Pivot Bearing maintenance

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Pivot Bearing maintenance
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flag mattg95
O+
Posted: Mar 1, 2019 at 10:15 Quote
Hello!
I have just stripped down my bike (Mondraker dual-link full sus). All the frame pivots are running smoothly apart from the lower link ones nearest the tyre, which are frozen solid. The odd thing is, the swingarm still rotates smoothly as the metal axle rotates freely inside the bearing.(see vid). So the question is- is this bad? Should I:

-replace all the pivot bearings (I've been told you should do this when replacing frame bearings)
-replace just the frozen bearings
-leave it with the metal axle turning freely inside the frozen bearing

Many thanks!

https://www.pinkbike.com/video/499108/
flag Mike87
Posted: Mar 3, 2019 at 6:39 Quote
If it were my bike, I would replace the frozen bearings and leave the ones that are good (just lube them).

Once that shaft is tightened it will not spin that easily in those bearings, it will bind.
flag CP-Bike
Posted: Mar 3, 2019 at 11:23 Quote
Keep in mind that if the pin/bolt is pivoting inside a frozen bearing something has worn to allow movement. Usually the bolt is softer than the bearing race, so I would change them so the new bearings work as designed.
flag markg1150
Posted: Mar 4, 2019 at 13:07 Quote
If the bearings seized and the axle has been rotating for a while it's probably worn /damaged the axle so even if you fit a new bearing there will be play in it. Once one part of a linkage is worn it puts more pressure on the rest of them to pick up the slack .
Fit new bearings and cross fingers it's still a snug fit on the axle. If you can feel any play with new bearings get a new axle.
Replace all the bearings while you have it apart if I were you there not expensive seems daft not to while it's in bits.
flag tkdbboy
Posted: Mar 4, 2019 at 14:38 Quote
What Mark said.

Also if you can't source your bearings quickly, take the seal off with a dental pick ideally or very small flat head, degrease then grease the bearing. Find the gap between your bearing balls and one by one move each ball into the gap next to it to spread the grease. Slide your finger into the bearing hole and turn to unseize it. If you need more torque then slide the tip of a rubber screwdriver handle and use that to turn the inside of the bearing.

This is a bandaid short term fix. As mentioned above, replace your bearings ASAP.
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