Revisiting Paralever Bushings

[beemermyke]

I was part of all those previous posts on the J&L Paralever bushings. Itoo installed a set, and after 1000 miles, there was no play whatsoever (they recommend re-checking at that mileage, I believe). Anyway, after getting back from a 900 mile three day trip this afternoon, I noted that I've got play. (This is after accumulating 2400 miles total since installing the bushings.) All you folks that installed these... did yours require a re-adjustment? If so, how did you go about doing it? Did you reheat the threadlocker in the adjusment side (inboard with the big nut) and retorque it? I'm trying to figure out the best way to reseat these.

[JimMoore]

The same thing just happened to me. I heated the inboard side and removed the pin and the big nut, then reinstalled.

[PETDOC]

I originally torqued my inboard side to 42 in-lb and the rear end was rock solid. After a little over 1,000 miles I had a very slight wobble. I removed the lock nut and inboard pivot pin, re-cleaned everything with acetone then applied Loctite 271 (red stuff) to inner race of bushing and threads for pivot pin, turned pivot pin in until it bottomed, then backed it off until I got some wobble in rear end, then gradually turned the pivot pin in until there was no detectable wobble. I do not see any reason to use a torque wrench on this aspect of the setting. I did apply red Loctite to the lock nut, assuming this time I'm set for >100,000 miles :rolleyes. No wobble, but only ridden 50 miles since re-torquing.

[OfficerImpersonator]

13,000 miles since I replaced the bearings with the bushing and I've had zero issues. No wobble, no re-torque/reinstall - just 13,000 trouble-free miles (knock on wood!).

[jm1515]

After my FD came back from R&R of the big bearing etc, I re-installed the bushings.
Torqued to 48in/lbs and rode for ~800miles, rear wheel solid as a rock.
I was going to re-torque @1000miles anyway, and after my last jaunt this past weekend, which put me just over 1050mi, I felt a very tiny movement @ ~11 & 5. My index markings showed no movement of the pin or lock nut relative to each other or the FD housing even tho I used no Loctite anywhere on the re-install, but who knows....
I re-torqued (48 ~ 49 in/lbs) and everything is solid, but have not ridden yet.
I again used no Loctite on any threads, but did put of drop of 270 between the lock nut and FD housing before torquing down...effectively 'gluing' the nut to the housing, I think. :deal
We'll see if anything moves....

[beemermyke]

I double checked tonight, and it's very slight movement at about 6 and 12, but not 3 and 9. Don't know the significance of that though. I marked the nut when I initially put it all back together, and there has been no detected movement off my marks. The play is faaaaar less than what it was originally before putting the new bushings in, that's for sure. If the nut didn't move, the only probable explanation (to me, anyway) is that the bushing(s) weren't completely seated like I was so sure they were. Since I loctited the pin, I'm gonna take Petdoc's advice and remove/clean/reinstall.

[winkwm]

96 1100Rt w/75000, don't know what has been replaced prior to my buying it, I've put on 15000 since the purchase. What would be the symptoms of a paralever bearing needing replacement? (going down the road symptoms) I have a very slight movement at 3 & 9.

[PETDOC]

96 1100Rt w/75000, don't know what has been replaced prior to my buying it, I've put on 15000 since the purchase. What would be the symptoms of a paralever bearing needing replacement? (going down the road symptoms) I have a very slight movement at 3 & 9.

Apparently there are several things that can cause lateral movement in the rear wheel; however, the 2 most common are loose rear paralever pivot pin bearings and failure of the final drive crown gear bearing. Although some have suggested movement at 12 and 6 vs at 3 and 9 can distinguish between these two, others disagree. What appears to be accepted fact is if the movement can be stopped by applying the rear brake you probably have a final drive bearing failure, whereas if the movement persists it is due to loose pivot pin bearings.
Regardless, if you check your final drive drain plug and see metal shavings/particles adhered to the magnet your final drive bearing is going bad, and at 75,000 miles if your pivot pin bearing haven't been replaced they are bad.

[bikerfish1100]

96 1100Rt w/75000, don't know what has been replaced prior to my buying it, I've put on 15000 since the purchase. What would be the symptoms of a paralever bearing needing replacement? (going down the road symptoms) I have a very slight movement at 3 & 9.

might feel slightly vague at initil turn-in for a corner. like you set the bike, then a bit later the bike resets itself. other than that, you're probably not going to feel much... until the bearing is so bad that handling has gotten really ugly.
like shocks & all things suspension, you often don't notice the degradation as it is progressive, and you get used to gauging handling against yesterday's performance rather than performance of a new system.

