Swing arm bearing - replacement

Ok everybody I need some advice.
:?: :?:
Rear end on my bike is wawing while I'm stooping (few mph) just before i put my feet down. I have noticed that there is some extra free play at swing arm bearing. Now there is about 85000 km on old one.
I have new bearings and I will try to replace them by my self. I'd like to know is it difficult to drive old bearings out of swing arm. Is there any "trick" or useful tip with that job or just regular bearing change.
I don't want to mess up and to wait for another bearing set. I will change swing arm bushing also and steel-rubber shims (like oil seal).
What type of bearing grease do you suggest? Ordinary lithium based or something else?
Any advice will help!

 

The swingarm uses tapered berings so they just lift out. I use EP bearing grease. Any wheel bearing grease will do since the bearings don't really move much. You will need a 27mm socket to fit the hex bolts that hold the swingarm in behind that chrome cover. Hint: loosen the right side first. It is the one with the adjustment. This will unload the bearings. You will have to completely remove the swingarm to replace the bearings. They are between the swingarm and the frame and are covered by a grease seal. Be very careful with the seal. It can tear easily.

When you pull the final drive out the long drive shaft comes with it. The manual says to use a slide hammer to remove the driveshaft, this is not needed. The driveshaft end is a slip in spline fitting that will just slip out.

Getting that back into the u-joint was my hardest part. After chasing the end of the u-joint only to have it swing away from the driveshaft end several times! I reached in with a long rod and aligned the u-joint to accept the driveshaft. I actually got the driveshaft in once only to find out it went under the u-joint and once tightened the rear wheel would not turn.

To set the preload I used a fish scale. $4 at Wal-Mart. Use a long prybar or torque wrench. Put some tension on the small inner hex bolt adjuster and then set the prybar or torque wrench with the handle up. Attach the fish scale and first pull to get tension on the bolt. Look to see if that measures anything on the scale. If it reads a pound then pull until you get a 2.5 lb. reading. Normal setting is 1.5 lbs. So you have to compensate for the extra lb that the weight of the wrench adds. In my case it was 0.5lbs.
Then to finally tighten the big 27mm bolt , insert a long hex wrench in through the 27mm socket to hold the preload setting on the bearings that you just set, tighten the big bolt with visegrips on the end of the socket making sure the hex wrench doesn't move. Then finish with the torque wrench. The last amount of torque can move the preload adjuster but it will move so little it won't matter. The setting is 1.5 to 2 lbs. So a little extra won't hurt. Just make sure you get the big bolt as tight as you can with the visegrip socket setup.

 

Sorry for my mistake not writing down bike model.
Mj Xj is '96 and final drive is chain and sprocket.
I have only one nut which is holding swing arm. Other side of shaft is special square head which is dip in frame so it should be easy job to remove it.
Bearings are of needle type like this.
My main concern is driving out old bearings from swing arm and driving in new ones.

 

Sorry! Now I see the bike model at the end of your post. I haven't worked on one of those so I'll refer to someone else. However you are right to heck on the bearing removal. Driving in should be no problem , but if the seat is a blind seat then you will most likely need a blind bearing puller. I need one to replace my rear wheel bearings. But at $130 a set, I'll wait and find another way.

 

$130 a set!??
That seems a bit high..when one can buy the entire shaft(s) seals and those very same bearings as a kit for $85

 

Ouch
I will remove swing arm and see what is inside.
I'll post is it blind end or what.
Yeah I forgot to write down bike model

 

I checked the XJCD last night and found out the grease they recomend is a lithium base water proof. The swingarm pivot is not completely blind. A shaft runs through it so that leaves the other end open. The bearing most likely seats against an internal lip. The width of that lip is what will make the difference. Too wide and it is essentialy blind. If part of the outer bearing edge is exposed then a slide hammer will work nicely.
Your bike model is in your sig line. I just didn't see it.

 

Oooops I wuz wrong seems one can buy those Swingarm Needlebearings for a horribly expensive $6.50 Each
http://www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-suspensi ... ory_id=6.3

 

Sorry for this OT but weather is nice and sunny here and I'm on road this weekend. As result bearing job will be postponed

I will post photos and stuf after job.

 

Hello again!

I've been off line for a while and now I'm back!

Ok, this bearing replacement was very easy job.
No complications at all and side movement is gone.
Here you have attached drawing form Haynes manual because i forgot to take some pictures for postin on forum

 

Glad to hear your well, welcome back. Pics will be nice!

 

Yes I know about pictures

But I have changed alternator shaft oil seal and o-ring yesterday. I have pics but I don't know where to post them.

I'm missing some 1992-on XJ (SecaII) theme. I saw that somebody else is interested in such thing...