Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders

I have been servicing bike suspension linkages wrong my entire life!!

My first linkage bike was a 1981 CR125 and from 1981 until this week I have always service them with the bike on a bike stand. Some of you may already know there is an easier way. For those that don't, try this. Lay the bike on it's side! Crazy huh!!

I found that laying a KTM on it's left side allows easy access to the bolts and you will never again struggle with raising/lowering the swingarm while trying to peek in to see if the holes are aligned and slip the bolts in. Just be sure to align the cutouts on the bolt heads with the indents when reassembling.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet browsing.

Good tip, I service the linkages and its a pain, never thought of laying it over, thanks.

I go one step further and put the bike upside down. I typically have the tank off when I do this....

Never found it difficult, assuming you have a lift stand. I put my bike on the lift stand raise it up nice and high, put another bike stand under the rear wheel. Sit on my stool and raise lower with my lift stand.

The other option is don't service them till they are bearings are falling apart and you're on a trip (say to Moab). If you've bring the right friends on the trip, they'll just do it for you while you drink a beer.

I like to avoid the entire issue and run a PDS equipped bike.

Serviced my first linkage this year. All previous bike were PDS.

All went well except.... it appeared the rocker arm had taken one too many unprotected bashes on some rock... Look more like () less like O .. so had to replace the whole piece not just bearings

All in all was very fun and now I need to fab up some sort of linkage protection, for that fancy new rocker arm

Dobi wrote:I go one step further and put the bike upside down.....

That's a good idea but 4 strokes have that silly vent in the valve cover that lets all the oil drain out and it would make a mess on my garage slippers

350scott wrote: .... don't service them till they are bearings are falling apart and you're on a trip (say to Moab). If you've bring the right friends on the trip, they'll just do it for you while you drink a beer.

I know my Moab friends would do that for me, BUT, they would point and laugh at me even more than they already do. 'Cause that's what good friends do

cedric wrote:I like to avoid the entire issue and run a PDS equipped bike.

Possibly the best linkage tech tip right there!!

deltadee wrote:Serviced my first linkage this year. All previous bike were PDS.

All went well except.... it appeared the rocker arm had taken one too many unprotected bashes on some rock... Look more like () less like O .. so had to replace the whole piece not just bearings

All in all was very fun and now I need to fab up some sort of linkage protection, for that fancy new rocker arm

I have a guard and a link/guard for sale in the classifieds if interested.

Hey Cedric, do you do anything to the PDS shock?
Just curious as I have a 2014 300XCW and I haven't done a darn thing to it.......?

Give the shock the occasional fluid change, and lube the pivots with Bel Ray waterproof grease once in a while seems to be all it asks for. Does that answer your question?

Sure does, thanks!

cedric wrote:Give the shock the occasional fluid change, and lube the pivots with Bel Ray waterproof grease once in a while seems to be all it asks for. Does that answer your question?

The service manual indicates the Heim joints are Teflon-coated and should not be lubricated with grease or other lubricants or it will dissolve the Teflon. About the only service to perform on the Heim joints is to make sure the exterior is clean.

Ian

I just buy a new bike. Problem solved.

IanInCalgary wrote:
The service manual indicates the Heim joints are Teflon-coated and should not be lubricated with grease or other lubricants or it will dissolve the Teflon. About the only service to perform on the Heim joints is to make sure the exterior is clean.

Ian

Not totally sure its true or not, but I have read again and again that Bel Ray waterproof grease does not harm the teflon. So far so good. Either way the heim joints last a long time and are not too hard to swap out.