Rear shock linkage knock

[beuleux]

Hi all
I had a rear linkage knock advisory on my last MOT so I've been looking into repairing it. I've looked in the manual and it looks like there's four in total not including the monoshock mounts.


Firstly does anyone know where I can get a rebuild kit other than yamaha a Google search returns nothing, and secondly are the monoshock ends bearing or bushes, it's hard to tell from the manual.


Thanks

[SkidT]

Here you go…….


https://shop.marksman-ind.com/fzs1000-fazer-gen1-linkage-bearing--seal-kit-10364-p.asp


These were recommended in the forum some years ago. I’ve used them twice over the years.


Have a search on the forum though, both this and the older one. From memory, there’s a few threads going back a few years about this. There’s quite a few of us have had an advisory for “slight play in the swingarm / suspension linkage” over the years. Some have changed the bearings and subsequently still had a little play.


Good luck. Hope you get it sorted. 👍

[PieEater]

I would ask your tester to confirm if the knock was felt moving the swingarm up and down or side to side. Some up and down knock is standard on Gen1 Fazers and is only felt when the bike is on the centre stand and there is some play at the rear wheel when lifting it up, when the bike is on the road any slack is taken up and it honestly is a non issue. If the knock was side to side then yes it would be worthwhile looking at the bushes and bearings but I somehow doubt this would be the case. Entirely up to you how you pursue this, when I first took my bike to be MOT'd the tester gave me an advisory for the same issue but after explaining to him that the Fazer has a fairly long swingarm and that some free up and down play at the rear wheel when no load was on the bike was usual he has never given me a further advisory in the 11 years since. if you do look at stripping the linkage for inspection or to replace parts some have reported torqueing the bolts back up with the bike on the side stand reduces the inherent free play but I don't think you will ever eliminate it.

[beuleux]

I would ask your tester to confirm if the knock was felt moving the swingarm up and down or side to side. Some up and down knock is standard on Gen1 Fazers and is only felt when the bike is on the centre stand and there is some play at the rear wheel when lifting it up, when the bike is on the road any slack is taken up and it honestly is a non issue. If the knock was side to side then yes it would be worthwhile looking at the bushes and bearings but I somehow doubt this would be the case. Entirely up to you how you pursue this, when I first took my bike to be MOT'd the tester gave me an advisory for the same issue but after explaining to him that the Fazer has a fairly long swingarm and that some free up and down play at the rear wheel when no load was on the bike was usual he has never given me a further advisory in the 11 years since. if you do look at stripping the linkage for inspection or to replace parts some have reported torqueing the bolts back up with the bike on the side stand reduces the inherent free play but I don't think you will ever eliminate it.

Yes it is up and down movement, I can see and feel it on the bottom dogbone link and I felt it on the brake pedal while braking while filtering over cats eyes, not life threatening but still I'd rather try to eliminate it

[beuleux]

Here you go…….


https://shop.marksman-ind.com/fzs1000-fazer-gen1-linkage-bearing--seal-kit-10364-p.asp


These were recommended in the forum some years ago. I’ve used them twice over the years.


Have a search on the forum though, both this and the older one. From memory, there’s a few threads going back a few years about this. There’s quite a few of us have had an advisory for “slight play in the swingarm / suspension linkage” over the years. Some have changed the bearings and subsequently still had a little play.


Good luck. Hope you get it sorted. 👍

Thanks dude there that's just what I was looking for, pretty cheap too, bookmarked it will buy it later 👍

[PieEater]

Thanks dude there that's just what I was looking for, pretty cheap too, bookmarked it will buy it later 👍

Let us know how you get on.

[SkidT]

Thanks dude there that's just what I was looking for, pretty cheap too, bookmarked it will buy it later 👍

Let us know how you get on.

Just bear in mind that the link that I sent you was actually for the Gen1 Fazer.
Apologies, for some reason I had it in my head that yours was a Gen1. Having just seen your recent post about needing a Gen2 front wheel, I realised my mistake.
You’ll maybe need to call Marksman bearings, but Im sure that they’ll still be able to sort you out.
Good luck.

[beuleux]

Thanks dude there that's just what I was looking for, pretty cheap too, bookmarked it will buy it later 👍

Let us know how you get on.

Just bear in mind that the link that I sent you was actually for the Gen1 Fazer.
Apologies, for some reason I had it in my head that yours was a Gen1. Having just seen your recent post about needing a Gen2 front wheel, I realised my mistake.
You’ll maybe need to call Marksman bearings, but Im sure that they’ll still be able to sort you out.
Good luck.

Ah yes I didn't read the link properly, the gen2 isn't listed but still might be worth a phone call, worst case I'll go to yamaha, thanks for updating me 👍

[PieEater]

Yeah sorry I didn't realise that you had a Gen2 either, hope you get it resolved OK. In the meantime I've updated the Gen1 FAQ with some information about this issue and the link to Marksman that SkidT provided.

[albuquerqueturkey]

My gen2 has always had a little vertical play felt when lifting the wheel on centrestand since I got it at 10k miles but has never flagged up at MOT time.

