Triumphrat

tbh9088 · 04-11-2009, 11:34 PM

I have 31,000 miles on my '98 TBS, and am trying to knock off several items on my maintenance laundry list (brakes, valve shims, etc). One of those items is the pivot bearing, with a service interval of 3 years/24,000 miles. Figured I would search the forum for any info related to this service before diving in, but for whatever reason there are only a handful of posts - none with much content.

Is this a service that most folks are doing themselves, taking it to a shop, or is it one of those things that you don't mess with until there's a problem?

Anyone have any tips or suggestions on servicing the bearings? How long does it take? I should probably get a service manual, but I've usually been able to figure things out on my own, or on the net. Thanks!

Slinky · 04-12-2009, 02:51 PM

I thought it was just a question of shooting in grease thru the grease nipples?

tbh9088 · 04-13-2009, 11:18 AM

As I understand it, the zerk fittings are for the suspension linkage. The swing arm pivot bearing is serviced separately.

Lots of posts of rust and corrosion requiring replacement of the bearings. One of the indications is a poorly tracking rear wheel. Perhaps that's evidence that not many people are servicing them properly.

Slinky · 04-13-2009, 02:02 PM

It's been a while since I was rolling around on the garage floor with a grease gun, but the parts drawing shows two nipples (or zerks) on the swingarm, one on each side.

Edit. No you're right- they are for the suspension linkage.. I never realised that.

2 wheels good 3 better · 04-13-2009, 02:41 PM

Unless my swing arm is different to everyone elses, there IS no grease nipple for the swinging arm pivot bearings, at least not on the regular T'bird.
The two grease nipples shown in the shop manual are for the drag link bearings.

Believe me on this, my swinging arm is off the bike and on the bench at time of writing.
The pivot bearings have no means of being lubed other than pushing the centre bush out and dobbing grease in on the end of your finger.

And tonight's nomination's for the Michael Mouse Excellence in Engineering Awards are....

As a side issue, when I greased all the pivots, I always pumped until grease came out the ends of the bushes. SOP.
When I stripped the swing arm out, I found that the bearing at the bottom of the shock absorber was red with rust, totally munted.
You see, the wee hole on the pivot bush, which SHOULD allow the grease to travel from the centre of the pivot bolt, where the nipple is (are you following this...there is a test afterwards...) through to the bearing was blocked with clag.
So the grease that I saw coming out of the ends of the pivot was actually never getting to the bearing, it was just coming out of the centre bolt circumference.
Sad to say, the only way of finding out if this hole in the bush is blocked is to strip the b#gger.
NOW...........maybe that's why there is no grease nipples for the swing arm pivots.....to force you to strip and inspect the whole damn thing every few years!

The parts for the bearing repair were not expensive (<£30) but the whole situation stalled the bigger project of the weekend, namely replacing the 3cyl motor with a 1200. Pending!