Rear Shock Bushes

[kilovictor]

Does anyone have any bright ideas on replacing the standard rubber bushes that the chinese bikes come out with on the rear shocks? These don't last long and at the moment I am grinding down rubber car bushes with an angle grinder. A bit rough and obviously not the best solution but I have not found better replacements yet. It seems a bit drastic to have to replace the shock because of worn bushes.

 

[Revengturbo]

Needle rollers.

Chinese bushes are trash. The rubber ones`ll tool out before you get your bike off the trailer. Then the pin will flop around in the hole and elongate it and your shock`ll be rooted. Worst case they`ll seize and blow your shock to pieces first ride. I did a brand new fastace bs66 like that...
Push the rubbers out and measure them, should be 14mmOD, 10mmID and about 15mm long. Go to a bearing shop and get needle roller bearings to suit, I had the part no. but it`s gone now, bearing dudes are usually helpful... Should be about $12 a peice.Make sure they`re German or Japanese, Replacing broken chinese crap with chinese crap is counterproductive!
Grease them up and press them into the shock ends. Mount each end of the shock individually and make sure it pivots freely before final assembly.
If you rebush your shock like this and grease it every few rides they`ll never tool out.

 

[Worm]

Thats a good post mate, wouldnt have thought to use bearings. Ill remember that for when the time comes

 

[kilovictor]

I have considered using roller bearings or having a bushes turned out of brass or nylon but I thought this may cause cracking on the frame or swingarm. Thanks revengturbo, if you have tried the needle rollers I will give them a go.

 

[kilovictor]

Tried to get needle bearings at three different bearing shops today but hey are not available in 20mm & 21.5mm OD. I was able to get two brass bushes (one inside the other) to make up the 20mm OD and 10mm ID but nothing matched the 21.5mm OD, so I will be making up a bush myself out of a stick of 25mm wearlon rod I bought for $7. If anyone has a better solution lets hear it.

 

[Revengturbo]

I`d find out what the next biggest bearing is (eg.22mm) and ream your shock to suit.
I neglected to mention that you should also replace the mounting bolts with high tensile items as the standard ones will chop out and create slap and that`s what will root your mounts(frame, swingarm and shock) fast IME...
I wouldn`t use plastic at all and would be wary of brass.
If you make this mod correctly you won`t have to look at it again and get busy riding.

 

[kilovictor]

I have already changed the bolts to high tensile but I was told (SKF Bearings) that with an ID of 10mm, the biggest roller bearing available would be 14mm OD. So unless I have boring done and use an insert, roller bearings are not an option, besides being relatively expensive at $30 each. I was looking for a reasonably cheap fix or else I may as well spend the money on after market shocks.

 

[slick 50]

i have used aluminium bushes and have them machined down to suit the shocks on my kids pitpros and they have lasted ages with no problems ,
works for me ??

 

[chinaman]

mine were rooted after a few rides i was lucky that we do losts of work for a company that makes brass fittings(elbows, ball valves, ect ect) got some made up for 15$ been going strong for about 8 months now and still looking good.