BEST tip I could ever give!!!

[Dirtcrasher]

Especially if you have a new bike/quad or were lucky enough to find an older trike in stock form. TAKE IT APART AND GREASE EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! OK now your thinking - stupid tip. Well let me tell ya - those Ba$tards who make these things put either no grease or very little on anything and what happens?? Post after post after post of guys that have stuck swingarm bolts, motor mount bolts seized, swingarm pivot bolts locked up, axles that won't come out etc etc. Half of our problems aren't lack of maintenance it's NO maintenance right from the get go.
If I got a brand new Z400 today the very first thing I'd do is tear it down and grease everything up, because in two years I'll get a flat tire and the axle will need a 3lb to remove it! Even splines, how many of you find seized axle hubs, collars, rotor hubs etc etc?? just a dab of grease on those bad boys and it will always come apart for you because water just can't get in there to lock it up. Especially If you like water your crazy not to grease every single bolt, shaft, spline etc. on that toy.
This only comes to mind because tonite as I tried to remove the front caliper and front axle from my stock 85 250R neither would come out - dry as a bone and had never seen a drop of grease. Stock front brake pads still have 75% meat. This trike has low hours and mint parts and some of them are ruined just by merely removing them. Nothing is more depressing than ruining a perfectly good part because you had to smash it out! Anyone got a spare caliper????

[200Xtreme]

Cuoldn't have said it better myself. ANTI-SIEZE & GREASE your best friend!

[deathman53]

I know the feeling I ruined a front axle trying to get the sleave off it to change the hub bearings. every bolt I put back in I put anitseize on it. even worse I broke a chunk off the head of my 200x trying to get a rusted exhaust off. I just found out from the pervoius owner that he was told to put loctite on the flange, I screamed at him "you did what" "who ever told yo this must be a idiot, you put antiseize, not loctite. I usually heat questionable bolt and put penatrating oil before wrenching. On axles and swingarm bolts a thread file can save that bolt. Its woth the $10 from snap-on.

[jeswinehart]

yep, that's why i put grease zirks in my 350x,,, just make sense.
heck,,, i even put one in the footbrake pivot lever,,, along with swingarm + rear bearing carrier + front axle. thought about the gooseneck but decided not to try it.

john

[Jeb]

DirtCrasher, my front axle is stuck too on my R. I wouldn't worry too much about it on mine, but it needs new bearings so it's gotta come out sometime. Pass on any good ideas or good experience please! :-D The 250R front axle, the way it necks down for the thread area, I can see that bending very easily if you get to rough with it.

When I went to change the stock swingarm for my west coast swingarm on my Tri-Z, I was terrified when it came time to remove the swingarm bolt. Luckily it slid right out.

[Dirtcrasher]

When I went to change the stock swingarm for my west coast swingarm on my Tri-Z, I was terrified when it came time to remove the swingarm bolt. Luckily it slid right out.

It's funny, they start squeeking or have play in them and you think you only need bearings. Then you can't get the swingarm bolt out or even get it to turn - then its OH SH!T time!!

I'll post all my recent failures and successes for you sometime, it's been a trip

[250rmanfmf]

YES, Grease them even if there are New, Yamaha is the biggest problem, I bought my Raptor and the first thing I did was grease it because they either dont have any or a very little amount, and then I know 2 other guys that broke bearings on brand new YZF426, and a YZF250 because the dealers had no grease in them, Bastards

[250rmanfmf]

PS- Check for cotor pinson the axles that keep the nuts on the rear axle that keep the hubs from coming off. I had no more than 20 minutes on my 2002 raptor and the right rear wheel and hub came off because no cotor pins and the other side the nut was just about off, I raised hell with Yamaha but they didnt give a crap.

[timex69]

its just common sence tho really...anything that turns needs some sort of lubracation..especially these 3 wheeled bad boys that are 16-25 years old..everytime i ride my dirtbike and hopefully soon my 3 wheeler i check the most obvious bolts and use REAL chain greese none of that spray on shi*. Here is a little rhime to help people like me rember this stuff "cmon use some common sense dont pee on an electric fense.


good luck

[Beer_Smurf]

A frozen swingarm bolt can be a nightmare.
My '84 250R had that condition for quite some time.
I was finally able to get it loose with the use of a 3x rivet gun.
The vibrations from the air /rivet gun did what a ten pound sledge wouldn't.
Be sure to put a piece of aluminum between the rivet gun and the swingarm bolt to prevent damage.

Best of luck and use lots of grease.

[jenndnn3]

I just thought I would show a pict and SCARE you all into greasing...this is what remains of my brake hub, from my 250R....

[jeswinehart]

yikes ! ,,, that's a terrible site to see jenndnn3 ,,,

i seen on classiefieds you thought it might happen and you where already looking for replacement parts.



john

[atcmatt]

"My god your greasy" - Homer Simpson

[Timbo1]

yeah its one thing to not have enough grease...... but ive seen more axles stuck with the whole rear end full of wheel bearing grease, then i have bone dry

[Dirtcrasher]

I just thought I would show a pict and SCARE you all into greasing...this is what remains of my brake hub, from my 250R....

Splines are where I put "moly paste" it is the thickest nastiest black grease you've ever seen. It's meant for high speed gear lubrication and stays wherever you put it until you remove it with gas and lots of rags. I use it on any splines but in particular the 250SX driveshaft and axle splines. Even if water gets in there the rust can't get to the metal and no damage occurs.