should there be play??

[NoFearOakley48]

take your rear wheel off and then lift the swingarm up and down...should there be a little play when you do this? its coming from the bottom shock linkage part....i put new bearings there but it still does it...i never noticed it before..also if you grab the gas resevoir on the shock right side can u move the shock left and right?

[kx_rider53]

Without the linkage on, the shock should just be hanging from the top, with it on, i dont think it should move. The swingarm should have some play, but it really should be minimal. The shock could be worn out, i cant tell you exactly how much play it should have (number wise). Maybe 1/8 in?

[NoFearOakley48]

yea this is with everything connected...i cant tell where its coming from...but when i lift the swingarm is moves a little around 1/8 inch idk if its coming from the bottom shock or the swingarm bearings but the bottom shock part is moving up too....its a new bearing so idk why its doing it. can i ride with it?

[kx_rider53]

Yes you should be fine, a little play is normal. If you really wanted to be certain, you could remove the spring and measure it. If it is smaller than its service limit, replace it. I dont think you need to do that though.

[Junior426]

I think that the movement when you wiggle the resivoir is normal, at least my bike does it. Not sure about the movent of swingarm, hopefully someone else knows the answer to that. ?

[NoFearOakley48]

i did a search and it seems like everyone has about 1/8- to 1/4 " of play at the rear wheel so im assuming im alright..

[jbird710]

I assume from your avatar it's a Kawasaki, but what year and model? Most bikes have bearings at the top and bottom shock mounts that will allow a shock to rotate a little side to side. When was the last time you pulled your swing arm and cleaned / regreased the swing arm bearings? The linkage usually has more than one set of bearings in it as well which should also be clean and regreased. It's possible that one or more of the other bearings are worn and causing the slack. This won't cause any major problems but will only get worse. If you remove the subframe, get someone to move the swing arm for you while you watch the linkage, you should be able to see which part or parts are not moving. It could also just be the maintenance needs to be done.

[NoFearOakley48]

i jsut greased them today all of them and noticed this when i got everything together...its coming from the bottom shock bearing, well the bearing in the linkage that connects to the bottom of the shock. i jsut replaced this bearing not too long ago. its about 1/8" slack when i move the swingarm up.

[theclone]

sweet I was just gonna ask the same question a few days ago but I forgot about it.

Mine does the same thing. When I grab the rear wheel and pull up (while the bike's on a stand) it moves maybe 1/8"- 1/4".

[262 2stroke]

Hold the bottom of your shock where it is bolted the the relay link and try and move the wheel up and down do the same with the top shock mount you shouldn't feel any play in the bearings. My bike doesn't have any play in the rear suspension, but it's a Yamaha. Remember that play is something hammering everytime the wheel goes up and down, like the rod bearing on a car engine, when it starts knocking all it does is get worse and hammers the rod

[kx_rider53]

Did you take the linkage all apart? I believe there are three sets of bearings, or did you do just one? Also like asked above, did you take apart the swingarm bearings?

[NoFearOakley48]

i did all the linkage and the swingarm...i grease them every 2 weeks (i ride at the track almost everyday) and i reaplaced them about a month ago... some people are saying its normal, and others arent...im confused is it normal or not?

[kx_rider53]

Its normal, dont sweat over it. There should be some play.