I need a drift, what and where?

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Hello chaps,

In their infinite wisdom Honda decided not to grease their swingarm pivot enough on the XR400R and they are prone to seizing so that the pivot bolt fuses with the bearings and basically you're fooked.

So as a preventative (hopefully) measure I'm going to get mine out and grease it up and replace it.

I've read the preferred method is to undo the pivot bolt nut and use a bar as a drift to tap out the bolt and at the same time it takes its place and holds everything in line meaning I won't need to remove the swingarm and shock.

I was thinking about using a length of threaded bar as I assume this will be easy to get hold of? I need a bit about 250mm long and 14mm in diameter, does anyone know where to get some from, or anyone with a recommendation of an alternative?

Thanks.

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Thinking aloud here so don't shoot me...

The idea of a drift is that it's smooth and tapers to a rounded point, if you use a piece of all-thread and hit it at a pissy angle aren't you more likely to dint the inside of the frame which may make getting the bolt back in a bit of an arse ache ?...

Like I say, just thinking aloud!!!
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

I got some m12 and m20 threaded rod from screwfix the other day. Think they had some inbetween, but forget and only the m12 is showing up on their site.

If you talk to a metal place, they may well be able to get you a non-threaded bolt in the right size for not too much.

At the moment, my Husaberg has a front wheel in with what I think might be a bit of clothes-hanger rail as the KTM is using the normal spindle.

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

You could take the whole swingarm out to fit the new bearings. At the same time drill it, tap it and fit a grease nipple in the middle.

Then you just need to pump a bit of grease in there every 12 months or so.

Swingarms always used to have grease nipples, it's only recently they stopped fitting them as standard (presumably for a saving of 5p on the build cost).
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Yep, m12 is the diameter of the rod in mm.

NSR-AD - from what I can work out, he's just using this 'drift' to tap a bolt straight out and replace it with the drift, so that bits don't fall apart.

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Ideally I would go for a smooth bar - it makes more sense but I thought a threaded bar might be easier to get hold of.

Don't suppose anyone knows of somewhere to get such a thing online?

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Have tried a hardware shop or gardening centre for a piece of bar that you could grind to a smooth rounded point ?...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

Laziness and lack of grinding stuff makes that a least favourable option.

There has to be somewhere I can order a length of 14mm bar from online - time to spend a lot of time on Google.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Dunno about on line, but call around a bit and it should be easy to find such things...
Could try here for solid rod:
https://www.arenastock.co.uk/metals/mild_steel.htm

Oh, and... what kinda man do your call yourself if you don't at least own an angle grinder Razz

.

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

I've had a quick mooch online Joe and found nothing, B&Q don't do them either but it maybe worth a trip to a local hardware shop to see if they have... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

baldy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Karma :

B&Q do threaded bar, i buy all mine from them. I know they do m14, i have 3 metres of it in my garage with a B&Q sticker on it. They also do solid bar, not shure on the sizes but its only about 4 or 5 quid for a metre length.

Try www.diy.com
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ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

Fuck me, this isn't fucking rocket science, just go to the local steel yard & buy a piece of round bar FFS. Rolling Eyes

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

virus · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Karma :

Ive always used a bit of wood, mostly old coffee table legs cut down to fit.

Reduces the risk of damaging something metal when your using a bit of wood ya see.

Or a carefully placed large screwdriver.

Cheers
John
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stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

djr · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Karma :

Hi Joe,

You're more then welcome to borrow my pile of drifts. Or just get a small ish bit of metal off ebay - https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALUMINIUM-ROUND-BAR-ROD-3-8-DIA-x-750mm-Long_W0QQitemZ270253180177QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270253180177&_trkparms=72%3A982%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 should do the job i reakon ? That's only like 10mm round so should fit ok.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Allthread/studding/threaded bar whatever you call it makes for a poor drift. You just want some round bar of a diameter slightly smaller than the hole it's going into.
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132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good Very Happy

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

I managed to get a length of smooth bar slightly smaller diameter from a local independent tool shop which unfortunately is closing down.

Kickstart, I may be completely wrong here, but the problem is the bar corroding and fusing to its surroundings and the grease prevents this. As far as I'm aware the bearings are OK.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

The spindle seizing to the bushes is a major problem when it happens, but generally isn't that likely to happen with most bikes.

Wear in the bearings is far less of a problem to fix, but far more likely to occur.

All the best

keith
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