Buckster Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 That got your attention! Get your thoughts out of the gutter. I have been getting a bit of a wiggle from my back end (okay just stop). When I did the inner primary bearing I had a quick check of the swing arm and noticed that the isolator rubbers were looking a bit knackered, for some reason Harley decided that the swing arm pivot shaft should go through the back of the transmission and double up as the rear engine mount. To this end the outer ends of the shaft are mounted in some rubber isolators for vibration damping but to also allow the rear of the motor to move a little in the frame. It is such a brilliant design that they did it differently from the model year after mine. The isolators wear and odd handling occurs, usually a wobble in long curves. With mine I am getting what feels like some rear wheel steer intermittently. Rather than just replacing the isolators, I have decided to fit a different pivot shaft with after market isolators. I have this sat on my dining table at the moment, while I am on I am going to renew the radial swing arm bearings and bushes. So that’s something for you all to look forward to, you lucky people. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 14 hours ago, Buckster said: That got your attention! Get your thoughts out of the gutter. I have been getting a bit of a wiggle from my back end (okay just stop). When I did the inner primary bearing I had a quick check of the swing arm and noticed that the isolator rubbers were looking a bit knackered, for some reason Harley decided that the swing arm pivot shaft should go through the back of the transmission and double up as the rear engine mount. To this end the outer ends of the shaft are mounted in some rubber isolators for vibration damping but to also allow the rear of the motor to move a little in the frame. It is such a brilliant design that they did it differently from the model year after mine. The isolators wear and odd handling occurs, usually a wobble in long curves. With mine I am getting what feels like some rear wheel steer intermittently. Rather than just replacing the isolators, I have decided to fit a different pivot shaft with after market isolators. I have this sat on my dining table at the moment, while I am on I am going to renew the radial swing arm bearings and bushes. So that’s something for you all to look forward to, you lucky people. First job on the new lift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 6 hours ago, Catteeclan said: First job on the new lift? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 6 Author Share Posted June 6 Got the new swingarm bearings today, also got a full compliment of SKF wheel bearings for the new wheels, I have to say they seem better quality than the KOYO. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 I just realised they sent five wheel bearings instead of four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 15 minutes ago, Buckster said: I just realised they sent five wheel bearings instead of four. Bonus, spare for next time. SKF have always had a good name but Koyo have always been good bearings too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 19 minutes ago, Catteeclan said: Bonus, spare for next time. SKF have always had a good name but Koyo have always been good bearings too. The quality on KOYO seems to be slipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 3 hours ago, Catteeclan said: Bonus, spare for next time. I emailed them and offered to send it back if they send me a post paid label. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 I now have everything I need to do the swing arm, I am going to have a ring round on Monday and see how quickly I can get it turned around if I want it powder coated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 10 Author Share Posted June 10 Spoke to the powder coaters expecting a turn around time in weeks and they have a two day turn around time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 10 Author Share Posted June 10 On 07/06/2025 at 15:51, Buckster said: I emailed them and offered to send it back if they send me a post paid label. They said I can keep it, they seemed to struggle with the concept that I told them about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YamaHead Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 2 hours ago, Buckster said: They said I can keep it, they seemed to struggle with the concept that I told them about it. Definitely sounds like an Amazon tactic....where they do so much bizness that their volume makes up for the lack of returns... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted June 11 Author Share Posted June 11 On 11/06/2025 at 00:19, YamaHead said: Definitely sounds like an Amazon tactic....where they do so much bizness that their volume makes up for the lack of returns... To be fair the return postage would have been pretty close to their buying in cost for the bearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 21 hours ago Author Share Posted 21 hours ago Swing arm is out, pain in the ass it was, it has a bit of rust but it is in great shape for nearly 60k miles, the powder coaters will just need to sand blast it and paint it. It is bloody heavy. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 20 hours ago Author Share Posted 20 hours ago I’m wondering if I should swap everything over and put the new rear wheel on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted 19 hours ago Share Posted 19 hours ago 46 minutes ago, Buckster said: I’m wondering if I should swap everything over and put the new rear wheel on. While your there you might as well . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted 9 hours ago Share Posted 9 hours ago 10 hours ago, Buckster said: I’m wondering if I should swap everything over and put the new rear wheel on. What’s wrong with the current wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 9 hours ago Author Share Posted 9 hours ago 40 minutes ago, Pedro said: What’s wrong with the current wheel? It is spoked and has a fair bit of corrosion, I really want to go tubeless. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted 8 hours ago Share Posted 8 hours ago 43 minutes ago, Buckster said: It is spoked and has a fair bit of corrosion, I really want to go tubeless. So would I if I were you. A flat on a tube out on the road sounds like a ruined day for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 6 hours ago Author Share Posted 6 hours ago I am going to pull everything off the old wheel then take it down the arches and get the tyre swapped onto the new wheel by @boboneleg’s American buddy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted 6 hours ago Share Posted 6 hours ago 5 minutes ago, Buckster said: I am going to pull everything off the old wheel then take it down the arches and get the tyre swapped onto the new wheel by @boboneleg’s American buddy. We haven't heard anything from him for a while..... I didn't even know he was American Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 5 hours ago Author Share Posted 5 hours ago 43 minutes ago, boboneleg said: We haven't heard anything from him for a while..... I didn't even know he was American No one from civilisation is called Tyler. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted 4 hours ago Author Share Posted 4 hours ago In between rain showers I got the bearings and bushes out of the swing arm. They were in pretty good shape but I have new ones including much higher quality bearings, there is definitely signs of the isolators collapsing, the new setup is significantly different. There are various videos of aligning the motor while fitting the rear axle but having examined it it can only fit one way, there is no left and right alignment other than allowing the rear of the motor to slight shift depending on the front upper and lower alignment mounts, once it is bolted up it will assume a neutral position. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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