955i Speed Triple Drop Link.

JayB5UK · Dec 7, 2024

Hello, during going through this bike which has been sat for a few years, I'm now at the rear hub, swingarm, linkage section.
I've got the hub out, cleaned etc, am having to replace the needle bearings by the looks of it, as the ones that connect the drop link to the shock were seized.
Problem is I can't get the forward linkage out of the swingarm, the bolt comes out but that's it. I'll need to get the silver linkage out to deal with the lower end and buy new bearings.
Is the sleeve threaded, as I saw comments on an early 1050 page to this effect but am unsure how this comes out?
Thank you in advance.

TRIPLE X · Dec 8, 2024

JayB5UK said: ↑

Hello, during going through this bike which has been sat for a few years, I'm now at the rear hub, swingarm, linkage section.
I've got the hub out, cleaned etc, am having to replace the needle bearings by the looks of it, as the ones that connect the drop link to the shock were seized.
Problem is I can't get the forward linkage out of the swingarm, the bolt comes out but that's it. I'll need to get the silver linkage out to deal with the lower end and buy new bearings.
Is the sleeve threaded, as I saw comments on an early 1050 page to this effect but am unsure how this comes out?
Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

After you removed the bolt the spindle should pull out of the swinging arm but will be stuck tight. It is threaded so you need to screw in an M14 1.5mm pitch bolt to aid pulling the spindle out. M14 is not a common size but it so happens that the rear wheel hub clamping bolt is M14 so you can borrow that. You will probably have to make up an extractor using the M14 bolt.

Mini · Dec 9, 2024

Hi jay, I made up this simple slide hammer for extracting the drop link shaft, as tripleX said you'll need a 14m x 1.5 pitch bolt ( from any good fasteners outlet) and weld it to a slide hammer.
Wind in the bolt to the internal thread and hammer the crap (outwards) plenty of anti seize fluid / wd40 and you should be

JayB5UK · Dec 10, 2024 at 5:14 PM

Thank you both for your replies, partly my stupidity but being as I am working in a cramped single garage - and the bike having the "left" as you sit on it in the majority of the light - and not the "right" - I couldn't bloody see it was threaded, but some googling did show that the early 1050 had the same drop & drag links. I found a guy on ebay had made some adaptors to fit a slide hammer, so I have just bought one and a slide hammer to get the job done.
Now I just need to get some bearings, new bushes, seals etc and hope that the local bike shop will remove / refit the bearings for me..
Slowly does it. Thanks again. I'll put some pics up of the horror and the joy, lol

Mini · Dec 10, 2024 at 10:18 PM

Well done Jay, you'll find you will be making all sorts of custom tools for your bike.
You should be able to find the correct diameter socket to be able to pull out the old bearings, but you may want to as you say let the bike shop fit them for you, I think this is half the fun of having an old bike, let us know how you go