Swing Arm side play

[tommyp61]

Hello Folks,

Ive been a member here for a little over a year,just lurking in the background,I guess its time to come out of the closet, as I am stumped.

I have a 1987 Venture Royal with almost 80k.

The swingarm is completely apart for general maintenance and a tire change.

When I reassembled the swingarm I noticed about 1/8 inch free play from side to side, Im using the workshop manual to limit my mistakes, I have all of the right parts, and everything is torqued per the book. So assembly is not the problem, I think.

I put it together and took it apart 3 times, and it still has side play,(yes I know what Einstein said about doing the same thing over and over,and expecting different results).

 

According to the book sideplay is eliminated by installing new tapered roller bearings and

collars,but the ones I have now look and feel like new, what am I missing? I cannot find anything wrong. I was thinking of equal shims on both sides, but I dont think that is the answer.

 

Did anyone ever run into something like this, any suggestions will be welcomed.

[dingy]

The swingarm pin on the left side is 'fixed'. Tighten to 72 ft/lbs

 

The one on the right side is the adjustable one. There is a black plastic cap on the end of the stud. 1st back the nut off the stud. Use an allen wrench to tighten the right side to 4.3 ft/lbs, this is after it has contacted the swing arm. This should remove any side to side play, if there still is any it isn't right.

 

Then tighten the right side nut down against stud to 72/ft/lbs.

 

Picture of pertinent sheet in manual attached, half way down on right side are steps.

 

Gary

[Dano]

Good explainin' Dingy, that's the right way to do it.

 

 

 

 

I guess that alkihol wore off by now, huh?!!

[dingy]

One other thought...

 

Do you have the collars installed on the outer side of the swing arm bearings on both sides?

 

Gary

[tommyp61]

Thanks for the reply, I tried all of the things you outlined, and yes the collars are installed properly, the torque is right and in sequence, I have the manual in front of me. The parts do not appear to be damaged or worn.

 

Just wondering if the outer bearing race somehow got pushed past the stop inside of the swingarm, this would increase the space needed for the collar to come into contact with the inner race of the bearing.

 

I will check this in the morning,proably pull the outer race out of the swingarm,I know I will not get much sleep wondering about it.

 

What are your thoughts on this?

[Squeeze]

The outer Bearings of these tapered Roller Bearings will just fall out once you carefully removed the Oil Seals. I don't think it's possible to push the inner Race deeper into the Swing Arm. As long as both Collars which go through the Oil Seals are in Place, i can see no Reason for the Pivot Bolts not catching enough to allow any Sideplay. Maybe there're some Parts missing beyond the Oil Seal or the Swingarm is bent for whatever Reason ?

[tommyp61]

Squeeze, I think your on something about the swingarm being bent.

I had a rear wheel blowout about 2 months ago. The tire had “Green Slime”

Sealant in it and when it went flat the rim just spun around on the tire I could not move at all, come to think about it that’s probably how the swingarm may have been “tweaked”.

I discovered this was when attempting to install the ARM that connects the swingarm to the ARM RELAY and SHOCK, there was about 1/8 space between the parts, they would not line up.

I used several Tweaking Instruments (hammers) to provide the necessary input

for alignment.

So things are just about back to normal, there is still a slight mis-alignment as the big nut that holds the right side swingarm pin to the frame has only half of the threads holding it on I don’t think there is much strain in this area and Red Locktight should hold it firm. And of course there is zero side play.

A few words about my “blowout”. there are not too many worse places to have one, a lonely two lane country road going uphill. I managed to pull to the side , after that the bike would not move at all the rim just spun around on the tire ,I could not put down the side stand because of the crown in the road, using the center stand was out of the question, it would take 4 men to put that 800 pound monster on the center stand, so I just sat there straddling the bike staring into space, wondering what just happened.

About 20 minutes later a “Good Samaritan” “TOM RUSSELL” came along with his pickup and an empty trailer, he was on his way to pick up a bike, the two of us somehow managed to push the bike

with a flat and no power uphill into his trailer. He drove me about 40 miles to my house

and helped me unload. Tom would not accept money or any thing else

for helping me. By the way, a second person stopped to help but by then we had the bike on the trailer. that’s the way Alabama people are.

[Squeeze]

Well, my Congrats on keeping the Blow Out under Control !!

 

Whatever happened afterwards is a Piece of Cake against what could happened when you would have lost the Bike. Thanks to the Guy who helped you out. I love to hear those Stories, makes my Day, always !!

 

In all Honesty, i would not ride a Bike like this. Suspension is major Thing on every Bike, even more with our heavy Rides, and i would not trust my Bike, my Hide and my Money to a questionable rear Suspension. I would get another Swing Arm and all other tweaked Parts and mount those, lined up as they belong. Period.

[tommyp61]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Squeeze I totally agree. But I want to try the original parts before I replace anything.

The bike is almost road worthy, except for the mufflers, bags and cosmetic stuff. I checked and rechecked everything that can be checked, all appears to be normal.

Got a new Metzler 880, balanced. with weights,( no more slime or beads).

Ill probably go on a “shakedown” ride sometime this week and report back to headquarters with the news.