Swing Arm Bushes

[Bryanj]

Should be a standard 6mm grease nipple

[Oddjob]

Yep, M6 x 1.00

[deltarider]

Thanks. The reason I asked: in 46 years of ownership I remember only two times I have managed to get any grease in there. I've been lucky I guess: bushing is still fine. I should add that Honda had modified the parts involved somewhat on later models like mine, but I don't know if that has played any role.

[deltarider]

So an ordinary grease gun should work?
Should I unscrew the nipple, check if it works and eventually clean it?

[Oddjob]

Just replace. You can get stainless steel ones now so it won’t rust anymore.

Ordinary grease gun should be fine.

[deltarider]

Thnx!

[Murf]

I got some grease nipples for my SA bolt a couple of weeks ago at the Newark auto jumble, a guy had a tub of them all old stock with various unknown threads they cost 10p each😀.   
The ones I chose have taper threads and I think are either whitworth or BSP, we will see when I get around to putting them in.  I have a whitworth tap and die set I bought for about 19/6  when I was 14 with my paper round money so it’s going to be a cheep job 😂
I think the grease nipples are from the same era so it should all fit together nicely👍

[Oddjob]

Sorry Murf but why would you ruin a perfectly good metric thread to install an imperial one. Plus they are straight cut threads not tapered. A M6 x 1.00 45 degree angled nipple is dirt cheap, so why not just buy one and save all the hassle of trying to alter the threads. If you ruin it you risk having to buy another swinging arm and if it’s not tight on the threads the grease will just pour out of there instead of going where it should.

[Murf]

Hi Oddjob
The original grease nipples on my bike a 75 US K1 are on the ends of the SA pivot bolt and are just a push in fit and not threaded so I have to cut new threads anyway, I wouldn’t just damage good threads so I could use my 10p bargain nipples. There is no grease nipple on the SA itself.
  I have added  a photo of the grease nipples I have which as you can see have that slight taper thread that many grease nipples have. I will identify the thread before I start and of course if the existing boring in the SA pivot pin is too large I will get some different nipples for it.
To be honest I just bought the ones I have on the spare of the moment because they were so cheap 😁
I can post a photo of my pivot bolt with the push in grease nipples tomorrow. If I remember correctly they look exactly the same as the ones on a 1964 CB 72 I had back in the day.

[Oddjob]

Sorry Murf, thought you were replacing a 550 one.

[florence]

Hmm, struggling to find swing arm collar so if anyone has any suggestions?


Also, have found replacement swing arm at D&K and they suggest is in good and useable order. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/356683635573

I don't know whether that means bushes are in good order?  Might have to ring them and ask.

[Oddjob]

The bronze bushes are a common fitment on the 500/550s.

As for the collar, you can try and find a new one, difficult, or maybe think about a roller bearing conversion, made by Tourmax iirc. That’s the way I went. You will need to fit a 550 swinging arm pivot bolt if you have a 500 though as the grease nipples won’t work with the Tourmax due to the way it works and the design of the collar on the Tourmax kit.

[florence]

thank you, that is interesting.

My main aim is to fix as easily as possible as I don't want it off the road for any more than a few days.

Also spotted that Julie has bushes so will order

[Bryanj]

The collars are available just gone up again and damned expensive

[Laverda Dave]

Just a thought but I wonder if these are something Max may be able to manufacture if there is enough demand?