Greasing swing arm bushes when rearsets are fitted

[Richard A]

The Tarozzi rearset installation on my 3 1/2 Sport (I'm pretty sure mine are Tarozzis) uses the rear swing arm grease nipple drilling as a mounting hole (I think this is what's going on, anyway, but I haven't started disassembly because I need to order a head nut spanner because the rear downpipe obscures access to the Allen / hex bolt on the left hand rearset). This means that regular greasing of the swing arm (and I get the impression that it should be very regular) looks like it might be a bit of a pain (although nothing compared to the pain my fairly large frame would get by being bent double on the standard pegs, I'm guessing).

So... is it, in fact, possible to just withdraw the hex bolt temporarily, screw in a grease nipple, pump in some grease and then replace the rearset bolt? Or is it necessary to remove the whole rearset?

Alternatively, has anyone tried tapping in a grease nipple elsewhere in that area (in order to get grease to the bush / bearing) and thus avoid the rearset removal (partial or total)?

I'll proceed when I get the exhaust nut spanner, but I'm interested to know how others have dealt with this, in case I've misunderstood something.

[Steve Brown]

Hi Richard, I think you have it all sussed already. The depth of the rearset plate will make it impossible to get a grease nipple in temporarily so removal is the normal method. I suppose you could make up an extension for the temporary nipple, but I've done exactly what you said next, fitted nipples elsewhere. Drilled through the swinging arm and bush, threaded it and fitted nipples. A right angle nipple on one side and an angled one on the other. The right hand one is accesssed under the flywheel cover and the other can be seen at the front of the pivot, just behind the primary casing. Hope that makes sense... I'll pic it if not.

[EVguru]

People have made up special bolts that can take a nipple.

My solution is PTFE bushes, maintainence free!

[Richard A]

I've done exactly what you said next, fitted nipples elsewhere. Drilled through the swinging arm and bush, threaded it and fitted nipples. A right angle nipple on one side and an angled one on the other. The right hand one is accesssed under the flywheel cover and the other can be seen at the front of the pivot, just behind the primary casing. Hope that makes sense... I'll pic it if not.

My vague conceptualisations made concrete! Steve, did you have to consider any clearance issues, i.e. trim off the threaded end. Not too much I suppose, because the combined thickness of swinging arm steel and brass bush is probably about 4mm so enough to hold on to the nipple. Steve, there's no hurry, but a couple of pics would be interesting if poss, although I think I know where you mean.

People have made up special bolts that can take a nipple.

My solution is PTFE bushes, maintainence free!

EVguru, it's an interesting idea. Is there any data re. longevity of PTFE bushes? Also, I'm, ahem, not the lightest of Morini pilots, would PTFE bushes be up for carrying heavier weights? If so, then PTFE bushes would really be the ideal solution in many ways.

[Steve Brown]

Hi Richard, I'll try the picture thing soon then. It is dead easy, plenty of material.

As for Paul's suggestion of alternatives like PTFE/Nylon, why not? There are various grades to consider with a range of properties. I even had some made up for the swingarm on my TZ250 when the needle rollers broke and there were no replacements available in time. They worked fine, we still greased the spindle etc to keep corrosion at bay, but nylon did the job perfectly well.

[EVguru]

I've done two sets of PTFE swing arm bushes. Both were combined with a stainless spindle, so no corrosion worries.

Normally virgin PTFE with no reinforcing fibres would not be up to the job as it cold flows quite easily.

The Morini bushes are about 50mm long (which is pretty big compared to most bikes) so I thought the pressures would be low enough.

Martin Gelder's set seems to be holding up just fine.

[Richard A]

Thanks guys, this nylon/PTFE option is sounding quite interesting, but then so are the alternative placements for the grease nipple (and there is something satisfying about locking on a grease gun). Decisions, eh?

EVguru, you are right, the bushes are surprisingly generous in size for a smallish bike so I think you are right about actual pressure per square mm. There seem to have been two distinct schools of thought in Italian m/cycle design over the years, thankfully Morini were mostly in the over-engineer-it school (apart from those electric starters which I keep reading about, seemingly).