Grease Your Suspension Linkages!!!!

[2004TRX450R]

Well I've been reassembling my bike since I got the frame powdercoated. I was going to take the suspension parts apart anyway to grease them because I know Honda doesn't do that great of a job and again I found they didn't. There is a light film of grease on the bearings and a couple almost looked like they were already getting dry from the litle rideing that I have done so far. I know from experience with my own bikes and the ones I have worked on at work that if you don't grease them NOW they will go bad in no time. You might ride with them forever and not take them apart but when you keep hearing a clunk when you land from a jump and notice you can pick the back of your bike up 1/2"-1" after you already top out your suspension and before the tires come off the ground you now know why. So save yourself some greef and grease all of them now. I mean all the swing arm pivot and shock linkages and the shock bushings and all the A amr bushings. EVERYTHING! Now you can't say you haven't been warned!:D

P.S. Have fun rideing you guys' new bikes!:D :D :D :devil: :devil:

[Hammer trx450r]

i was gonna do it this weekend so i definatly will now. thanks for the info. any other spots you didnt like?

[sparky450AR]

yeah, when i picked mine up my dealer said he reccomends taking off the a-arms Swing arm, and linkages....to grease them. I really need to do this. Ive already got over 100 miles on my bike.

[seatec]

If the quad is anything like the CRF450 you should heed this advice. i tore down the linkage on my crf450 when i got it and it was bone dry. get some Bel ray and slather that stuff on there. make sure you don't get any or to much grease on the outside of the dust seals since grease will attract dust.

[MX#9]

This is good advice. This is one area that Yamaha is better,at least they give the customer fittings to ignore.

[ATVX4]

You couldn't be more correct 2004. I have been doing this for years, and it does help. I took my 99 400EX down to the frame twice, STILL has original bearings and bushings. It's a little bit of work, but well worth it. Especially if you do your own repairs!

[robman]

I have a needle that goes on the end of the grease gun,works great for injecting grease into the grease boots surrounding the ball joints.I've never had to replace a ball joint on my 99ex.

[sparky450AR]

well i got done the a-arms bushings tonight. Ill get the rear end lubed up next week:devil: :muscle:

[250rtone]

What type of grease are you guys using? I have some Quaker State synthetic kicking around, do you think it would be ok for this?

[ATVX4]

I have been using the water resistant grease from Amsoil. I started using it on my atv's in 1995. I DO notice a difference. Better then anything else I've ever used. Just my 2 cents. Oh, my friend and I took both of our 450R's apart and greased them in about 4 hrs. If we had hurried, It could have been done quicker. What I'm saying is, a little work now WILL save you alot later. Also there is no dirt to clean out when new.:)

[Syrus]

Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
Well I've been reassembling my bike since I got the frame powdercoated. I was going to take the suspension parts apart anyway to grease them because I know Honda doesn't do that great of a job and again I found they didn't. There is a light film of grease on the bearings and a couple almost looked like they were already getting dry from the litle rideing that I have done so far. I know from experience with my own bikes and the ones I have worked on at work that if you don't grease them NOW they will go bad in no time. You might ride with them forever and not take them apart but when you keep hearing a clunk when you land from a jump and notice you can pick the back of your bike up 1/2"-1" after you already top out your suspension and before the tires come off the ground you now know why. So save yourself some greef and grease all of them now. I mean all the swing arm pivot and shock linkages and the shock bushings and all the A amr bushings. EVERYTHING! Now you can't say you haven't been warned!:D

P.S. Have fun rideing you guys' new bikes!:D :D :D :devil: :devil:

I thought Honda sends the nike in peices to the dealership, and the dealership assembles the bike there? or am i wrong.. i never thought honda pre-assembles them before they get to the dealer..

[MX#9]

My dealer told me the 450r is completely assembled in the crate,all he had to do was position the handle bars. This is very common with every Honda I've ever had,they are stingy with the lube.

[250rtone]

I was at the dealership when my bike arrived and i got to uncrate it. The only thing to put on the bike is the skid plate, it comes fully assembled other than that. I took a few pics if anyone would like to see it as we unwraped it.:D

[2004TRX450R]

Most bikes come mosly assembled. The only Honda ATVs that I can think of that require much assembly are the 300EXs. You have to put on the tires and hook up the shocks and install the bars. All you have to do on the 4X4s is put on the mud flaps and on the 450R all you have to do is put on the heal guard and skid plate. You do have to go over all the adjustments such as the oil level, clutch, throttle, tire pressures, etc. And they are stingy on the grease. They even are on the dirt bikes as well. I did the same thing with my CR250 and there wasn't a whole lot of grease in there either. Bottom line it should be done as regular maintainence. I usually try to do it about every 6 months if I ride much. A little longer if I don't ride much and if I'm rideing all the time a little sooner. If you don't you are just asking for problems.

[jmoney45]

I hope this isn't too stupid of a question but where exactly do you grease the linkage and a arms?

[2004TRX450R]

Originally posted by jmoney45
I hope this isn't too stupid of a question but where exactly do you grease the linkage and a arms?

You grease all the bearings where everything pivots.

[everest21]

This is a smart move. Based on this thread I unbolted my a-arms, shocks and rear swingarm linkage and you guys are right, the factory was pretty stingy with the grease.
I wouldnt call them "dry" but they definitely didnt have enough. Considering how this bike is going to be used and and the environments it will be put through it needs all the protection it can get.
If your reading this...id recommend it. Its not hard to do.

[MIA450R]

Thought I would bump this thread to the top...as a couple days ago, my rear suspension starting squeaking like crazy, and squeaks drive me MAD...esp. when I hear them over the engine!

So I took my rear linkage and shock off, and just like 2004TRX450R says, there was practically no grease in all of the bearings...at best, a light film. I put GOBS of synthetic grease in them, turned the bearings, and ALL of the grease was pulled into the rollers. When I pushed the collar back in, almost nothing came out, proving that these things were WAYYY under greased from the factory.

Without the squeaking, I figured I've gained 3-4HP.

Seriously, took me maybe 30 mins to disassemble, grease and reassemble.

As Arnold says: DO IT! DO IT NOW! GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!

[TRX450R2]

Great advice! should be done after every 20 hours at least and more often if motocrossin like I am!:cool:

[sparky450AR]

Originally posted by MIA450R
Thought I would bump this thread to the top...as a couple days ago, my rear suspension starting squeaking like crazy, and squeaks drive me MAD...esp. when I hear them over the engine!

So I took my rear linkage and shock off, and just like 2004TRX450R says, there was practically no grease in all of the bearings...at best, a light film. I put GOBS of synthetic grease in them, turned the bearings, and ALL of the grease was pulled into the rollers. When I pushed the collar back in, almost nothing came out, proving that these things were WAYYY under greased from the factory.

Without the squeaking, I figured I've gained 3-4HP.

Seriously, took me maybe 30 mins to disassemble, grease and reassemble.

As Arnold says: DO IT! DO IT NOW! GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!


LMAO.....or GET ME A PROTEIN SHAKE!! AHHHH!