[rbertalotto]

A bit of an article here.......Under "Motorcycles"

www.rvbprecision.com

[beemermyke]

Excellent link, RoyB. Bike even looks like mine, which made it an even better read.

[rbertalotto]

Just an update.........2000 miles on my bushings and "tight as a well diggers a--"....No adjustment needed.

BTW, I would be willing to bet some of these bushings needing adjustment might be from the races not being seated 100% against the recess. If not, they will ultimately seat themselves and then they will need adjustment again. See my article for more clarification.

[mark from maine]

I just purchased a 98 R1100RT with 25k. I intend to replace the paralever bearings with the JL bushings. Do the bearings on the front of the swingarm suffer from the same wear that the bearings on the back of the swingarm do? Do I replace one pair or two pair? I see a lot of write up about changing the rear bearings but nothing on the front bearings.
Thanks,
Mark

[rbertalotto]

I have not seen an issue with the front bearings. I know no one that has needed to service the front bearings. They appear to be a no issue part.

[bikerfish1100]

unlike the rear bearings, there is minimal torsional loading or torquing forces on the swingarm pivot bearings. very rare that they need replacing.
the stock pivot bearings typically show initial signs of wear at ~25K miles, and at that repeated interval thereafter (unless one is very religious about maintaining correct torque specs on them- like at every tire change?)

[ragtoplvr]

I feel the need to disagree. At about 57 K my stock bearings got loose, so I removed them. One bearing was perfect, the other has corroded from water.

Needing the bike, I put new stock bearings back in. These appeared to be lubed with silicone grease, so I carefully and very solidly packed them with additional silicone (Krytox)grease so no air gaps remain. then I put them in and carefully paced more grease around the outsides.

If the snow ever melts, I will commence to seeing if the replacements will wear out.

My conclusion is the OE bearings are sized appropriately, In my case, water intrusion ruined one. Hopefully better grease packed and sealed replacements will not get water in them.

Just my $.03 (inflation ya know) YMMV

Rod

[bikerfish1100]

Rod- what exactly is it that you are disagreeing with? that the swingarm bearings do (or do not) need replacing? that the pivot bearings do (or do not) last ~25K miles? that the pivot bushing kit does (or does not) needs retorqueing after 1,000 iles?
this thread has covered quite a bit of ground, and i'm not quite sure what you are referring to. fwiw- i don't think anyone has said that the stock bearings are not sized appropriately. however, in other threads, much has been stated about them not being the best type of bearing for this particular application.

[ragtoplvr]

I was disagreeing with 2 things

1. That all these bearings only last 25K miles, many do last much longer.`Without water in mine they would have lasted the life of the bike, as the other one had no wear. All of these posts seem to read the same way, all the bearings will fail very early, it is a design defect. Maybe I am reading it wrong.

2. That they are the wrong type of bearing. Roller typr bearings are commonly used in this application, as they are on drive shafts, swing arms etc.. I never see bushings used on drive shafts for example. Now I can easily believe that some do fail, BMW does not seem to be able to adjust things correctly at the factory. They also do not seem to have the best part procurement quality. If they were the wrong type of bearing they all would fail early and this is simply not the case.

I do not imply that the bushing solution is wrong, it is not suited for OE as it will require early adjustment, the rollers do not. In my case I got 60K from the originals, and if I get another 60K from these, I will probably have traded the bike by then. If I am still loving the bike,then I may wish I had the bushing as it would have been more cost effective.

Rod

[bikerfish1100]

which of the 2 bearings failed? inboard?

[ragtoplvr]

no, outboard

rod

[bikerfish1100]

I asked as I am curious as to whether one side fails more frequently than the other. my g/f's R11S had hers go out at around 55K. Outboard was very toast at that point, along with the pin. Inboard was bad, but not nearly as so. mine were just sloppy (20K, and again at 60K), but no clear pattern of destruction.

[1stSSPZ]

My 02' 1100S outboard bearing was toast at 29,000. Inside bearing seemed fine.

[jduke]

The front swingarm bearings could be loose. I retorqued a friends 2004 R1150RS at 75,000 miles.
But if you are getting movement, you need to find out where and why. If the front and pivot bearings are snug, then it's time to look inside the FD. Better in your garage than on the side of the road.