Ok, what do you guys think of this? I cleaned the inside with goof off (strong solvent) so that the foam would adhere to the inside of the swingarm and put one of those bearing cups from allballsracing in the bearing bore. I used grease on the bearing cup so it would not stick to the foam, then I turned it upside down and set it on a socket that would keep pressure on the bearing cup so it the foam couldn't push it out. I then applied a little bit of foam and let it cure and expand overnight. Then I removed the bearing cup and did the same thing to the other side. Now dirt and water can't get to my swingarm bearings, and I can still get them out if I need to (but I would have to refoam).

I believe my swingarm bearings will outlast the rest of the 650 with this fix.

That looks like a winner. If I get bored in the future I may check out mine and do it like yours if its needed.

Last year i replaced my swingarm bearings and posted a topic on sealing the back of the bearing, i used a very thin piece of plastic from a plastic jug. but i believe the best seal would be a piece of brass shimstock. cut a disc out of it and seal it in place. cheap and easy.

Nyroc,I have never been inside a 650 swingarm yet so this may sound dumb but if any of that foam was to come loose or god forbid the whole chunk is there anywhere it could go to cause damage?
02 650 camo

You Guys,

Does anyone know if the pivot pins protrude past the bottom of the bearing cup when tightened down? If so a flat peice of plastic or shim stock would split.
Nyroc?

The pin protrudes past about .075, as near as I can measure it. Therock, you are right about using plastic or brass. The plastic might give, depending on the plastic, but I would be afraid that it would be half pulled out and still elt water in.

My foam has been recessed by that cup thing that I am sending to therock. Even if the pin touches it, no worry.

Kodiac1, that foam is the nastiest stuff to clean up if it spills. If you ever use it and spill it on some kind of base material and then bust it off when it dries, it will either take some of the base material with it, or leave some foam on the base material. There is no way the foam will simply come loose since I cleaned the inside up with goof off. If I ever try to get it out, sure it will bust out with a hammer and screwdriver without all that much effort, but it will not all come out since it will stick so tight to the aluminum. It will be tough to clean out. I actually will never have to clean it all out, since if I ever have to reaply it, it will just stick to whatever bits of foam I couldn't clean out. I have used this stuff for years on cars. If you put it on paint, it can pull the paint off. If you put it on rust, it won't hold well since it will pull some rust off.

Also, if it could come loose. The driveshaft would shred it up and it still would not do any damage. It is a little soft and flexible.

It is too light for inertia to affect it. Nothing will make it come loose.

Ok Nyroc I was just wondering.The last swingarm I worked on was the trusty old Big Bear.I was just curious about the bond expanding foam would have to aluminum.I know it sticks to paint REAL well. I always just kind of lay in the
shadows here and see what everyone else does.I also seem to be about 9-12 months behind having the problems others have,like the belt........never had a problem,,,,,,,,,,,,then one day I did.Choke springs.............never and issue then guess what...I have the KLR ones now LOL so I figure my bearing issue is on the way.I am really thinking about just repacking mine now though to avoid a problem on the nect Hatfield/McCoy trip.They look like just a regular wheelbearing that is in a car???is that true? I mean you take the bolt/nut off and it comes out an dthe race stays in the arm??
02 650 camo

Kodiac1, that is right. The bearing is like a wheel bearing. The race stays in the arm. The bolt could be ground off a little. It would not hurt a thing. That would allow you to use Roscoe69's idea without the possibility of a problem.

I probably could have done that, except my swingarm has a couple of little nicks in it where the seal is, so I wanted to make sure I could push the seal in as far as possible and not have something behind it.

I have a whole can of foam left that won't stay good for long. Shall I try it out on something for you to test it out?

I have some clean polished aluminum (bottom of my trailer). I can try the indise of a water pipe too. But, I do know that it sticks really well. Have no fear it sticks.

Nyroc- Is that picture of your fix....is that on your kitchen table??? You da man!

Yup, that is the dining room table. I put an old blanket on it. My place is kinda nice, I can't trash it.

But - I'm not married. So when I say I wear the pants it is because there is no one else to fight for them.

I come home late, don't call, eat in the bedroom, eat on the couch, leave a mess in the kitchen, don't get the garbage out, fart in bed, squeeze the toothpaste a different way with each new tube, and do everything else and nobody says anything.