Swingarm Bearings

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Jim-Jim
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Swingarm Bearings

Post by Jim-Jim »

Hey, everyone,
There's a thread on the other site that uncovered the unavailability of the ball rearings in the right side of the swingarm. SORRY, my mistake - ProLink 81-82
I looked up the manufacturers of the bearings in the swingarm and contacted one of them. The rep was VERY sympathetic and did a search on the numbers but was unable to find any bearing that matched. Very persistent for a rep to help us.
He DID offer to have their engineering take a look at one of the bearings and offer a replacement that would match, if they could find one.
All I have to do is provide a bearing to him.

Does ANYONE have one of the ball bearings from the swingarm assy (right side) that I could buy/borrow to send to him?
(By the way, Louis was checked and, apparently, doesn't have a single bearing.)

Some have cleaned up the ball bearings to make them useable but this doesn't always work and a replacement is called for, especially if they get damaged in rebuild.
This could be a big deal if they can find a matching bearing (apparently there are other factors besides just dimensions - that's why they want to look at one).
We're always needing replacement parts - here's someone willing to help if we can get a bearing to them.

By the way, are there really TWO ball bearings on the right side? The parts catalog show two but the listing calls for only one. Just for information to pass on to the rep, is there any 'wiggle room' in the swingarm recess for a bearing that may be slightly wider (maybe with some modification to the collar/tube?).

So, can anyone help?
Let me know.
J-J
Last edited by Jim-Jim on Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.

steve murdoch icoa #5322
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

What year swingarm are you looking for Jim? '80?

EMS
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

Jim-Jim wrote: .

By the way, are there really TWO ball bearings on the right side? The parts catalog show two but the listing calls for only one. J-J

The listing also calls out two bearings. A Swingarm Bearing "A" 91017-469-00(3,4,5) and a Swingarm Bearing "B" 91018-469-003.
Prolink bearings are the same. Prolink swingarms are plenty from which bearings could be cannibalized.

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by Jim-Jim »

The bearing 91018 is the BALL BEARING on the right side. (H-4 in catalog, #37)
The bearing 91017 is the NEEDLE BEARING on the left side. (H-4 in catalog, #36)

A Suzuki P/N replacement for the Needle Bearing has been found but nothing for the ball bearing.

The picture shows only ONE needle bearing on the left but TWO ball brearings on the right

The ''Reqd No." list for both 81 & 82 shows only ONE of each, so my question was "are there REALLY two ball bearings on the right side - as the picture shows?
Or only one as the list calls out?
I have never had a swingarm apart so don't know personally.

There may be plenty of swingarms available but I don't have one to pull apart. I don't know if someone is willing to sacrifice an arm for the bearing or not
but we need a BALL BEARING for the manufacturer's engineering to look at to see if they can come up with a matching replacement.

If someone wants to sell me a swingarm to get the bearing, I'll buy it but I'd rather not go down that road as it's easier to ship a bearing than a whole arm.
If someone is willing to pull the bearing out of an arm he has, I'll gladly buy it from him for whatever he thinks it is worth. I'll buy the whole arm if he'll
pull the bearing and ship it to me. If, later on, the manufacturer cannot make a match, I'll get the bearing back and return it to the seller - or, if he prefers,
ship the arm to me and I'll keep the whole assy.

I don't really care what it takes, I just want to send the rep a ball bearing from an 81-82 swingarm so he can TRY to find a match.

If there is any more clarification needed, don't hesitate to post.

J-J

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NobleHops
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by NobleHops »

There are indeed two 'thrust' bearings in there, shoulder to shoulder. They are 12mm wide (EDITED for accuracy). I went through this a while back myself and came up dry. If you do get a bearing house to whip up a batch, for sure I'll help organize a group buy or put a few bucks up so we can lay in a supply. That would be a great deed done.

I have an '80 swingarm refurbished and stored, and I will extract that bearing and send it to you Jim, but it will take me a few days. PM me your mailing address and I'll get it on its way, but I do want it back :-).

N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA '80 CBX, sort-of restored :-)

Jim-Jim
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by Jim-Jim »

Nils,
I don't care how stupid this may sound but I find the PM format totally confusing.
Send me a PM and I guess I can reply to it.
J-J

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

Jim-Jim wrote:Nils,
I don't care how stupid this may sound but I find the PM format totally confusing.
Send me a PM and I guess I can reply to it.
J-J




Here in the corner is a button, that says "pm". >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



Click on it and all you have to do is write, like an e-mail and click send

EMS
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

Here is a picture of the swingarm from the Service Manual.
It is two bearings installed back to back.The reason there is only one part number and the parts lists says "qty required 1" , if you ordered that part-number from Honda, you would get the set of bearings.

4645

Jim-Jim
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by Jim-Jim »

EMS,
Which manual has this picture? I looked through my manuals but could not find this exact picture.
I DID find a picture (14-16 or 22-31) that showed the ball bearings we're talking about.
Very interesting; these are of a type I have never seen before; the bearing looks like a type that can take side thrust. By using two and reversing them to each other, Honda got a thrust
bearing that takes thrust in both directions (unlike a standard thrust bearing that works only in the taper direction). So this combination holds the swingarm tight and limits wear/movement
in both directions. Pretty slick, I think.
Even if we find a replacement, I have a feeling we're going to be talking some major money.
Jim-Jim

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

Jim:

The picture is from the '81~'82 Honda CBX Service Manual, issued May 1981. It is on 14-16, page 246.
My manual does not have page 22-31. It ends on 22-9, Page 333, which is part of the '82 addendum.

Jim-Jim
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by Jim-Jim »

Oh, yeah,
Geez, I was so excited about seeing the bearings, I went right on by the picture of the whole assy. Duh!!!!

EMS
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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

The lack of follow-up on some of the issues brought up on the board is somewhat frustrating.

Here are pictures of my last NOS set of bearings with dimensions. Our bearing supplier told me he can get these. I am waiting for a set of samples.
I will keep you all posted.

4653
4652
4651

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by NobleHops »

??

3 or so weeks ago I dug my stock swingarm out from my attic, unpacked it, extracted one of the bearings, measured it, and then shipped it to Jim, and have since exchanged a good 8-10 emails with him on the subject as he researches it. I have not heard from him in a week or so, but I think he is working on it.

If you have a potential source that is great news Mike. Even these numbers and manufacturer are helpful - mine were worn off and unreadable.

N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA '80 CBX, sort-of restored :-)

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by EMS »

Here are the results of my investigation:

The bearing is a non-idustrial standard size. Nothing available that would be close.
Nachi confirms that the part-number is valid and the bearing is available, however, they can not sell it to me or anyone else as it is a proprietary part to Honda.
Isn't that funny.

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Re: Swingarm Bearings

Post by daves79x »

Then the thing to do would be for Honda to actually buy some from them again and sell them to us. Not likely.

Dave

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