[CCRiderKY]

Well, I finally decided to replace all of my bearings in my '03 Enduro. I had the bearing kit and fabricated my own bearing press from a variety of washers and bolts. Main bottom bearings...no problem. Swing link bearings...no problem. Chainstay/seatstay bearings...many problems!!

After struggling with getting the old bearings out (finally resorting to the "Law Of The Hammer, Dremel Tool and Punch Set"), I finally was able to get the new bearings in. No major issues up to this point other than frustration and fear of destroying the swing arm! When I went to connect the chainstay and seatstay, I realized the bearings were not fully pressed into their seats, and the washers would not fit in. After several hours working on the bike, I was not thinking clearly, so I tried to "seat" the bearings by wedging a washer in place and using the pivot axle to compress the bearings and fully seat them. (Sounded plausible at the time.) After what appeared to be sound logic, I felt a “snap” and realized I stripped the threaded portion of the chainstay.

I put the tools up and calculated the damage:

1. Chainstay – Stripped threads on left hand side
2. Seatstay – Bearings improperly installed, both sides
3. Chainstay/seatstay pivot bolt – Stripped
4. Realization I f&ck$d up…Priceless!

Looks like I will be calling the shop I bought the frame from tomorrow. I think I will go to bed now.

 

[dsully575]

Dude!!

This is why I let my LBS handle all my repairs. That way if something gets F'ed up, it's on them and not me. Not that I wouldn't like to work on my own bike for all repairs--I admire those of you who can pull it off

I just know myself too well. I have F'ed stuff up in the past, and have no intentions of doing that to my Enduro. I paid too much $$ for it.

Best of luck to you bro...

 

[WOY]

Don’t despair......

there are a few things you can do to save your Enduro.

1, the most simple and expensive….. new chainstay (which come with the 4 bearings) and a new aluminium povit bolt

2, Make sure you have the right bearings (if I read it right you are having problem with the pivot between the seat/chain stay right? If so the bearing should be 688, 5mm width). Press them in using a C-clamp. You should be able to re-coil the stripped thread on the chainstay with a heli-coil kit (M8 if my memory serves me correctly). There should be enough material there to support a heli-coil. You will need a new chain-stay bolt though.

Good luck
Wayne

 

[mward]

Chainstays are relatively cheap, ordering a new one shouldn't be a problem. However, they do not come with bearings installed. Let the shop do it. They also don't come with the pivot bolt. Have them order that too. If you used a dremel, you're not doing something right. That's not a job that requires a dremel.

 

[CCRiderKY]

Just Spoke With The LBS

Just got off the phone with the LBS....

1. Ordered bolt kit
2. Ordered bearing kit
3. Ordered chainstay

Have no idea how long it will take, but we will see what the overall damage will be after I get a call back later.

As for the Dremel tool aspect of the repair work, it is amazing how the human mind works when presented a problem. The bearings were not coming out so I put a cutting wheel on the tool and tried to cut the inner race out. I thought if I could loosen the tension in the bearing shell, it would come out a little smoother with a punch and hammer. Let' s just say the theoretical and practical applications of this theory have two TOATALLY different outcomes.

 

[mward]

You realize that if the inner race was putting enough pressure on the shell to keep it in the stay it wouldn't even turn. Trying to figure out things like this a priori usually doesn't work. Good luck.