Ahhhh...that feels good!

[Fred T]

The satisfaction of spending 12 hours on service maintenance on my KDX so she's ready for a few hundred more miles of trail riding before it needs anything. I'm a kinda slow mechanic but it feels good to know I checked over lotsa things. Tore the entire rear end off to clean and grease all suspension and linkage bearings. I also cleaned and checked rear wheel bearings - put a new X-ring chain and sprockets on. I took the front end off and cleaned and greased the steering bearings. Cleaned the WER and greased. Took off the handguards and replaced the grips and while I was at it took apart all the brake, clutch and throttle controls and clean and lubed them too. All the brakes were cleaned while I was in there and both throttle and clutch cables were cleaned, greased and lubed. I got the front brake working really good with an adjustment. Tranny oil is changed. Airbox is clean and filter cleaned. Doesnt' sound like i did much but it was time consuming work and I always seem to have a problem with something taking me way longer than it should. This time I messed up the lower shock bearing trying to drive it in with a socket instead of pressing in in with a vise. Lesson learned - had to keep the old one, it was still good anyway. I always seem to have trouble with that circlip that holds the countershaft sprocket in too -took me 20 minutes to get it on. :| Ahhh...but I feel good about the bike now. I spend a lot of time on service but I have great luck with things lasting a long time. Knock on wood! ;) Thanks for listening.....

 

[Mac]

Bwahhh ha ha lol.....you sound just like me. Had the same problem with the lower shock bearing finally had to dremel that thing out. I recently rebuilt my bike when I had it apart installing the EG 225cc kit. While it was apart I decided to replace all the bearings, what a PITA!

Your bike looks pretty sweet, sure feels good when you can toast guys on MX bikes and they look confused when they say "Is that a KDX?" hehe

I have the same problem with spending too much time (and money)on my bike, at least that's what my wife says.

But it's all worth it on Saturday morning when I fly past the quads on the powerlines. :p

 

[Dr.Zaius]

Qauds Suck. :|

 

[Fred T]

Ya, Shawn...I'm beginnig to think that replacing all those bearings will be a major PITA after tring one little dinky one. Sheesh! I've got all the bearings "in house" for the time I need them...well except for the lower shock bearing. DOH! I keeps lotsa parts..for example today I couldn't find a damn bolt in the pile of tools, rags and debris on the floor so I opened up a new one (dogbone bolt) and viola...there it was next to the torque wrench under it...so I put the new one back and put the old one in. I think episodes like that are the reason I'm so slow. I try to be organized and put tools away after I use them but somehow I always end up working in a mess and looking for "where's that 10 MM wrench?" HA! Next project will be reskinning the rims with a fresh set of Michelin S-12's...to be ordered soon. Love how they throw a huge roost at my buddies when they are new! He he....

 

[70 marlin]

Fred, I never really ever had a hard time with these little bearing's? I just find the right size socket that fits on to the races, open up the old vice till the jaws clear's the race. then I get mt biggest BFH. and out they come with in three whacks. going back in I alway's grease the bearing's if there needles or loose and could fall out. then with a small peice of key way stock, in good condition I gently square it. then once it squared. I drive it till it flush with the housing. then I used the socket on the outer race till its @ the right depth. even on the old RM ever thing could be driven out. with just the BFH? just remeber too support the peice that is being driven, never drive somthing unsupported un less you want it bent.
also I find a 1/2 drive socket works the best. and on the in side bearing's I use a long extension insert backwards through the socket to give you a larger surface area.

"Fred when come time to put the them little puppies in. you could do it @ my place." I'll put on pat's bearing school. I even think the there's a couple of them cold one left over from the rites:>))

 

[Fred T]

Ya, thanks Marlin. I figured out the vise for pressing the bearing back in and I used a 15MM socket. Perfect fit. Those swing arm bearings look fun though...when the time comes. I may need a bigger vise. BTW- I discovered that a c-clamp works great for pressing the master link together when it's on the bike. I'm gonna keep an eye on this clip. :)

 

[70 marlin]

You would have loved my method on my master link. small 1/4 drive socket and C clamp. was'nt pretty. and its not the size of the vice but how well you use it :>)

 

[Mac]

My lower shock bearing was so rusted that the side with the writing on it was completely gone so the socket didn't have enough surface area to press against, so I dremeled it out.

A recent thread on swingarm bearings including my homemade press is <HERE>

For master links I use a pair of needlenose vicegrip pliers, works great.