I read a few posts where people had replaced them only to find it's no better. I always thought I'd wait for it to get worse but 12k miles later it's still the same. I've had it apart to regrease and re torque but that made no difference. I'd be interested to know if your new bearings eliminate it completely.

[beuleux]

My gen2 has always had a little vertical play felt when lifting the wheel on centrestand since I got it at 10k miles but has never flagged up at MOT time.

I read a few posts where people had replaced them only to find it's no better. I always thought I'd wait for it to get worse but 12k miles later it's still the same. I've had it apart to regrease and re torque but that made no difference. I'd be interested to know if your new bearings eliminate it completely.

Yeah I've been reading the same thing, I think I will do a regrease first and take it from there, I will lost my results, getting a little fed up with all the money I'm spending on it lately tbh 🙈

[beuleux]

Well I stripped the linkage today found the dogbone and shock bearings were very crusty and almost siezed the others were pretty dry too, regreased the bushes so I will have some movement until winter when I'll have the whole back end off and do a proper job, still didn't cure the knock

[beuleux]

Pulled the dog bone off again after sourcing some new seals so I could get the bearing size, they were absolutely bone dry and the inner surface was badly marked but didn't feel pitted or scored on my pinky although that's not to say it isn't.

So far I've found the linkage seals for a fiver (bit much) on yambits.com and the needle roller bearings 17 x 24 x 15 for about twelve quid each on simplybearings.co.uk, better than £120 from main dealer I suppose, now I've got to find some bushes as they're a bit marked also.


Didn't make any difference to the movement but I'm not done with it yet.

[unfazed]

Check out https://shop.marksman-ind.com/motorcycle-bearings-bikebearingscouk-2-c.asp or Ring them at 01252 345 455 they are extremely helpful at 

[teecee90]

So far I've found the linkage seals for a fiver (bit much) on yambits.com and the needle roller bearings 17 x 24 x 15 for about twelve quid each on simplybearings.co.uk, better than £120 from main dealer I suppose, now I've got to find some bushes as they're a bit marked also.

OEM needle roller bearings are IKO TA1715Z. Sourced mine from Henderson Bearings and cost £13.07 for three, although that was 18 months ago.


Got the bushes/sleeves from Wemoto for about £7 each.

[teecee90]

Links for the bushes/sleeves from Wemoto:


Needle Bearing Sleeve 12x17x30mm Yamaha OEM 90387-127W0-00 Parts at Wemoto - The UK's No.1 On-Line Motorcycle Parts Retailer


Needle Bearing Sleeve 12x17x76mm Yamaha OEM 90387-126Y1-00 Parts at Wemoto - The UK's No.1 On-Line Motorcycle Parts Retailer


Needle Bearing Sleeve - Genuine Part as 90387-102R4-00 Parts at Wemoto - The UK's No.1 On-Line Motorcycle Parts Retailer

[Wallace]

Just found this thread as I'm about to do mine.


I think the Wemoto links above are for Gen1 sleeves but happy to be corrected.

[beuleux]

Well it's winter and I finally got round to revisiting my rear end, in the interests of continuity I opted for a complete OEM bearing seal and bush set. The knock is only reduced by about 50% so my view is its an endemic yamaha design issue and the all do it from new. Its not really an issue now Ive got to the bottom of it and on reflection it's it's tad pedantic for the MOT tester to give me a minor for it as its not mentioned in any previous certificates. Anyways, all good in the hood 👍

[Stainy]

I'm only just seeing this resurrected thread, or I would have answered earlier......about 2 years ago, my MOT tester picked up on the 'play'. No advisory, but he mentioned it and I stripped the rear linkages as soon as I got home. Most of the bearings were absolutely fine, but two were definitely gone with water ingress. So I changed them and cleaned/fresh greased the rest.
There was little to no difference    These things have a vertical knocking from the factory it seems. I told him on the next MOT and he's been fine ever since.

[SkidT]

Thanks for the update Beuleux.
Glad you got it done, for piece of mind if nothing else.

[beuleux]

Thanks for the update Beuleux.
Glad you got it done, for piece of mind if nothing else.

Yeah hasn't made much difference to the knock but my mind is at rest 😅

[unfazed]

Well it's winter and I finally got round to revisiting my rear end, in the interests of continuity I opted for a complete OEM bearing seal and bush set. The knock is only reduced by about 50% so my view is its an endemic yamaha design issue and the all do it from new. Its not really an issue now Ive got to the bottom of it and on reflection it's it's tad pedantic for the MOT tester to give me a minor for it as its not mentioned in any previous certificates. Anyways, all good in the hood 👍

DId you check the top shock bush, I am not familiar with the top bush/bearing of the FZ1. If it is the spherical bearing type they are notorious for wear  and often fellows hone in on the linkage when it is the top  bearing is the issue. If it is a rubber bush type they can fail, but look ok to the eye just like the suspension bushes in a car. If it is the rubber type look for hairline cracks in the rubber.