Penis Rotor
GT Godfather!
Bill just sent me an email asking about this as he's planning on swapping his shock on his Griso so I did a little blurb that others may find useful. Although it is Griso specific all the CARC bikes are much the same.
Bill, leave it until you get 'Home'. It really isn't that big a job and you can do it easily enough but the bike has to be supported because if it isn't when you disconnect the linkage the back end collapses, (Obviously.)
My advice would be to stick with what you have till you're back in VA and at that time tie the front down on your bench and lift the bike with a lift of some sort under the sump. I use one of those hydraulic 'Bike Lift' thingies with a board across the arms under the sump and just lift the rear until the back wheel is off the ground. You can then remove the rear brake and speedo sensor and un lip them and get them out the way. Take the bolt out of the back of the reaction arm and remove the CARC box. That gets all the heavy crap off the swingarm.
Because the bike is supported and stabilised at the front you can then remove the side plates, clip the cable ties that hold the boot between the gearbox/transmission and the swingarm and then remove the bolts from the shock linkage at the bottom and pull it out. (Note how it fits but its pretty obvious. The forked arm that attaches to the frame can be left dangling until all the rest of the crap is out of the way.).
Once that is done you undo the pinch bolts on the LH side of the swingarm that pinch it around the castellated sleeve, undo and remove the castellated sleeve and then use a 14mm key to unwind the swingarm spindle itself and withdraw it from the left of the bike.
The swingarm although massive is surprisingly light and once the spindle is out you just slide the swingarm out of the frame backwards. The bearings *Should* remain in the frame but if there is insufficient grease in them they may want to fall out. They are simple tapered rollers with a rubber seal around the outer edge of the cone.
Once the arm is off the driveshaft just sits on the gearbox output shaft, it can be left there. Pick out the swingarm bearings and make sure that the small seals that sit in the inner parts of the frame where the outer bearing races sit are still seated on their registers. They have a tendency to fall out. If they do just push them back in.
The top shock mount may require removal of the under-seat plastic tail piece, I can't remember, but I think I just loosened it off and pulled it aside enough to get to the top mount bolt with a socket and extension bar from the right. The shock can then be lowered out.
The forked arm that connects to the frame also has needle rollers in it that will be in adequately greased so while the arm is out it is worth while un bolting it too.
Take it and the linkage 'Dog Bone' to a bench and put down a clean bit of cloth, an old sheet part is ideal, white preferably, then C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y slide out the bushes that the bolts in the linkages and forked arm go through but only about a third of the way. There are TWO tows of needle rollers and because they have little grease in them if you push them out half way lots of tiny needles will tumble out! Not a drama but its a PITA making sure they all go back in! Push it out about a third of the way and most of the length of the needles on one side will be exposed but can't fall out. Get a finger full of greas end just wipe it around the needles, trying to work it into the gaps at the top of the rollers. Then turn the linkage around and push the bush out the other way by a third and repeat for the race on that side. There are seals outside of the bearings to keep the grease in so don't worry too much about getting mess around the outside, once the bushes are pushed back in you can just wipe the whole sorry lot off with a rag. If some needles DO fall out pick 'em up and work then back in before pushing the bush back through.
There are three sets of bearings in the 'Dog Bone' and one set in the forked arm.
After making sure the seals are in the frame pack the swingarm bearings LIBERALLY, (Even though it will go against your CONSERVATIVE nature ;-)=). ) with grease and stick them back in the frame where the grease should hold them in place. The swingarm can them be offered up over the shaft and slid over the bearings, it helps to have an assistant to do this to ensure the bearings don't try and slip out as the arm goes over them. Gently insert the swingarm spindle trying not to biff it into the seals in the frame as this may dislodge them but as long as you've packed the bearings to buggery hydraulic pressure will probably keep them on their registers. Once you have started it in the threads in the RH side of the frame just tighten it down and nip it up. The bearings are then pre-loaded by tightening down the castellated sleeve until all side play is taken out of the swingarm and the. The pinch bolts can be tightened down to stop it from unwinding.
From there reassembly is simply a reverse of disassembly. Take your time and make sure that all the mounting bolts for the shock and its linkages are good and tight. You don't want them coming loose when you're riding, you really don't!!!
