So I have 24K on my o5. I never gresed steering stem or the swingarm on any bike. Is the swing arm easy? The steering head seems like a pain to repack. I can see those balls falling out everywhere. Do I have to get the Yamaha spanner?
steering head and swingarm grease
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Lake Powell
Well-known member
I kind of think the opposite is true in that the swingarm would be more difficult. With the swing arm it would require the entire rear wheel assembly/case and shock removal to get at, however, you may be able to get around the shock. Not sure.
The steering stem is not too bad and there are a few threads here that have a complete guide to removal and a replacement using aftermarket tapered bearings. I just replaced my steering stem bearings last week when I had the forks off for a rebuild at GP. The stock bearing set has a plastic retainer for the ball bearing set so there shouldn't be any loose
balls floating around. When I replaced the stock set of bearings on my 07' I was surprised at the amount of grease used as there was suprisingly a fair amount, in contrast to the amount of grease applied to the shock linkage parts which was almost none.I did not use a spanner wrench when I replaced the steering stem bearings as there really isn't a torque spec for the tapered bearing application, at least one I havn't run across. So when I was reassembling the steering stem I tightenned it up until it felt "notchy" then backed it of a little until it wasn't, which is what I have done on many other bikes I have had in the past.
The tapered bearing set from All Balls Racing was about $35 and I think their seal is much better than the stock application, time will tell.
mech 1 twa
Well-known member
The rear suspension is harder. One bolt can't be removed without taking the center stand off. :angry2:
Center stand bolts hard to remove, must loosen exhaust to get them out. Turn the head of the bolt around and put it in the other way to avoid the problem in the future.
Must find a way lift rear of bike and support it while you work.
You can make a lift out of screw together water pipe and some strong ratchet straps.
Do a search the description is here somewhere.
Center stand bolts hard to remove, must loosen exhaust to get them out. Turn the head of the bolt around and put it in the other way to avoid the problem in the future.
Must find a way lift rear of bike and support it while you work.
You can make a lift out of screw together water pipe and some strong ratchet straps.
Do a search the description is here somewhere.
FJRay
Well-known member
I just finished doing mine for the second time in a little over 60k. The rear is by far the worst as you have to hold the bike up in the air to remove the center stand. To avoid moving the exhaust I cut the bolts out and replaced them from the inside with stainless bolts and loc-tite. You do need to remove the rear shock and on some models getting to the upper bolt can be a pain but with enough tools and the right vocabulary you will win. I have been using the same Honda lube as is used on the drive splines and there is no wear on any of the parts.
The front is not as bad and goes a lot faster. The bearings are caged so little balls don't go flying around the floor. The first time I didn't have the tool so I ran them down tight and then backed off a bit. The second time I built a tool using an old BMW shock tool and welding a socket in the right place.
Have a good time and get it done before July.
The front is not as bad and goes a lot faster. The bearings are caged so little balls don't go flying around the floor. The first time I didn't have the tool so I ran them down tight and then backed off a bit. The second time I built a tool using an old BMW shock tool and welding a socket in the right place.
Have a good time and get it done before July.
I haven't had to do mine yet, but when I do I'll be putting in a set of tapered rollers instead of regreasing the OEs. At the price of the new bearings it just doesn't make any sense not to...
FJRMGM
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The rear is by far the worst as you have to hold the bike up in the air to remove the center stand.
I must have done something wrong - I removed the rear swingarm on my '05 FJR without removing the centerstand following instructions on FJRTech..
Neither was a "bad" job but the rear suspension took longer to get it off.
Unless you ride in a lot of wet weather or really dusty conditions I wouldn't bother with the rear swingarm until 40k miles - mine was pretty good at 49k miles.
The lower bearings on the steering stem did need lube at 49k miles though.
I must have done something wrong - I removed the rear swingarm on my '05 FJR without removing the centerstand following instructions on FJRTech..
Neither was a "bad" job but the rear suspension took longer to get it off.
Unless you ride in a lot of wet weather or really dusty conditions I wouldn't bother with the rear swingarm until 40k miles - mine was pretty good at 49k miles.
The lower bearings on the steering stem did need lube at 49k miles though.
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FJRay
Well-known member
The swing arm does indeed come out easy. It is the foward end of the link attached to the frame that requires removing the center stand. If you are going in you might as well do the whole job. They may have been just fine at 49k but there are many stories about lack of lube from the factory that required replacement parts at an early age. I can afford to do maintenance but its a pain to have to buy parts when it can be avoided.
