1996 Honda XR400RT rear suspension

[Pedro Oz]

Need to fit grease nipples on all my linkage points. Has anyone done this. It seems pointless pulling everything down just to get grease in when various well placed nipples would suffice

[MCN]

Grease paths can be weaknesses in Load Paths.
Many manufacturers fit sealed for life or 'lifetime fit.
That means, lasts until a certain mileage has been reached. (With average use)

Fitting after market could be problematic where an engineered area design excludes lube points for a reason.

Welcome to mayhem.
And you should post this sort of subject in the Workshop section.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[stinkwheel]

Had it done on my GPZ500 unitrak. Had custom made bronze bushings fitted at the same time. That bike had plastic ones as standard and it was a piece of poor budget-driven design. The bronze bush/greaee nipple combo saved having to replace bushings annually at the MOT. Although I'd expect your bike would have roller bearings?

If you do fit nipples, plan the location well so you can a) Get at them when the parts are on the bike and b) They don't foul anything in their range of movement.

All that said, greasing bearing linkages isn't a job you tend to need to do very often UNLESS you are in an extreme environment with lots of water and dust getting into the linkages. Then I'd question if you wouldn't be better stripping and cleaning it all anyway because adding more grease is no good if the bearing is contaminated.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Fizzer Thou]

Owning a Honda XR400R as I do,I can say that the needle roller bearings are caged and there are no positions where a Zerck fitting can ideally be located.If the seals are good then an annual service in the lower shock mount area does not go amiss.

The main area of attention is the swing arm pivot shaft as this passes through the frame,the swing arm and the back of the engine.The number of people that I have heard of having real difficulty removing seized components runs into double figures.Be sure to utilise high melting point grease
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

vanvans had plastic bushings - someone machined up some bronze ones

they were great except for one thing - they squeaked like fuck on some bikes iirc
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125