Rear shock or Swing=arm bearings

[sleepy2]

Been having a squeaking noise from lower shock area and asked a few people what theirs sounded like and what was changed. I mostly heard that the rear shock was the problem and dealer changed under warranty (those that still had warranty) . Well my dealer first couldn't hear anything then I finally took bike in for 65,000 klm check and asked them to check again they said it was the 6 bearings in the swing-arm(cost of $300 +2 hours labor) with wear and tear(not a warranty item which I understand with wear)and NOT shock. I mentioned that several others had same noise and shock was problem but stuck with his diagnosis. Now I am not trying to get nothing for free if not the problem but have lost out on warranty things before . So am thinking about getting a second opinion from another shop before I get the bearings changed. I don't think the shop I go to for ALL my regular servicing would say anything different but if there are more of these around than they say you never know. They treat me pretty good by giving me one of their bikes to go for breakfast or whatever sometimes giving me company truck if it was raining. What are your views????

[T.J.]

Been having a squeaking noise from lower shock area and asked a few people what theirs sounded like and what was changed. I mostly heard that the rear shock was the problem and dealer changed under warranty (those that still had warranty) . Well my dealer first couldn't hear anything then I finally took bike in for 65,000 klm check and asked them to check again they said it was the 6 bearings in the swing-arm(cost of $300 +2 hours labor) with wear and tear(not a warranty item which I understand with wear)and NOT shock. I mentioned that several others had same noise and shock was problem but stuck with his diagnosis. Now I am not trying to get nothing for free if not the problem but have lost out on warranty things before . So am thinking about getting a second opinion from another shop before I get the bearings changed. I don't think the shop I go to for ALL my regular servicing would say anything different but if there are more of these around than they say you never know. They treat me pretty good by giving me one of their bikes to go for breakfast or whatever sometimes giving me company truck if it was raining. What are your views????

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?13263-Rear-Hub-Lubrication

 

This is what usually makes the squeaking sound. I do this everytime I replace the rear tire. It is not that hard to do.

 

If you have never done it. It needs it.

[slowrollwv]

You should look at a parts fich or what ever you call it but from what I can see it does not have 6 bearings in the swing arm Only two. I would have to watch them install them before I paid.

[vzuden]

I would think it is more likely the shock. I had a noisy one on my last bike and shortly after it started leaking. Was replaced under warranty for the leak but it fixed the squeak also. There are several pivot points in the linkage at the shock and these are easy to access and lube so I would start with them.

Having said that I just finished cleaning and repacking my swing arm bearings. Just like my last bike there is very little grease in them from the factory. There are just two - one on each side. I did this just in the interest performing the routine maintenance but especially since I was aware how Yamaha skimps on the grease. Factory recommended lube interval is 24,000 km so I can see the dealer wanting to charge you for the repair due to lack of maintenance assuming you hadn't performed this.

On the subject of scheduled maintenance and bearings, two weeks ago I pulled the triple tree off to clean and repack the steering head bearings. Just like the swing arm bearings they have very little grease from the factory and also are due at the same time as the swing arm.

[sleepy2]

Don't know if I stated it but I got ALL my maintenance and servicing done at this dealer for the last 5 years every 5000klms. so it wasn't me not doing these things but them. So if greasing was to be done they should have done it under maintenance chart.

[RedRider]

When the dealer was talking about 6 bearing in the swing arm, I suspect he is covering the 4 needle bearings in the suspension setup (dog bone links are connected with a bolt through these bearings) and the two swing arm tapered bearings.

 

When I serviced my rear suspension a couple of winters ago, I had to change out these 4 needle bearings, the hollow common inner bearing race, as well as the dog bone links and the connecting bolts. The bolts had bent breaking the common inner bearing races and taking out the needle bearings with it. Wasn't a difficult job, just time consuming. The swing arm tapers were in good shape and were relubed and reused. I had about 130k miles on the bike at the time.

 

The squeaking is almost assuredly from the shock. Mine was squeaky for many 10's of thousands of miles before it finally failed. Replaced with a Hagon shock.

 

Squeak-Free and properly suspended since 2015.

 

RR

[sleepy2]

Rode to Performance Cycle in Cambridge Ontario to get a second opinion on my situation. \\\\\\\\\\\first guy was not too helpful and more or less said if shock wasn't leaking too bad but when I told him that several others were changed without leaks he went and got service manager who checked over my bike and talked with me for about an hour saying that since it wasn't squeaking at the time he couldn't do anything UNLESS it does start before end of warranty which is roughly May 18th then I can contact him.. He did get a little bit when he lowered air pressure below 17lbs but said that it should be around 30 on average.

He also does not agree about the bearings needing changing as he has been a Yamaha mechanic there for over 20 some odd years and worked on very many Ventures and NEVER changed any. He has changed quite a few shocks but most of them older model second gens but thinks the newer models were upgraded in the shocks that he can remember. He also thinks there are issues with service that was supposed to have been done as there were slight leaks around valve cover which gaskets should have been changed. Heal--toe shifter is a little loose and rusty and he doesn't think that fuel filter probably has not been changed.ETC.

[cowpuc]

If it was mine, was not covered under warranty so I could just ride into a Yam shop and tell em to fix the dog gone thing,, I would start my diagnostic process by checking the shock for leakage and then take some WD or something similar and bathe the swing arm and shock linkage joints really well anywhere there is an opening = bounce on it and hit er again with the lube.. Have done so many times and always able to get a change out of it if its swingarm related doing so..

Wont last long but definitely works for locating squeeks..