FJRMGM
FJRMGM
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After looking at FJRTech.com it does look like I missed the one pivot point at the front so I will have to take care of it in the near future.
I have the shock off for the GB service and it does look like there is some play on that top pivot bearing - danged if I know how I missed looking at the when I had it apart before.
Looks like a PITA to take the centerstand off to get to that one lousy bolt.
I have the shock off for the GB service and it does look like there is some play on that top pivot bearing - danged if I know how I missed looking at the when I had it apart before.
Looks like a PITA to take the centerstand off to get to that one lousy bolt.
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FJRay
Well-known member
I am lucky that I have a couple Handy Lifts and an overhead crane in my shop so lifting the bike is easy for me. There have been pictures of a stand made out of pipe that looks pretty slick and can be taken apart when not in use.
I found it was easier to cut the bolts holding the stand rather than moving the exhaust and then put new bolts in from the other direction. Have fun.
I found it was easier to cut the bolts holding the stand rather than moving the exhaust and then put new bolts in from the other direction. Have fun.
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/spline/spline.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/spline/Skoot...oupling101.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/shb/shb.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/sa/sa.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/ujoint/uj.html
or, more simply:
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/maint.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/spline/Skoot...oupling101.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/shb/shb.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/sa/sa.html
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/ujoint/uj.html
or, more simply:
https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/maint.html
twowheelnut
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
What the hell are you guys whining about? Steering head and the swing arm service are ***. Steering head may take all of 2 hours for the slow of wrench and maybe a tad more for the swing arm and associated services. The hardest part is cleaning all the gunk lining the nooks and crannies from 56,000 miles of riding.
Oh, and thank you Mark, for your FJR-tips.org. Very helpful and informative. :good:
Oh, and thank you Mark, for your FJR-tips.org. Very helpful and informative. :good:
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dbvolfan
Well-known member
I just hit 21k and have done neither.
Dealer at 16k (who owns 2 FJR's himself) said he wouldnt recommend repacking the bearings at 16k miles unless I do a lot of riding in the rain or they are loose in some way. Why take something apart that aint broke.
I figure I'll do the rear swingarm when I get my valves checked at 26k miles because I'll have the tire off for replacement anyway...looks like it could be a PIA, simply because you have to suspend the bike.
Dealer at 16k (who owns 2 FJR's himself) said he wouldnt recommend repacking the bearings at 16k miles unless I do a lot of riding in the rain or they are loose in some way. Why take something apart that aint broke.
I figure I'll do the rear swingarm when I get my valves checked at 26k miles because I'll have the tire off for replacement anyway...looks like it could be a PIA, simply because you have to suspend the bike.
FJRMGM
FJRMGM
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What the hell are you guys whining about? Steering head and the swing arm service are ***.
You are correct - neither one of them is a problem.
Its that one bolt on the shock linkage that requires removal of the centerstand that SUCKS.
You are correct - neither one of them is a problem.
Its that one bolt on the shock linkage that requires removal of the centerstand that SUCKS.
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
After putting about 50k miles on my '05 I decided to lube the swingarm. Having the axle tool made it easy to remove the swingarm pivot. Turned out to be a waste of my time though. There was plenty of good clean grease in there. I freshened up the grease and put it back together.
The other rear suspension pivots were all OK as well. I had the shock out once before so I already cleaned and lubed these pivots once before. The first time I found them pretty dry from the factory.
I haven't gotten to the front end yet but I put tapered roller bearings in the steering head last year so I expect that to be OK.
The other rear suspension pivots were all OK as well. I had the shock out once before so I already cleaned and lubed these pivots once before. The first time I found them pretty dry from the factory.
I haven't gotten to the front end yet but I put tapered roller bearings in the steering head last year so I expect that to be OK.
check your Yamaha recommended service intervals. If it says to it, do it. If the dealer is going counter to Yamaha's recommendations, start questioning why. Maybe he doesn't like doing warranty work. Yamaha's notorious for under-lubing many of their bits and pieces during the assembly process.
please remind us of your "relaxed" service intervals when you decide to sell your bike.
twowheelnut
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
I have read on this forum that taking off the old stearing stem races is tough. Are the taper bearings the way to go? If so, does any body know the part numenrs for the bearings and where to buy them at. I think there is a King Bearing company in Tracy, which is not too far from me.
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
Taking the old one off was easy enough, just grind it off with your dremel. Getting the new one on is more challenging. There are some threads about it from last year. Overall I would say theat tehre is very little difference in the ride with the rollers, but they should last forever.
