Pivot Maintenance - FJR Stand?

[RzrBak]

I didn't have access to a dremel or other cutting tool so I used a hacksaw blade (not the whole hacksaw...just the blade) to cut out the two front center stand bolts. Those freakin' things will be going back in the opposite direction! I pulled the pivot bolt on the relay arm but the arm wouldn't come out. What's the trick here?

Right Side

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Left Side

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[audiowize]

I feel your pain on the bolts. When I pulled mine apart, there was some time spent with a reciprocating saw to cut one of the bolts out. I used a generous amount of anti-seize compound when putting everything back together.

 

[Donal]

I didn't have access to a dremel or other cutting tool so I used a hacksaw blade (not the whole hacksaw...just the blade) to cut out the two front center stand bolts. Those freakin' things will be going back in the opposite direction! I pulled the pivot bolt on the relay arm but the arm wouldn't come out. What's the trick here?
Right Side

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Left Side

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Just tap it (gently) with a hammer. It is simply being held in place by the 'bushing' you can see in the 'right side' picture.

When you get it out you will probably find that the bushing is seized in place. You can use the original bolt to pull it through the frame lug. The bolt head will pass through the lug. It would be a good idea to use something between the lugs to prevent side loading distorting them.

 

[DezzertRider]

Well I finally got the center stand off. I sawed the two front bolts off. That was a chore but it is done. I installed shorter bolts and inserted them from the inside so that I can remove them again in the future. I also pulled the swing arm and lubricated the bearings. There was some lube in the swing arm bearings but not a lot. The pivot arm bearings didn't have much lubrication at all. I used Bel-Ray waterproof bearing grease on everything. I lubed the splines on the drive shaft and the U-joint splines. I installed my new Ohlins (YA056) rear shock. I will be going to a suspension shop to help me get it tuned up right. I will be doing the front end maintenance next: change fork oil, service head bearings.

Thanks for everyone's help and info regarding the center stand removal.

 

[bluesdog]

Well I finally got the center stand off. I sawed the two front bolts off. That was a chore but it is done. I installed shorter bolts and inserted them from the inside so that I can remove them again in the future. I also pulled the swing arm and lubricated the bearings. There was some lube in the swing arm bearings but not a lot. The pivot arm bearings didn't have much lubrication at all. I used Bel-Ray waterproof bearing grease on everything. I lubed the splines on the drive shaft and the U-joint splines. I installed my new Ohlins (YA056) rear shock. I will be going to a suspension shop to help me get it tuned up right. I will be doing the front end maintenance next: change fork oil, service head bearings.
Thanks for everyone's help and info regarding the center stand removal.

Good job, bro. I trust you rewarded yourself with a tasty cold beverage or two.

 

[DezzertRider]

I rewarded my self with a fjr ride first, then a couple of cold beverages.

 

[jmgrif]

I was one who had the bike tip on them! In my case the bike was elevated on my lift about 3 1/2 ft in the air and I was using a pipe stand which had the strength but I was using two ratchet straps, one on either side. After my near catastrophe it was suggested I use only one strap slung under the tail section to prevent such mishaps from occurring! A very good idea!

 

[RzrBak]

Well I finally got the center stand off. I sawed the two front bolts off. That was a chore but it is done. I installed shorter bolts and inserted them from the inside so that I can remove them again in the future. I also pulled the swing arm and lubricated the bearings. There was some lube in the swing arm bearings but not a lot. The pivot arm bearings didn't have much lubrication at all. I used Bel-Ray waterproof bearing grease on everything. I lubed the splines on the drive shaft and the U-joint splines. I installed my new Ohlins (YA056) rear shock. I will be going to a suspension shop to help me get it tuned up right. I will be doing the front end maintenance next: change fork oil, service head bearings.
Thanks for everyone's help and info regarding the center stand removal.

Sorry DezzertRider for jacking your thread. I needed help getting my CS out too and it was didn't have time to spend searching the forum or start a new thread only to be told the topic was covered in another thread.

Anyway...the job got done, I'm back to riding and nothing has fallen off! Yea for me.

 

[DezzertRider]

Hi RzrBak and Jmgrif,

That must of been one scary moment having the bike up 3.5 ft and having it tip - Yikes!!! I built a stand out of 2x4 and 2x12 and also used two straps. I only lifted it a few inches and I had the same near miss, but fortunately it was only a few inches off the ground. What I did after that was put my floor jack under the bike to support it while I had the ass end up in the sling. Thanks for the tip on using one strap to center the load and it will come down all at once vs. on one side

RzrBak, I too just got mine put back together yesterday and went for a ride today. Nothing fell off (yet) - yea for me too!

I got my new Ohlins YA052 shock on as well - I'm posting another thread on that, but I have to say it made a big difference!

 

[RzrBak]

My complete service including cleaning the underside of everything took 10 days...probably the longest maintenance job EVER! Just wondering if anyone has taken long than that. It should be quicker next time through though, maybe cutting the time in half.

I didn't change the rear shock...would like to have done so but can't make myself shell out the $1230 clams for the YA052. That's a pretty steep price, is that what you paid?

