When You Get Frustrated You Build One Of These...

[Bill Havins]

A couple of weeks ago I posted hearing noise ("howling") from the U-Joint area of my '98 EV.  When I did the repair it was a test of wills to see who would win, me or the parts.  As it turns out, there was a slight ridge around the diameter of the wall of the carrier bearing seat, about half way down the wall.  I ruined a seal on the first carrier bearing I tried to install - my drift slipped off the outer race and punched a hole in the seal.  I could tell right then that the ridge wasn't an "original feature" of the bearing seat.  I was frustrated.  I knew the bearing was not going to go into it's seat without some "special" persuasion.

So, I set to designing a "tool" that would let me control how the bearing dealt with the ridge on the wall of the seat.  It took a couple of afternoons to machine the parts.



After I sourced a new bearing and let it freeze for four hours I set to work with the tool.  After several blows with my metal-faced dead blow hammer the bearing found its way to the bottom of the seat.  I then "gently" persuaded the cardan joint into place and reassembled the swing arm and the rest of the rear end.

I've been test riding the EV for several days and things seem fine.  This is another instance where I just had to have the right "tool."

By the way, the tool is available for loan if you want to use it.

Cheers!

[Sasquatch Jim]

  So you pull the bearing into its' seat with a thanorking bolt?

[Bill Havins]

No, I "persuade" it in with a big hammer.  :D

The tool is made of a 7" long 1/2" carriage bolt (with associated hardware), and two diameters of Fortal, one turned to 61.8mm and the other turned to 29.8mm.

The larger diameter has a raised flat on its bottom surface; the flat ensures the tool only touches the outer race of the carrier bearing.

The smaller diameter fits inside the i.d. of the bearing and "centers" the larger diameter on the outer race of the bearing.

With the swingarm mounted vertically on a solid surface, stick the bearing in the bottom of the U-Joint housing, slip the tool in the inner race of the bearing, hold onto the shaft near the top of the carriage bolt, and tap the head of the carriage bolt with a big hammer.  The tool allows you to keep the bearing going straight into its seat.  And the "undersized" larger diameter of the tool (< 62mm) allows the tool to push the bearing all the way home to the bottom of its seat.

Or did I take you too seriously, Jim?  ;D

[injundave]

Don't force it, just get a bigger hammer.............

[mtiberio]

I believe it was Charlie Cole that told me that many Guzzi swingarms have a distortion right on the carrier bearing (outer race) mating surface caused by a nearby weld. Perhaps you found one? He also said, that this distortion can cause the outer race to distort, and shorten bearing life... YMMV

[Bill Havins]

Thanks, Mike.  That may be the explanation.

Since you posted the above, I've been trying to figure out how a person could "true" the bore for the bearing.  Here's what I came up with...  "__."  Yep, I got nuthin', no idea.

Anyone have a suggestion?

[charlie b]

Well.....if you can find a way to reference a shaft through the bore....then just add a cutter  :)

I don't suppose the rest of the tube is concentric enough to use as a reference?

[Bill Havins]

It may take a "real" machinist to do the work.

I wonder if the cardan joint area is a "true" cylinder - it may be.  You can see the "stepdown" to the 62mm of the carrier bearing seat (circled in red) on this drawing from the parts manual.



I guess I'll just ride until this bearing goes out and then address the issue.  Or not.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks, Mike.  That may be the explanation.

Since you posted the above, I've been trying to figure out how a person could "true" the bore for the bearing.  Here's what I came up with...  "__."  Yep, I got nuthin', no idea.

Anyone have a suggestion?

Sure, a mill and a boring bar.

[Bill Havins]

Sure, a mill and a boring bar.

The setup is the part that intimidates me about that.  When the time comes I'll go to a local job shop and let them sweat the minutia.  Might go real quick...but it could get intense.  ;)