Kona Process 2016 Bearing Service

My friend has a 2016 Kona Process that has probably never had the bearings serviced. Any tips or pitfalls to look out for when replacing?

I’ve had a quick look and spotted the tiny grub screw in the main pivot. I’ll bet that is nicely seized in! Do any of the bearings need a puller or can they all be drifted/pressed out?

I’ve found something on Pinkbike that appears to be the torque settings but I don’t know if they are genuine. If anyone has a service manual or video they could link that would be great.

I learned slightly too late that you need to be really careful pushing bearings in and out of the carbon rocker, like don’t assume the whole rocker is strong enough to withstand a bearing press.

No idea if it’s similar to the 2017 carbon hei hei trail but there was a horrific Allen key from either side set up on one pivot that took me ages to figure out…

A very helpful Kona dealer printed off the info for my 21 Process 134 for me, I could dig that out later if your mates bike has a similar set up?  Or go looking for a friendly Kona dealer.

I previously had a 2016 Process 111 DL, in the time I had it, I needed to change only the 2 smallest bearings in the rocker shock yoke pivots. There are 2 grub screws that need undoing before undoing the frame pivot axles, 1 in the swing arm main pivot and 1 in the rocker frame pivot.

The decal on the back of the seat tube might have the torque settings, though I found this on MTBR for the torque settings. This only has figures for the 2017 -2019 Process, though I think the 2016 and 2017 Process suspension design are the same and thus have the same torque settings.

There are spacers on each of the bearings on the dropout and rear of the rocker and also spacers on the rocker shock yoke pivots that a fiddly to keep in place.

You can tap them all out, just be careful (especially main pivot not to damage the aluminium spacer inside) and dont overtighten the grub screws, they can round off

and having all the bearing info printed on the frame is such an obviously good idea, Ive no idea why no one else does it

The rocker is worth paying special attention to – if it’s like my ’14 Process 111, it is a carbon bridge bonded to alloy beams. You need to be careful not to do anything when removing it or pressing out the bearings to pull those parts apart. Other than that, mine was a joy to replace the bearings on.

Thanks all

1. Lots of plus gas
2. Don’t go mad with the carbon rocker.

I don’t think there are any Kona dealers nearby but I’m going to email Kona and see if they have anything.