Side plates are only held on by four bolts and can just be hung out of the way while doing this if you're crafty. No need to disturb the master cylinder or gearshift linkage if you take care.
Pete
Bill, leave it until you get 'Home'. It really isn't that big a job and you can do it easily enough but the bike has to be supported because if it isn't when you disconnect the linkage the back end collapses, (Obviously.)
My advice would be to stick with what you have till you're back in VA and at that time tie the front down on your bench and lift the bike with a lift of some sort under the sump. I use one of those hydraulic 'Bike Lift' thingies with a board across the arms under the sump and just lift the rear until the back wheel is off the ground. You can then remove the rear brake and speedo sensor and un lip them and get them out the way. Take the bolt out of the back of the reaction arm and remove the CARC box. That gets all the heavy crap off the swingarm.
Because the bike is supported and stabilised at the front you can then remove the side plates, clip the cable ties that hold the boot between the gearbox/transmission and the swingarm and then remove the bolts from the shock linkage at the bottom and pull it out. (Note how it fits but its pretty obvious. The forked arm that attaches to the frame can be left dangling until all the rest of the crap is out of the way.).
Once that is done you undo the pinch bolts on the LH side of the swingarm that pinch it around the castellated sleeve, undo and remove the castellated sleeve and then use a 14mm key to unwind the swingarm spindle itself and withdraw it from the left of the bike.
The swingarm although massive is surprisingly light and once the spindle is out you just slide the swingarm out of the frame backwards. The bearings *Should* remain in the frame but if there is insufficient grease in them they may want to fall out. They are simple tapered rollers with a rubber seal around the outer edge of the cone.
Once the arm is off the driveshaft just sits on the gearbox output shaft, it can be left there. Pick out the swingarm bearings and make sure that the small seals that sit in the inner parts of the frame where the outer bearing races sit are still seated on their registers. They have a tendency to fall out. If they do just push them back in.
The top shock mount may require removal of the under-seat plastic tail piece, I can't remember, but I think I just loosened it off and pulled it aside enough to get to the top mount bolt with a socket and extension bar from the right. The shock can then be lowered out.
The forked arm that connects to the frame also has needle rollers in it that will be in adequately greased so while the arm is out it is worth while un bolting it too.
Take it and the linkage 'Dog Bone' to a bench and put down a clean bit of cloth, an old sheet part is ideal, white preferably, then C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y slide out the bushes that the bolts in the linkages and forked arm go through but only about a third of the way. There are TWO tows of needle rollers and because they have little grease in them if you push them out half way lots of tiny needles will tumble out! Not a drama but its a PITA making sure they all go back in! Push it out about a third of the way and most of the length of the needles on one side will be exposed but can't fall out. Get a finger full of greas end just wipe it around the needles, trying to work it into the gaps at the top of the rollers. Then turn the linkage around and push the bush out the other way by a third and repeat for the race on that side. There are seals outside of the bearings to keep the grease in so don't worry too much about getting mess around the outside, once the bushes are pushed back in you can just wipe the whole sorry lot off with a rag. If some needles DO fall out pick 'em up and work then back in before pushing the bush back through.
There are three sets of bearings in the 'Dog Bone' and one set in the forked arm.
After making sure the seals are in the frame pack the swingarm bearings LIBERALLY, (Even though it will go against your CONSERVATIVE nature ;-)=). ) with grease and stick them back in the frame where the grease should hold them in place. The swingarm can them be offered up over the shaft and slid over the bearings, it helps to have an assistant to do this to ensure the bearings don't try and slip out as the arm goes over them. Gently insert the swingarm spindle trying not to biff it into the seals in the frame as this may dislodge them but as long as you've packed the bearings to buggery hydraulic pressure will probably keep them on their registers. Once you have started it in the threads in the RH side of the frame just tighten it down and nip it up. The bearings are then pre-loaded by tightening down the castellated sleeve until all side play is taken out of the swingarm and the. The pinch bolts can be tightened down to stop it from unwinding.
From there reassembly is simply a reverse of disassembly. Take your time and make sure that all the mounting bolts for the shock and its linkages are good and tight. You don't want them coming loose when you're riding, you really don't!!!
Side plates are only held on by four bolts and can just be hung out of the way while doing this if you're crafty. No need to disturb the master cylinder or gearshift linkage if you take care.
Pete
