX220R - KDX220-A7 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1999 KDX200 - KDX200-H5 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2006 KDX200 - KDX200H6F Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1999 KDX220R - KDX220-A6 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2004 KDX200 - KDX200-H10 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2003 KDX200 - KDX200-H9 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1995 KDX200 - KDX200-H1 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1998 KDX220R - KDX220-A5 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1998 KDX200 - KDX200-H4 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1997 KDX220R - KDX220-A4 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 1997 KDX200 - KDX200-H3 Rear suspension

Kawasaki Motorcycle 2002 KDX200 - KDX200-H8 Rear suspension

OOOOOOOOPS

Just put some pucky on it it will be fine

Thanks KDXG. I saw that fitment when I looked closer. My bearing kit shows it fits other models so suspect same type bearings but different suspension arm geometry. I saw used one on eBay that might do the trick.
Thanks Bukeman, too: I checked Revzilla and they show pucky fits all model years for KDX and Hodaka Wombat.

I’m new here, but I recently found my linkage was too worn out for a new roller bearing. The problem is the gouges and bumps ruins the thin roller bearing outer race. I couldn’t find any ‘95+ linkages on eBay and I didn’t want to send a ton of money on a new one, so I felt stuck.

My solution was to sand down the worst of the bumps in the linkage and then installed three 6900-2RS bearings into the linkage. Each one is 6mm wide so the three of them together makes the 18mm width of the original bearing. The outer diameter and inner diameter is the same as the original roller bearing with the sleeve. You can get the 6900-2RS bearings pretty cheap and easily online, but they’re hard to find in a store. Timken has a cross reference to it but I can’t recall Timken’s number.

I hope this helps someone. As a disclaimer though, I’m not a bearing expert so I don’t know if the triple stack of ball bearings are better or worse than the factory style roller bearing.

Another option, albeit more costly and time consuming, is that you can always have the end that's damaged machined out to accept a pressed in bronze or steel sleeve to restore it to the original inside diameter.

KDXGarage wrote: 10:36 am Jun 23 2020 That linkage bore does not look too good.

I agree. I was just pointing out that it couldve probably been even worse. Although he still have to replace the linkage, so maybe not?

Thanks for the tips! I think they all could work. I did luck out to come across used susp arm that looks ok on eBay. Bearing and seals are still in place in pix so not 100% sure, fingers x-d. I decided it was worth $70 gamble and potential of not risking so much potential for re-work. Plus I am down for at least 2 weeks in another set of crunched ribs, so am not in as much hurry as I was.

Bro, you need to take it easy on those ribs!

EDIT: Oh, and good call on the eBay purchase.