Servicing the swingarm: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Suspension]]

This is an important, but often neglected, part of your bike's maintenance. One reason that this operation is so important is that Kawasaki is sometimes stingy with the grease in this area (one member said the factory lube felt like a light coating of machine oil). If you let it go too long, the lack of lubrication could lead to dried-out and/or rusty swingarm bearings. Poor swingarm lubrication can lead to corroded parts, excess/inconsistent rear suspension damping, limited suspension travel, and a creaking sound which is particularly pronounced mounting and dismounting the motorcycle.

This is an important, but often neglected, part of your bike's maintenance. One reason that this operation is so important is that Kawasaki is sometimes stingy with the grease in this area (one member said the factory lube felt like a light coating of machine oil). If you let it go too long, the lack of lubrication could lead to dried-out and/or rusty swingarm bearings. Poor swingarm lubrication can lead to corroded parts, excess or inconsistent rear suspension damping, limited suspension travel, and a creaking sound which is particularly pronounced mounting and dismounting the motorcycle. The service schedule specifies lubrication of the swingarm pivot every 6000 miles.

'''Please note''': The service schedule calls for the [[Uni Trak Shock Linkage Lubrication|suspension linkage inspection/lubrication]] to be done at the same time as the swingarm service.

~~The service schedule calls for lubrication of the swingarm pivot every 6000 miles. Here's the reaction from one member who did this procedure with the recommended mileage on the bike:~~

*My bike has about 6300 miles on it, and I wanted to change tires. One thing led to another, and I ended up removing the swingarm and uni-trak shock linkage. I followed the swingarm servicing procedure here in the FAQ. I'm amazed at the improvement I feel while riding now; it's almost like having a new shock back there. Well, not really; it still feels like a wet sponge, but the friction is gone. No longer can I feel every little pebble in the road. This service had never been done before on this bike, and I could see that there was little lube in there from the factory. The little bit of lube they used looked like petroleum jelly.

====Tools/supplies needed====

*22mm, 19mm, 17mm, 14mm, 12mm sockets and appropriate ratchet handle and/or wrenches. In particular, a 19mm open-ended wrench (suspension linkage 'holder wrench') and a 17mm open-ended wrench (brake torque link arm). A 12" extension and a 30" breaker bar or piece of iron pipe will make this job a lot easier.

*Kerosene (or low flash point solvent)

*Kerosene-safe container

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 [[Category:Suspension]]
-This is an important, but often neglected, part of your bike's maintenance. One reason that this operation is so important is that Kawasaki is sometimes stingy with the grease in this area (one member said the factory lube felt like a light coating of machine oil). If you let it go too long, the lack of lubrication could lead to dried-out and/or rusty swingarm bearings. Poor swingarm lubrication can lead to corroded parts, excess/inconsistent rear suspension damping, limited suspension travel, and a creaking sound which is particularly pronounced mounting and dismounting the motorcycle.
+This is an important, but often neglected, part of your bike's maintenance. One reason that this operation is so important is that Kawasaki is sometimes stingy with the grease in this area (one member said the factory lube felt like a light coating of machine oil). If you let it go too long, the lack of lubrication could lead to dried-out and/or rusty swingarm bearings. Poor swingarm lubrication can lead to corroded parts, excess or inconsistent rear suspension damping, limited suspension travel, and a creaking sound which is particularly pronounced mounting and dismounting the motorcycle. The service schedule specifies lubrication of the swingarm pivot every 6000 miles.
 '''Please note''': The service schedule calls for the [[Uni Trak Shock Linkage Lubrication|suspension linkage inspection/lubrication]] to be done at the same time as the swingarm service.
-The service schedule calls for lubrication of the swingarm pivot every 6000 miles. Here's the reaction from one member who did this procedure with the recommended mileage on the bike:
-*My bike has about 6300 miles on it, and I wanted to change tires. One thing led to another, and I ended up removing the swingarm and uni-trak shock linkage. I followed the swingarm servicing procedure here in the FAQ. I'm amazed at the improvement I feel while riding now; it's almost like having a new shock back there. Well, not really; it still feels like a wet sponge, but the friction is gone. No longer can I feel every little pebble in the road. This service had never been done before on this bike, and I could see that there was little lube in there from the factory. The little bit of lube they used looked like petroleum jelly.
 ====Tools/supplies needed====
 *22mm, 19mm, 17mm, 14mm, 12mm sockets and appropriate ratchet handle and/or wrenches. In particular, a 19mm open-ended wrench (suspension linkage 'holder wrench') and a 17mm open-ended wrench (brake torque link arm). A 12" extension and a 30" breaker bar or piece of iron pipe will make this job a lot easier.
 *Kerosene (or low flash point solvent)
 *Kerosene-safe container