What to do when your rear suspension starts to clunk and you notice some play in the back end.
|
Difficulty Rating:  |
|
Vice, Hex key and spanner to suit mounting bolts, a suitable sized socket and a hammer. |
Step one: Remove rear wheel completely. Remove rear brake caliper (Disc Brake) using Allan keys. Cut the cable tie securing rear brake hose to frame. Tie caliper out of reach to avoid nuisance. Slacken off rear mech cable enough to release the outer cable from its guides. Remove rear mech from frame using allan keys to release the single fastening bolt. Swing the rear mech and chain round and out of the way. You will now have clear access to the top suspension link. Remove the pivot bolts, nuts and washers be careful to note position of washers. The rear linkage should remove pretty easily.
Step two: Top pivot bearings (1 each side). Prise off the two spacer caps from outside face of bearings (DO NOT LOSE).There is also a sleeve in which the mounting bolt slides through, use this to punch the centre of the first bearing through. If you are lucky the bearing will come out clean. But be very careful as the centre of the bearing will almost certainly punch out from the rest of the bearing and leave you with just an outer shell. Please note there are shoulders that the bearings rest agianst therefore it is impossible to press/punch right through. Extra caution must be taken at this point to avoid damaging bearing surfaces. With the bearings removed give the surfaces a clean with a rag. If the surfaces are damaged please use a scotchbrite pad to smooth.
StepThree: Making a bearing press. This is when you will require a M6 X 100 set screw (long enough to go right through linkage).A free running nut and 2 x penny washers big enough to cover bearing. This will be your home made press. EASY
Step Four: Refit. Bottom bearings . Place one bearing as square as you can get it. Use the press to clamp loosely through the other side. Make sure bearing is as square as possible, then simply tighten the nut and the bearing should be pulled perfectly into place. Please remember to then fit the spacer tube in the centre before you pull the second bearing in. Use
the exact same process for the top bearings, but also remember to fit spacer caps to these.
Step five: Rebuild bike, taking care not to overtighten suspension bolts as they will tighten until they compress the linkage and lock the bearings out.
Please make sure all bolts are tight and all cables are secured. Always test the bike on a flat surface before you go insane off road.
Job done.