I have had a bearing kit hanging around for Mrs Flamejob's Five for a while because last time I rode behind her I noticed it had a bit of a wobble…

.. anyway, having done this a few times on previous Patriots I've had I know the procedure, but this Five is just being a total bitch.

The swingarm slides over the bearings fine, but the bearings inner races are solid on the main frame spigot. I can tighten the clamp bolts up on the swingarm to near strip torque (bowing the long handled 5mm), but when I batter the hell out of the other side of the swingarm the swingarm just slides over the outer race.

It's driving me bonkers.

Any ideas?

remove the spacing block on the clamp, then carefullt tighten the bolt without cracking the bearing case, then try again

Yeah… tried that too…

…got paranoid and thought about the prices of new swingarms then put it back in again!

I'm thinking…dremmel! 👿

I guess I'll just have to call the factory tomorrow Grrrr!

really shout at it.

joemetcalfm
really shout at it.

lol That I havn't tried. Does muttering under my breath count?

This happened on one side of mine. If that's an 04 frame, and the bearings have had 6 years to rust on there you'll be in trouble. In the end, we broke up the bearing, removed the outer race and then dremelled the inner race off the axle.

Oh, and I'd remove the shock 😉

I thought as much Rich…. thanks for the sanity check!

Danmit… my Dremmel is in the UK!

Nope I have the Answer what you have to do is remove the bolt spacer
and then re-tighten (Not to Tight) the bolt and remove as usual.
The same will apply to the other side.

This will take minutes

I had the same problem and Thats what Orange told me what to do.
Will have to look for pics they sent me.

+1 the dremmel i worked a treat for me my bearing just fell apart so all that was left was the inner race

If you can find pics grantway that would be cool.

When I tried the 'no bolt spacer chip' method I did the clamp bolt up pretty freaking tight then, as said above, got paranoid that the bearing holder would snap so stopped.

Flamejob Checking my hotmails for pics will have to e-mail you
when I find as I dont know how to post pics.

What I had done, again tighten just over pinch tight and then
wrapped a soft cloth over the area and placed a flat piece of wood
over the area and then tapt with a Rubber Mallet a few times and
then came away.
Use the peice of wood to take the blow over a wider area rather than
hit it in one place £ 400 approx for a new swing arm.

flamejob I have found the e-mail
Please e-mail me and il send ASAP

grantway01@hotmail.com
Please let me know how you get on and
if you need further help let me and il call you

Email sent…

…. I have tried tightening it 'till the allen key bows (freaking tight) and smacking 10 shades out of the swingarm on the CNC'd bit, but as I said, the swingarm just slides over the outer race.

Flamejob pics sent
May want to spray some Blue gas over the area
helps the metal contract.

A Darn good soaking in WD40 sorted mine (eventually)next step was either heating or icing but can't remember what expands contracts more Steel or Aluminium (sp?)

I think that grantways method will work if the outer race is stuck, but I can't see what it would do to move the inner race.

have you tried using a punch or thin screwdriver and tapping the outer side of the bearing in on the spigot (ie putting it further on) tried this in past and it has worked, will break the corrosion seal and then allow you to use the normal walk off method?

Artillerydave – yeah, there isn't really enough room to get round the back.

Funny thing is- I have only ever had to replace the bearings on Oranges and never any of my multi pivot bikes!

Wurth ice off

Any luck!

Cut a very thin shim from coke can and place between bearing and inner edge of where the bear sits in swing arm, then re tighten, then use the rubbet mallet.

Wurth ice off… exactly what I need! I was going to see if I could get some liquid nitrogen from the university!

hey floki that is another thing that I was going to try when I psyche myself back to the workshop 🙂

Artillerydave – yeah, there isn't really enough room to get round the back.

I don't mean try and and drift it out from the rear, I mean try and force it further on, ie drift from the front to break the bond between the bearing and the spigot, then walk it off using the tighten and tap method.

It does work.

…ie drift from the front to break the bond between the bearing and the spigot, then walk it off using the tighten and tap method.

Believe it or not I tried that too!

The dremmel is the way to go I have some mini blades all you do is remove the block cut out a section of the outer race then remove that! then cut a groove down the inner race and crack it with a screw driver. put some tape on the frame incase the dremmel slips as well.

You want some of the mini stihl saw blades?

Don't go all the way through the inner race and if you need any bearings I have fully pregreased outdoor specific SKF and INA that are about as good as it gets!

@kaesae I tried the normal method again last night after soaking the bearings in GT85 for 24 hours; no joy. I need to get my dremmel back from the UK next time I come back (a week). I put the bike back together thinking 'it wasn't too bad' but it is amazing how such little bearing movement translates to a massive movement at the wheel. I suppose thats how I saw it on the trail.

Mini Stihl blades eh? Sound better than the crumbly grinding discs dremmel sell.

If it works I'll do a photo guide for other poor souls.

Happy Five; it seems such a long time ago.

black tape to protect the frame

lines to make it easier to cut straight

remove section avoiding contact with frame



rip out the cage

push all the bearing out

remove outer race

same on the inner race but don't go all the way through if you can avoid it

crack the inner race with a screw driver

You will probably hit the mounting bracket slightly.

That's how I would do it! anyone else got a problem with pivot bearings. sourcing the right bearings, tools, techniques, I can help you fix most bikes for a fraction of the cost the shop will charge.

These are hard times for a lot of people if you need some help I love fixing bikes and since I've done the bearings on over 850 frames I also have some experience at it.

850 frames! Jesus, where the hell do they come from?

Nice photo tutorial thingie. 🙂

Hey. If you cannot do it now then even my powers cannot help you.

That's the best way i've found to do it and i've tried loads. using the rear swing arm as leverage, going at it with a chisel, punch, screw driver. penetrating solution, heat I haven't tried but I still think that's the best way.

I steel all the frames of course! actually I steel the whole bike then sell the only part on it that can be traced via it's numbers. My frames are also too expensive and too cheap simultaneously!

I steel the frames then I service them. I would put them back once fully serviced but I need to earn a living. I'm amazed no ones caught me by now but then again their all thick. I simply steel dirty frames that don't work and then disguise them as clean ones that do work, perfectly!

Then a few shots with my 10+ mega pixel camera that takes such awful blurry photo's and bobs your uncle.

A criminal mastermind is born!!!