 

[DezzertRider]

The YA052 is only about $585 delivered to the door. It is an Ohlins shock, but doesn't have the remote adjusters or remote reservoir.

I got it from hard racing.com. The MSRP is something like $685.00. If you ask for a quote via email, they will provide a better price. I'm not affiliated with them in anyway.

https://hardracing.com/OhlinsShocks.htm

 

[Fred W]

After my near catastrophe it was suggested I use only one strap slung under the tail section to prevent such mishaps from occurring! A very good idea!

No, that's a bad idea, and recipe for disaster, IMO.

Question: With the single strap looped through the frame what is keeping the bike from rotating / flopping sideways?

Answer: Nothing. Just ask SkooterG. He tried it and that is exactly what his bike did.

You are better off using two straps, one on either side hooked onto the frame rails, and just alternate ratcheting them up and down. The best alternative would be to make a two leg bridle that hooks to each side's frame rail with a central lifting eye. That way you could use a single ratchet strap, chain fall or come-along to raise and lower the bike and the bike will not tip over.

 

[Salish1300]

I've been reading about lubing the swing arm and wondering if I should tackle that on my still new bike. I've done the rear splines and all that, but haven't tackled the swing arm. Sounds like people are having a hell of a time getting some bolts out. Should I do it now before they seize into place? Haven't seen a pictorial post on this whole job but it must be on one of those great FJR sites.

When do people do this?

I'm all the way up to 3,500 miles!

 

[Ignacio]

Should I do it now before they seize into place?

When the other ones that are much easier to get to and inspect appear to need lubing. Then I'll tear mine apart. For a point of reference it's not even close at 13K.

 

[RzrBak]

I've been reading about lubing the swing arm and wondering if I should tackle that on my still new bike. I've done the rear splines and all that, but haven't tackled the swing arm. Sounds like people are having a hell of a time getting some bolts out. Should I do it now before they seize into place? Haven't seen a pictorial post on this whole job but it must be on one of those great FJR sites.
When do people do this?

I'm all the way up to 3,500 miles!

I did mine at just over 30,000 miles. The swing arm for me wasn't the issue. It was getting the center stand out that took all the time (and frustration). Like others have stated, if you decide to do it yourself at what ever mileage point, be sure to have a proper cutting tool for the CS bolts. There's not a lot of room to get a full hacksaw between the front bolts and the exhaust so that's where my issue came in.

If you decide not to do anything at this point, I would suggest at least getting the bolts turned around. That way they if they DO seize from all the road crud, you won't be in the same pickle but that's just my two cents worth.

 

[DezzertRider]

Salish1300,

The problem with the center stand bolts is the order in which the bike was assembled. They install the exhaust system after the center stand. So when you go to take the center stand off, the two front center stand bolts hit the exhaust system and you can't remove the bolts. The service manual states to remove the entire exhaust system which also involves removing the radiator. I think not, so most people cut the two front Center stand bolts off. When re-assembling, they get shorter bolts and insert them from the other side so that they can be removed relatively easy during future services. If you only have 3500 miles on your new scoot, I would wait until about 20K and then do it.

I have a 2004 that I purchased as a garage queen about 10 months ago and it only had 4400 miles when purchased. I now have 18K and because the bike is now 11 years old, I figured i should do this more because of the age vs. the mileage. The swing arm bearings had quite a bit of grease still, but the pivot arm bearings not so much, so I'm glad I didn't wait too much longer.

 

[rwortman]

Anybody consider drilling and tapping for zerk fittings?

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Fault in post ''deleted''

 

[bluesdog]

Anybody consider drilling and tapping for zerk fittings?

iirc, that doesn't work easily for this particular application because of the way the bearings are installed. For the 4 bearings that are located at the ends of the dog bones you could easily drill and tap the swing arm and pivot for Zerk fittings, but you would also have to cross drill the bearing spacer located between each bearing pair to open up a path for the grease to travel into the outer bearings.

The outer races of the front and rear (single) bearings are nearly the full width of the pivot housing. It would be difficult drilling a hole through the outer race and have the bearing perform reliably

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, as bluesdog said, installing grease fittings has been attempted, but none very successfully that I am aware of.

The center stand bolts are one part of the disassembly problem. And if you don't want to cut the bolts they can be removed by carefully springing the exhaust pipes out of the way. Leave the headers tight to the head and remove both muffler supports (one at the passenger peg and another one at the center stand that you are removing) will allow you to flex the pipe just enough to get them out. Obviously you'll want to install them in the opposite direction. You also may want to slip an extra flat washer or two under the heads of the bolts when re-installing, so the bolt ends do not protrude quite so far and contact the inside of the exhaust pipe.

The other problem bolt is the long bolt that goes through the upper pivot of the relay arm. Often, if you wait until 30-40 k miles, and ride in the rain very much, the spacer collar (item #25 in the exploded parts diagram) that is on the head end of that pivot bolt will become seized by corrosion in its mounting boss hole. Again, this bolt can also be removed by carefully springing the exhaust, and then use bolts, sockets, washers etc. to press the collar out of it's hole. Once you get it out you'll want to give that a little love with the anti-seize before reassembling.