Sideways shaft play on the 1100GS - Needlebearings were stuffed - NOW FIXED!

Me and Vicky was going to go to George with the GS tonight (go to Barrydale tonight and then George via all sorts of interesting roads tommorow), but some unexpected plans were to be on the cards...

I went to Velddrif and back last night and on the way back the rear started to feel a little 'loose' - almost like a flat.

Turns out that there's sideways play on the shaft where it comes out of the boot.
About 8mm of lateral movement. Looks freakin scary.



I read on ADVrider that it isn't a big deal to fix (although you could obviously wear the bearings out if you ride like that so I don't plan on doing it). You adjust the play at this nut.


The issue is that it isn't that big of a job, but you need to have the right tools. This also taken from ADVRider.

1. Remove rear wheel
2. Loosen clamp on dust boot and fold back
3. Loosen 32mm lock nut on pivot pin
4. Use propane torch to heat area around pivot pin (about two minutes of even heating); take care not to melt the dust boot
5. Remove pivot pin from arm
6. Thoroughly clean pivot pin and hole threads of thread cement remnants (wire brush, pick, thread file, etc.)
7. Thread pivot pin back into arm until it bottoms, then back out about 4-5 threads
8. Put 1-2 small drops of Loctite "blue" (medium strength thread lock cement) on the pivot pin threads and thread in to bottom
9. Torque pivot pin to 7 NM; check side-to-side play of final drive unit to confirm no play
10. Tighten Lock nut to 160 NM
11. Replace dust boot
12. Replace wheel (105NM on bolts)
13. Ride and check play; monitor for first few hundred miles

Click to expand...

...

I'll rather have Shane and his merry men do it if I had a choice.

Here'[s an exploded view of the shaft with the linkage in question (it is an older GS swingarm's diagram, but according to my manual it does look similar.



Needless to say that Sauerkraut is now also taking a well deserved break. Appart from the agrivated wear it also would just feel wrong if I would trust our lives on the only link between the rear wheel and the rest of the bike when something is loose there.

It has served me well the past year since getting it. Me and Vicky have seen more new and interesting places (and got to meet more cool and interesting people) the past year than a couple of years before that.

So (apart from the fact that I'm missing out on a cool ride or two) I'm not really upset by this - I'm just glad it happened while I was on my own on the bike and close to home rather than fully loaded with Vicky on the back somewhere out of cellphone reception and far from home...

I was worried that it was going to be serious issues, but there's no other whines, knocks, grinds or other play on the shaft.
So if the little bearing that the nut pushes against didn't go 'bye-bye' things would hopefully be fixed without too much drama...