Check your swingarm bearings.

[Haioku_Mantan]

Went in to swap out the shocks (F+R) for the Matris units (FKE kit and MK46D) and asked them to swap out the swingarm bearings as well.
Glad I did as the mechanic texted me that the right hand side was wrecked and the left was getting there too.







Part #92249224
JTEKT HC33005JRLFT

[MikeP996]

FWIW, I have never understood the use of needle bearings in a swing arm - it is almost the antithesis to the proper application of needle bearings.  In this situation there is almost no movement and all the weight/pressure is concentrated on the same few rollers for the "life" of the bearing.  A bushing seems a much more effective device for this application...

[Huzo]

FWIW, I have never understood the use of needle bearings in a swing arm - it is almost the antithesis to the proper application of needle bearings.  In this situation there is almost no movement and all the weight/pressure is concentrated on the same few rollers for the "life" of the bearing.  A bushing seems a much more effective device for this application...

That’s an astute observation and cannot be argued against.
I guess one redeeming factor is they are tapered and can be tweaked to maintain zero lash.
But yes, the same 4 or 5 rollers are doing all the work and hammering into the tapers.

[jamesb]

when i replaced mine it was water ingress that had done them in

[guzzisteve]

On a bike 19yrs old they should have been checked long time ago, everyone was warning riders about it for the last 19yrs. If you don't search you would never know. Roper & I were warning folks, it is your own fault. I was changing them at the dealers when bikes were only couple years old.
Guzzi did not grease them. You were warned almost 20yrs ago.

Just think what the shock link arm looks like, most likely all junk rollers in them.

[n3303j]

Taper roller bearings are the ideal device for the application. They can be adjusted to a preload to allow zero lash. The application applies both a radial and a thrust load. Taper roller bearings handle both extremely well without ever going out of adjustment.

I pull the aluminum cap and squirt the pivot bolt full of grease with a pin point nozzle until grease oozes out between the frame and swingarm. Do this every couple of years. There is no water intrusion. Bearings last forever (50 years on T3 so far).

[mechanicsavant]

Hmmm. I’m in the middle of a tire change . Exh. Pipes & shocks along with final drive are out of the way too. Seems like a good time to check @ 30k Mi. Or so . Thanks for the 411 !

[Huzo]

Did I miss what sort of bike it is ?

[John A]

 Norge.

[SIR REAL ED]

At first glance I thought this thread was going to evolve into a spirited, technical debate about proper bearing selection for that application.

But in the long run, if you don't grease the bearings, it really does not matter what type of bearing is installed.

Hypothetically, if you were going to install bearings without grease, what is the best type of grease to not use?

Enquiring minds want to know....

[TN Mark]

Has anyone ever gotten an answer as to why Moto Guzzi refuses to grease the steering and swing arm bearings? The light coating the bearings ship with is only designed to help prevent rust from manufacturing to the end user.

I’ve read guesses like by the time these bearings actually fail, the bike is out of warranty and/or likely onto the 2nd or 3rd owner.

[Haioku_Mantan]

At first glance I thought this thread was going to evolve into a spirited, technical debate about proper bearing selection for that application.

But in the long run, if you don't grease the bearings, it really does not matter what type of bearing is installed.

Hypothetically, if you were going to install bearings without grease, what is the best type of grease to not use?

Enquiring minds want to know....

Probably an oil-free bushing like this

[SIR REAL ED]

Has anyone ever gotten an answer as to why Moto Guzzi refuses to grease the steering and swing arm bearings? The light coating the bearings ship with is only designed to help prevent rust from manufacturing to the end user.

I’ve read guesses like by the time these bearings actually fail, the bike is out of warranty and/or likely onto the 2nd or 3rd owner.

I would guess that any grease on the bearings is there because the bearing OEM applied it to keep from rusting during shipping and storage.

Moto Guzzi probably does not add any grease either due to negligence or to save money/time during assembly.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

There was a time when Guzzi did grease bearings. The wheel, steering head and swingarm (tapered roller) bearings of my '69 Ambassador are the originals, still in service after 57 years and 111,000 miles. 

[Wayne Orwig]

I'll stick with tapered rollers myself. I still recall the vague handling of my 60s and 70s bikes with bushings that are sloppy.

The Tonti frame seals the bearings reasonably well. The CARC frame, if I recall, runs the seal against the welds on the frame. Poor weld, poor seal. Pack them and the linkage bearings with a waterproof grease. Maybe even something intended for marine use.

[SIR REAL ED]

There was a time when Guzzi did grease bearings. The wheel, steering head and swingarm (tapered roller) bearings of my '69 Ambassador are the originals, still in service after 57 years and 111,000 miles. 

A testament to the good ole days!

Maybe a previous bearing vendor greased the bearings during manufacture, and Moto Guzzi just got in the habit of installing whatever was shipped to their assembly facility.

[TN Mark]

Everyone involved with assembly where ‘dry’ bearings are installed is fully aware they’re installing bearings ‘dry’ that require grease.

To suggest otherwise is to say everyone involved in assembly where bearings are installed ‘dry’ is completely incompetent.
Which, IMHO, is actually the case.

[Frenchfrog]

FWIW, I have never understood the use of needle bearings in a swing arm - it is almost the antithesis to the proper application of needle bearings.  In this situation there is almost no movement and all the weight/pressure is concentrated on the same few rollers for the "life" of the bearing.  A bushing seems a much more effective device for this application...

That's not a needle bearing on Guzzi small bloc and Tonti frames...they use a tapered roller bearing which allows you to get perfect adjustment.Bushings have more friction and cannot be adjusted for one.

[Huzo]

The race on the right hand (rear brake pedal) side, needs to have a spacer between the inner and the seal. If not, when you put the pin through, it dislodges the seal and it falls into the space between, leaving the grease space subject to water and contaminant ingress.
Mine was like that when I pulled them first time. The rollers fell out on the floor, dry and rusted.