20k mile chassis maintenance?

[BK_856er]

So I put about 2k super fun miles on the '07 695 after its ~4yr hibernation.  All is good.  Right at 20k miles now, none of it wet.  The little monster just keeps on giving.

Getting the aftermarket shock and forks serviced, so bike is fully supported.  It's sorta winter, so no rush.

What occasional chassis maintenance should I be thinking about at this mileage/juncture?  Lube rocker bearings and swingarm pivot?  Leave it all alone?

BK

[stopintime]

Now that the bike is up and shock is off, I would absolutely check, (replace?) and lube the rocker and swingarm bearings. Maybe clean the caliper pistons, check wheel bearings and my favorite: using a drill, rotate the rotor buttons while spraying brake cleaner on them.

New tires?

[Speeddog]

Also:

Clean/inspect/grease/adjust steering head bearings.

Clean/inspect/grease pushrod bearings.

Have the shock folks clean/inspect/grease shock rodend bearings.

[BK_856er]

Thanks, guys.  Good suggestions.

- Tires.  Brand new set of PP3 just before the unplanned hiatus in 2013.  Was worried about their age, but they actually did alright.  When it got a little damper and colder I started losing the rear AND the front.  At that point I called the riding season and brought out the tools for project refresh.  Definitely need new rubber!

- Brake caliper pistons.  Yep, already gave them a good treatment with soap/water/toothbrush.  4-piston/pad SBK type.  Found one of the eight pads severely worn, so something was not quite right.  Will manipulate the pistons and see.

- Head bearings.  Good call.  I've had a set of speedymoto tapered ones in storage for ages.  I vaguely recall some issues about the quality or the seals.  Still good to install these days, or not worth the hassle?

- Shock joints.  8987 is on the way back from Penske now.  I'll double-check those end bearings.  Proper name is Heim joint and same would apply to the ride height adjuster?  Forks are on the way to GP Suspension for some magic, but the fires might impact delivery today.

- Pushrod bearing.  Clutch?  Necessary for wet (APTC) clutch type??

- I'll need to find another way to suspend the bike.  Currently have it on an under-triple Pitbull (front) and a steel rod through the swingarm piviot support by jackstands (rear).

Other minor side effects of the hiatus - helmet is aged out, rubber soles of my Sidis are rock hard, and I swear all my leather gear shrunk by 20%!

BK

[Speeddog]

By pushrod bearings I meant the ones on the rear suspension pushrod, commonly used for ride height adjusment, but OEM 695 is not adjustable.

The OEM ball bearings for the steering head are good parts, they should still be 100% serviceable at 20k miles.
The seals that came with the last set of Speedymoto bearings I got (quite a while ago) weren't a good fit IMO.

[stopintime]

................., and I swear all my leather gear shrunk by 20%!

BK

Yours too? 

[ducpainter]

I'm pretty sure he put them in the closet.

The dark makes them shrink.

[BK_856er]

Anyone have the cliff notes for servicing the steering head bearings, or at least removing the top triple?  Wheels, forks, tank are off and the front is suspended by the frame.  Bar clamp is off.  How much of the cluster/headlamp needs to come apart?  The amount of cabling and harness packed behind there is a bit daunting and I don't want to make the job bigger or more fiddly than it needs to be.

BK

[BK_856er]

Just kept removing stuff until it became obvious what to do.  

Could feel some notchiness with everything off and before I removed the top triple.  Loads of sticky clear brown grease inside, so evidently the factory got the memo to add more.  No sign of water intrusion or dry bearings.

Races do have "polished" spots one per bearing, but nothing I can feel with a fingernail.  Time for new bearings?

BK

*edit* Under 10x magnification I think I can see a slight indentation at some spots on the races.  That combined with the (unloaded) notchiness I felt, and the work to get this far, translates to new bearings.  Will use the tapered ones I have on hand with the Stu/Brad washer trick and OE seals.

[BK_856er]

How smooth should the rocker be with the shock and rod detached?  I don't feel play/clunking in any direction, but there is absolutely some roughness or notchiness at certain points - probably the position where it spends most of its time.  Not sure what normal is.  Sorry for all the questions lately.

BK

[ducpainter]

Don't ever be sorry.

I hear what you're saying about the feel. It isn't a big deal, IMO.

Just me.

[Howie]

The bearings are available, as is the spacer they run on.  If you need everything, maybe $80 in parts.  Lube and reassemble as is it will probably be fine but you have it apart.  Up to you.

[BK_856er]

Next stupid question on the rocker.  From looking at the bike, the "special screw 77110151A" is removed from the right side with an 8mm hex.  My very decent and relatively long 3/8" ratchet cried uncle and the bolt didn't budge.  Go for the 1/2" breaker bar or an electric impact gun?  I don't see a nut or another fastener on the left side, so the bolt simply gets loosened and is removed from the right side?  I've looked at the part diagrams, but until I've had one apart and in my hands I'll be cautious.

The rocker is stamped with 37210032A, but that comes up invalid (not just superseded) and the diagrams give a different number.  Presumably all the bits are interchangeable.

I was hoping to get back on the road quickly, but this maintenance project is definitely snowballing and dragging out.  No local dealers even stock the head tube seals!  Just as well - I want the suspension as good as it can be.

BK

[Speeddog]

There is a barrel nut on the left side, has a hex interior, IIRC it's an 8 mm hex.

Rockers are stamped with a number that identifies the raw forging.
That raw forging gets machined, and at that point it gets a different part number.

[BK_856er]

Rocker is off.  Barrel nut on the left is a shallow 10mm.  Mine was packed with crud and I didn't initially see that it was a hex, so Nick your info was gold.  The bugger was super tight and took breaker bars to loosen.  No corrosion and plenty of moly lube.  Just tight.

I've decided to fully rebuild the rocker including new shaft and also use new bearings on the swingarm pivot.

BK