Rear suspension linkage maintenance

[SEG59]

Once a year I remove clean and lubricate the bearings on the rear linkage, but I've never removed the dog bone (for want of a better description) that links the bottom of the frame to the plates, I've removed the bolt that attaches to the bottom of the frame but even though the dog bone swivels freely it doesn't want to come free of the frame, does the tube that the retaining bolt sits in  simply tap out with a bit of force?

[Paul2bikes]

  Which parts you talking about? See link with descriptions & item numbers.

https://www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/7030/tiger-1050-from-vin-287504-to-vin-570058/rear-suspension-linkage

[Sidewinder]

Once frame/dogbone bolt is out the sleeve is still a tight fit in the frame so you need to either tap it out with eg rubber mallet or gently lever it out with screwdriver between frame and end of bone.

[Mike_B]

I know what you mean.  The frame end of the dog bone is a really tight fit.  But it does come out with judicious use of a ‘persuader’.  There isn’t anything additional holding it in place, so just get a drift and hammer and knock it until it comes out.   Same for refitting, although that’s a bit trickier as it needs to end up in the right spot so the bolt will go through both frame and sleeve.

[Paul2bikes]

Ok, I'm with it now, mine comes out/in easy so not familiar with it being a struggle. Thanks for the reminder, not done it for a couple of years, it's due, as is headstock.

[SEG59]

Thanks for the reply's, all done, I was sure I'd had it out for cleaning in the passed with no issue but it was just being difficult.

[Man_on_Edge]

I'm gonna tackle  this today to grease up before a planned trip to France.
I have a very slight bit of play at the frame end but Im having trouble getting hold of the bearings, sleeve and seals although bearings now showing in stock at Fowlers. They weren't yesterday.
Has anyone ever sourced these from a bearing supplier? They will just be a standard Needle roller bearing and seal

[Mike_B]

The bearings in the linkage?  Yes, I have.  They are a standard size, which is stamped into the end of them.  No need to pay OEM Triumph prices for a standard off-the-shelf part.

For my 2013 Sport, I ordered IKO YT1725 bearings from Simply Bearings, who also have an eBay shop.  They cost (in 2021) £38.85 total for three of them delivered to my door.   So roughly 1/3 of the price for top quality bearings.

[Mike_B]

Originally Posted by Mike_B

I know what you mean.  The frame end of the dog bone is a really tight fit.  But it does come out with judicious use of a ‘persuader’.  There isn’t anything additional holding it in place, so just get a drift and hammer and knock it until it comes out.   Same for refitting, although that’s a bit trickier as it needs to end up in the right spot so the bolt will go through both frame and sleeve.

Just to quote my own post here with a tip - when using the persuader to knock the frame-end of the dogbone back into place, make sure you have already inserted the steel spacing tube into the bearing at the other end of the dogbone.   Otherwise, the tapping on it will knock all the needles out the bearing on that end.   

Did this job two days ago as part of my annual August service, and then had to spend time re-arranging all the needles back into place with more fresh grease.

Also, make sure you put the bolts in with the nuts on the right-hand end.  It's the first time I've done this with the standard exhaust on the bike, and it's much easier to get a socket onto the bolt heads if they are on the chain side rather than the exhaust side.