How To: Install bronze swingarm bushings

[Greasey Fingers]

Found this great video on youtube for installing bronze swingarm bushings (very thorough), hes doing a xs650 one but it all applies for our bikes too. He installs a grease nipple in the middle of the swingarm which I think is a worthwhile mod, im definatly going to put one in too.

 

[xschris]

I have done the center grease fitting on a non-grease-able dirt bike and it worked awesome.

 

[iamunique127]

Found this great video on youtube for installing bronze swingarm bushings (very thorough), hes doing a xs650 one but it all applies for our bikes too. He installs a grease nipple in the middle of the swingarm which I think is a worthwhile mod, im definatly going to put one in too.

You may want to consider an angled zirk so you can get at it with the grease gun hose without any disassembly. It looked as if the guy in the video put on a straight one. Just a thought.

I know on my XS360, I'd need one that points toward one side or the other to get at it easily.

It's an excellent video. Thanks for the link.

 

[Rustbucket]

Anyone here have problems with Bronze bushing that were listed as compatible for a XS400 but after installing them found that they were too small for the long spacer? If so, what did you do? I worried that I'll have to cut them out and start all over again. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[xschris]

I have used the mikesxs ones with the bushing they also have. Worked fine. https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs65...ing-set-2-oem-90386-22029-90836-22102-00.html https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs65...olt-tube-oem-447-22184-00-90386-22102-00.html Post some pics of what your problem is. Is your bike dohc or sohc?

 

[Rustbucket]

Its a sohc.
I bought the same bushings for MikesXS. Can you mix MikesXS bushing with an OG tube, or do you need to buy both the bushings and the tube from Mikes? The last picture is how far the tube goes in before getting stuck.

 

[xschris]

I never used the the stock one. The mikes bronze bushings need to have the mikes tube to work as it states in the listing. Bushing (Swing Arm Bolt tube) OEM Ref.# 341-22184-00 Note: Tube is a slip fit through bronze bushings. Replace if original is galled or will not fit through new bronze bushings. Fits: All 650's 1970-84

It's always a good idea to replace both at the same time. The set I have on my 80-SG has over 10k miles on them and still look new after I pull them out to have a look. I put the same set on my 82-SJ sohc xs400 last year and the fit was the same.

 

[Rustbucket]

Oh ok. I the OG didn't appear to be damaged so I thought it would work. Great, good to know thanks!

 

[xschris]

Any marks or gulling and they should be replaced. If the bike ever sees rain or stored in an area the get cold then warm they should be pulled apart and cleaned a re-greased from time to time. I think the manual says every 5k miles or few years. I have done it without taking the rear wheel off. Remember to torque the swing arm bolt to proper spec. 47 lbs. I think it is.

 

[Rustbucket]

Will do. Thanks Chris. This site is a huge help.

 

[Rustbucket]

Update. I got the spacer tube from Mikes, but it has the same fit as the original. I emailed MikesXS to make sure I purchased the correct ones for my make a model, which they confirmed. So I started grinding out the bronze bushings. First with a brake cylinder honing tool, but that was very slow progress. I ended up using a Dremel stone to grind them out. The question now, is what should the fit be like, between the spacer tube and the bronze bushing? As of right now, I needed to use a plastic mallet to completely drive it into place. So the tube is not going to rotate in the bushings. Is this ok, or should it be snug but still rotate and be able to slide in and out by hand?

 

[xschris]

It should move easy. Not sure why it wont fit unless you got a bad set of bushings. Do you press them in or pound them in? They need to be pressed. How much did you remove of them?

 

[NewHavenMike]

When I purchased the bronze bushings(3-4 years ago) they were also oversized. They would push in about halfway and then they would be too tight to seat completely. I ended up having to turn about .0015" off the diameter.

 

[xschris]

I got the mikesxs set about 9 years ago and one about 2 and both worked perfect. I had both pressed in at a shop. The sleeve slid right in. I guess I was lucky. I know a lot of xs650 guys use them, my xs650 I had also had them.

 

[Rustbucket]

I pressed them in, but the press was really working hard. I think it was over sized like NewhavenMike's and pressing it in constricted the inner diameter. Ok, I'll take the tube back out and grind a little more. Thanks everyone.

 

[xschris]

They should press in easy. When I did them on my xs650 I just used a threaded rod with washers and nut. Not much effort.