Couple of 250sx questions....

[madmax]

I have an 85 250sx, just curious about the swingarm bushings/bearings, I saw a couple of old posts about what a pain they are to replace. What I'm wondering is how do you know if they're bad/need replaced?

Also, the rear shock has a 5 way adjuster (preload or dampening?) How do you move the adjuster? (is there a special tool?

Thanks

[ATCnut]

The way to determine if the swingarm bushing are shot is to put the trike on a stand (milk box) and grab the swingarm and see if there is any side to side play or twisting. If it is solid, and the swingarm only moves up and down, you are good to go.

The stock toolkit came with a little pin spanner to adjust the shock. You may have to make a back yard tool.

[madmax]

Thanks for the info!

[TriZer]

I use a pipe wrench :D

[dads]

After your first swing arm bearing change you will find that the only hard thing about it is what you do to make it hard. Takes me 1 hr. Two if i have to make improvements. which is a mod i do to stop bearing failure.

[Unregistered]

another way to tell if something is up with the bushing - they may seem tight with no additional play. There will be a clicking (metalic) noise when the swing arm travels. the noise sounds "deep" almost transmission sounding. Never fear - lubricate the bushings and allow the oil to get in there and the noise dissappears. The bushings are intended to receive regular maintenace (along with several other locations)

[madmax]

I'm not getting any looseness or noise but I want to maintain it correctly. I can see where you'd lube on the RH side bushing but how do you lube the LH side? I noticed 2 very small holes in the swingarm pivot, they are visible only from directly behind the trike and are on the LH and RH sides, are they for lube?

Thanks

[ATC_250SX]

im not sure if you can oil through those holes, there is a metal plate behind the bearing that is pressure fit when you put the bearing in im pretty sure the oil wouldent make it through, unless the bottom of the sheet metal things are rotted out, another way to tell if the bearings are gone is when you are riding you wil heare a metal on metal slamming noise. thats when there really bad, myn got that far and its the knuckles for the Universal joint hitting the magnium coller that it sits in. but replacing them is simple if you have the right toools. i had to make a tool to remove the jam nut, and i had to heat up the races of the bearings and pull them with a pully puller and a slide hammer. im not sure how you lubethem once there in there but i just put a good amunt a high quality lithium greese in there, i figure if theve lasted seince 85 next time thy go i wont have it so, im not to worried. and someone else may have a better way to get them out, so please tell me if you find a better way id like to know! GOOD LUCK!

[dads]

If you do not know the condition of your bears and don’t have the cash to change them out, just run them you will know when they are bad. If you have the cash change them and do the mod I do to stop bearing failure. When you have it a part nock out the beer can pugs, drill out the two holes in the back and tap for grease fittings fill tub with grease put In races bearings and seals and put it to gather. :thumbsup:

[madmax]

Great Idea dads! Making the swingarm serviceable by installing grease fittings sounds right-on.

[dads]

If you use the grease fitting be careful you can push the seals out when greaseing so make shore they are back in place after greaseing. l push them back in after a good greaseing to get rid of any water that gets past seals.