Rear Linkage

[darkember]

Ok I need to deal with my rear linkage. I have seen the links for strapping up the rear ect but I would like to the job with minimal pain. Below are where I am at at the moment.



I would like to tackle the 2 bolts on the right hand side in the below photo.



What will happen if I remove these 2 bolts as the bike is in the first photo. or would I be better to remove the rear Tyre for ease of access

[Max]

I took the back wheel off and used an axle stand to hold the swingarm in place.

[darkember]

I took the back wheel off and used an axle stand to hold the swingarm in place.

Where did you exactly support the swing-arm? & what are the effects when the bolts are taken out??

[Wicky]

Yes remove rear wheel and - and once bolts are out and the shock/linkage is detached from swing-arm the swing arm will flop downwards.

[darkember]

Yes remove rear wheel and - and once bolts are out and the shock/linkage is detached from swing-arm the swing arm will flop downwards.

I am presuming it will flop down at the back where the wheel was so the support needs to be where the chain adjusters are. If that is the case then that's is fine as i'll place a bottle jack there. I just want to make sure, as you see I have the Abba stand supporting the bike on the main swing-arm bolt. In this configuration can I be sure that the bike won't tilt backwards??

[VTRDark]

Removing the rear wheel makes access easier, especially if removing the shock, but leaving it on may be to your benefit as when you undo the bottom linkage the swingarm will drop to the floor with the wheel removed. As you have it now is OK as the wheel is off the ground and the majority of weight is off the suspension. If you loosen the top shock mount before loosening the bottom linkage this will take all the weight off the bottom linkage. Paddock stand on the swingarm is not a good idea as this will put upward forces on it and the suspension which works against you.

Even better is to mount the abba stand off the engine mounts. IIRC all you need is a 17mm socket with a bit of insulating tape wrapped around the base of it slid into the right hand side abba mounting. Then a couple of bits of timber to raise the stand a bit to make up the difference in height of the mounting points. You can then remove the complete rear end then if you wished to do so.

The bike wont tilt backwards as the majority of weight is at the front with that great big lump of an engine.

(:-})

[Wicky]

I concur to do a thorough job on the rear swing linkages etc. it needs room to further access to remove the swinger as well.

[Jscobey]

I concur to do a thorough job on the rear swing linkages etc. it needs room to further access to remove the swinger as well.

+1 if your gonna do it, its MUCH easier honestly to remove then whole swinger. then you can also get the pivot bearings refreshed and it gives you alot more room to work. i did all this when i was swapping out my old swinger for the swinger i had braced so while i had everything off i took care of all those bearings and cleaned up that whole area in general. well worth my time. your shock cant properly do its job it the linkage and swinger pivot bearings are dirty / seized