HAWK Swing Arm Bearing/Bushings HELP

[NickThrash]

Hey guys, I changed my rear tire 4 days ago and noticed, today, that the swing arm had quite a bit of play on the left side. This obviously didnt look right and I searched it online and saw people say that its likely the bearings or bushings.

So i took off the swing arm to take a look and saw the rubber was thrashed.

I then saw there were a few Threads on here that had discussed this issue.

BUT My problem is that I didn't quite understand what it is i need to replace, how to replace, or even where to get the right parts. This is my first bike and I dont quite understand what is going on in this slot the bolt goes into.
It didnt seem that anyone had a definitive solution posted. There's the ring that has a small rubber ring inside it, then in the slot it seems that there is a rubber tube that goes all they through with a thin metal ring around that tube.

So what is it exactly that I need to do and what parts am i going to need to get and where?

Here are some photos:

This is the LEFT slot that had all the play:





This is the right side (Had little to no play) Not too bad looking:



This is the one on the LEFT side:

[Megadan]

Your last picture looks like one of the dust caps.

As far as the swing arm bushings go, I would be interested in finding a replacement. Even CSC doesn't have a part listing/number for the bushings, just the pivot shaft, dust caps, and the whole arm assembly for $55.

I am under suspicion that the bushings themselves are not a replaceable part, but I sure would be interested if anybody else has replaced them with an off the shelf part from another bike, or came up with a solution.

[pete]

$55.... just buy the whole arm...
it cost me almost $300 for the
arm & linkage kits for the TTR..
still got to put in...


.

[NickThrash]

Originally Posted by Megadan

Your last picture looks like one of the dust caps.

As far as the swing arm bushings go, I would be interested in finding a replacement. Even CSC doesn't have a part listing/number for the bushings, just the pivot shaft, dust caps, and the whole arm assembly for $55.

I am under suspicion that the bushings themselves are not a replaceable part, but I sure would be interested if anybody else has replaced them with an off the shelf part from another bike, or came up with a solution.

Damn, that sucks. Do you know whats the worst that can happen if I dont fix it? Besides potentially having the bolt rub against the swing arm.

Im thinking if i stuff some rubber tubing in there and grease the F*CK out of it it should be okay and just maybe do that once a year or when necessary.

Do you think that would get rid of the play on the left side? is the rubber what keeps it from swaying left to right?

[pete]

My fix would be to spin up some bronze bushes & put a
sleeve over the pivot bolt with a gease nipple on each side..

If you have to have someone do it for you it would more than
lightly cost more than a new arm..
I surpose the prob with getting a new arm is it prob going to do it again..


..

[NickThrash]

Originally Posted by pete

My fix would be to spin up some bronze bushes & put a
sleeve over the pivot bolt with a gease nipple on each side..

If you have to have someone do it for you it would more than
lightly cost more than a new arm..
I surpose the prob with getting a new arm is it prob going to do it again..


..

hmmm.. that china ingenuity hard at work there.. lol

ya maybe ill just try a repair and if that doesnt work ill get a new s.arm

I guess a lot of people were saying these bushings are bone dry of grease from the manufacturer. Which is what causes it to get tore up like that. So if I get a new one ill be sure to lube it up.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by NickThrash

Hey guys, I changed my rear tire 4 days ago and noticed, today, that the swing arm had quite a bit of play on the left side. This obviously didnt look right and I searched it online and saw people say that its likely the bearings or bushings.

So i took off the swing arm to take a look and saw the rubber was thrashed.

I then saw there were a few Threads on here that had discussed this issue.

BUT My problem is that I didn't quite understand what it is i need to replace, how to replace, or even where to get the right parts. This is my first bike and I dont quite understand what is going on in this slot the bolt goes into.
It didnt seem that anyone had a definitive solution posted. There's the ring that has a small rubber ring inside it, then in the slot it seems that there is a rubber tube that goes all they through with a thin metal ring around that tube.

So what is it exactly that I need to do and what parts am i going to need to get and where?

Here are some photos:

This is the LEFT slot that had all the play:
Attachment 10886

Attachment 10887


This is the right side (Had little to no play) Not too bad looking:
Attachment 10888


This is the one on the LEFT side:
Attachment 10889

Your bottom picture is of the end cap. It goes between the bushing and the frame. Go back to the threads on this subject and check the solutions. Mine was fitting a bronze oilite bushing both sides with a distace piece in between, not forgetting to drill and tap for a grease fitting in the middle of the swing arm tube. Bronze Oilite bushings retain oil or grease in the labyrinthe of the cells in the bushing. I'm looking at one right here now. They come in a lot of sizes so you should be able to find ones that work. Go through the Yellow pages to find out who has them. Any industrial supply shop should be able to fix you up. If you have to, take the swing arm bolt and the swing arm with you to the shop to make sure you get the right ones. The other way to do it is go the roller bearing route, but that requires machining the swing arm. Three motorcycles I have owned had bronze swing arm bushings. I greased them twice a year and never had to replace any, FWTW....ARH

[NickThrash]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Your bottom picture is of the end cap. It goes between the bushing and the frame. Go back to the threads on this subject and check the solutions. Mine was fitting a bronze oilite bushing both sides with a distace piece in between, not forgetting to drill and tap for a grease fitting in the middle of the swing arm tube. Bronze Oilite bushings retain oil or grease in the labyrinthe of the cells in the bushing. I'm looking at one right here now. They come in a lot of sizes so you should be able to find ones that work. Go through the Yellow pages to find out who has them. Any industrial supply shop should be able to fix you up. If you have to, take the swing arm bolt and the swing arm with you to the shop to make sure you get the right ones. The other way to do it is go the roller bearing route, but that requires machining the swing arm. Three motorcycles I have owned had bronze swing arm bushings. I greased them twice a year and never had to replace any, FWTW....ARH

Sounds like quite the pain in the ass.. Guess I'll try some form of repair. Then, if that doesnt work ill have to buy a new arm..

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by NickThrash

Sounds like quite the pain in the ass.. Guess I'll try some form of repair. Then, if that doesnt work ill have to buy a new arm..

I once had a Triumph 500 twin, 20 years old when I bought it, that had those damn rubber bushings. I was short of jack at the time, so I made new ones out of the old metal parts with hydraulic hose cut into short pieces for the rubber part. I had to put a tube steel spacer between the two bushings in order to compress the rubber when I tightened up the the swing arm. I also really greased up the swing arm hinge bolt so that the inner bushing liner could rotate on it.

[OUTERLIMITS]

Your pics definitely make it look like it was very dry in there. Before you go the route of buying a whole new swing arm assy, maby give RPS a call first. If they don't have the individual bushings Perhaps CSC in California, but you might need to get to a live person as I know on CSC's website they don't show it. Not sure if they do have them that they'll fit, but so many parts are similar between the two bikes. Another source might be anyone that carry's parts for the Enforcer or Brozz.....those bikes are all so similar. Either way, as you noted, you'll need the lube the crap out of them as it's just not the best design in the world to begin with, but looks like the factory installed them dry.