Someone Help!!!!!!!!!

[ex kid]

k here i go. i've got an 01' 250ex. where the swingarm attaches to the frame ive got problems. it wiggles and bangs into the frame side to side. on a bike with chain drive it would be easy cause theres a big swingarm pivot bolt. no such luck for me cause i have shaft drive. could it be the swingarm bearings? im really not sure i have a race on sunday any help anyone can offer is very appreciated. this link is the micro fishce to my bike if you want to see to get ideas.

http://www.servicehonda.com/hard%20parts/atv/trx250ex%20sportrax%2001-02/trx250ex%20frames%20page.htm

[YLW400]

Your link didn't take me to a diagram, but it sounds like there has to be a bushing or bearing shot or something......I can't offer much help. Something isn't right though...how much play do you have back and forth?

[YLW400]

nevermind, I did get to the drawing:D there looks like a few sets of bearings in there. chances are, you have one, or more sets bad in there dude

[ewalker302]

Yep sounds like your swingarm bearings are shot.

You can get the parts & do it yourself, but it aint real easy.
I took mine to a dealership the first time I went ahead and took off the tubes & cleaned em good. I had everything apart and all they had to do was pull one set of races. Well they wouldnt give me any kind of estimate at all, so I got the shop manager & asked him. He said they worked on the hour & it may take 30 min or all day. The guy at the desk asked me my name to make up the order. I told him that he could stick it. These guys think they rule the world & that nobody else can work on a bike but their teenage min wage shop guys. (sorry for the rant, but some honda dealers really piss me off)

I've done the swingarm bearings on 2 wolverines and on my own 250sx, & the front wheel bearings on a big yamaha 4x4 (cant remember the model. the procedure is mostly the same for all bearings of this type

All these had shaft drive of course.

The ones I have done have a swingarm nut/bolt on one side, usually the right. You have to take that off, it's usually real stiff & may need a cheeter bar to break it loose, then dissasemble the part of your rear end to get out the tube with the bearings on the other side that are usually just riding on a pin attatched to the frame be sure to do both sides at once. (I said it wasnt easy, but take some time & you can do it 4 about 1/3 the price)

The hardest part is removing the old races in the swingarm tubes
if the bearings are bad enough to notice side to side movement, you really dont need to ride it till you get if fixed. Your local shop will charge you an arm and a leg to take out the old races and put in the new bearings.(Lord only knows what they would charge if you just brought in your whole bike.)

The cheapest way is to rent some good quality bearing pullers from the rent all or hydraulic shop in your area. Be sure to bring the part with you so you can check if the puller teeth will grab onto the back of the race. Usually you will have to put the part in a vice, apply heat to the race and whack the heck out of it with the pullers, dont be shy with the torch I've seen a guy have to cut the race in 2 w/ a torch to get the old one out. Freeze the new bearings before reinstalling them & lightly sand the seat for the bearing & they will go in easier. Then you can get a socket that is just a little smaller than the swingarm tube but large enough to contact the outer edge of the race/bearin to drive it in evenly put on an extention on the socket & whack that baby in.

Make sure to buy new oil seals for the bearing, as your old ones will be ruined in the dissasembly & are probly trashed anyway.

Get em from service honda 4 the best prices & sevice.

Also you may want to look & ask around.
I caught the maintenence guy at my local rental place & He did it all for me each time & put in all the new parts while I watched for like 10 bucks in his pocket each time. Those guys have all the tools & torches, pullers, and bearing drivers laying around the shop all the time & it only takes 20 min at the most. he was more than happy to do it for a little cash off the books.

Anyway I know from experience with shaft drives, if your swingarm bearings are loose you are putting lots of stress on your ring & pinion plus your axle shafts.
You sure dont want to have to replace all that like I did.

One more quick tip for shaft drives-----If you ever start getting water in the rear end replace the rear axle bearings and seals asap, you dont want water & sand mixin around your ring pinion, or axle splines for any amount of time, when those go its money time 4 sure.

Sorry for the long post, but I've been in the same boat & had no idea what I was doing & wasted a lot of time sweat & aggrivation trying to get it fixed.

:bandit:

[ex kid]

if i let it do cause i cant get it fixed and still race sunday u think ill hurt anything else? i think the damige is done i rode it lthat way it was the other day. its a progressive problem but u think ill hurt anything if i have to let it go?

[lil400exman]

try getting a rebuild kit man and do not ride it until it is fixed cause you will cause more damage which will make ya have to fork alot of cash out!:)

[ewalker302]

No, don't race it that way!!!

The bearings are generating way lots o heat when they are gone
especially if u are gettin side 2 side movement.

Senario--

You race like that, the bearing disintigrates & the swingarm goes who knows what way, you crash & the guy ridin your tail trying to pass u slams ur head, kneecap, ***, etc w one of his footpegs.

My nephew had a mx motorcycle crash where another guys footpeg shattered his kneecap. Took him 2 years to walk straight again, & hasn't raced since.

not worth missin a race.

Call service honda & be 100% for the next race.

Be sure & do both sides at once, even if one of them looks alright it probly isn't

Good luck & be safe

Missin one race is a lot better than missin the rest of the season due to injury.

:bandit: