kz650 swing arm sleeve hard to get in?

I replaced the needle bearings in the swing arm and all four are in. After that I was putting in the sleeve I greased it up really thick but it was barely going in. I was hammering it in but I felt like I'd mess up the needle bearings. So I stopped and took out the sleeve and put it in the freezer to shrink the metal. I noticed the old worn bearings slid over the sleeve with no effort. Maybe because the needles were worn? The new ones won't go in so easily. Anyone had this problem?

I replaced mine recently and did not have to hammer the sleeve in. It was a tight fit but it went in by hand, So I think you might have distorted the needle bearings when putting them in. Take a good look at the needle bearings and make sure the are still in good working order. How did you put them in,...did you make sure you were pushing them in using the side with the markings (writing)?

Also another thing to look at is when I took my sleeve out it had indents in them from the bearings that I had to lightly grind out so that the sleeve was round with no high spots.

JimB wrote: I replaced mine recently and did not have to hammer the sleeve in. It was a tight fit but it went in by hand, So I think you might have distorted the needle bearings when putting them in. Take a good look at the needle bearings and make sure the are still in good working order. How did you put them in,...did you make sure you were pushing them in using the side with the markings (writing)?

Also another thing to look at is when I took my sleeve out it had indents in them from the bearings that I had to lightly grind out so that the sleeve was round with no high spots.

I didn't pay attention to the writing I didn't think that mattered. There were no instructions. I hammered them in with a socket they all still rotate. But speaking of high spots there is a rusty spot on one end. I don't wanna grind it and mess it up. I'm good at messing things up

I wrote grinded but I actually just used some sand paper. I do not think some rust would make it that hard to get in. Take a good look and make sure some bearings did not pop out and are stopping the sleeve from going it. Just for the heck of it did you try to turn the sleeve around and/or push it in the other end of the swing arm first?

JimB wrote: I wrote grinded but I actually just used some sand paper. I do not think some rust would make it that hard to get in. Take a good look and make sure some bearings did not pop out and are stopping the sleeve from going it. Just for the heck of it did you try to turn the sleeve around and/or push it in the other end of the swing arm first?

Yes I did but upon looking at the old bearings vs the new. They are both the same size but the new ones have a different needle height compared to the old so that must be the problem. Wtf why can't needle bearings just be the same

Hummm,....and I bet you did not try the new bearings on the sleeve prior to installation right? Do you have a micrometer to check them versus just eyeing them up? Especially prior to removing them.

But if you are actually having to hammer the sleeve in then something is wrong wrt the size of the bearings. Or they got ruined while installing them. having to do it a second time would really suck.

That sucks,...I know how frustrated you must be, I spent all day getting the old ones out. I actually used the swing are bolt to try to get the old ones out and deformed the end so much that I had to get a new one, So,...I am good a breaking things also.

I used a threaded bolt, washers, and nuts (and socket for the deep ones) to pull the new bearings in versus using a hammer to make sure I did not deform them.

JimB wrote: Hummm,....and I bet you did not try the new bearings on the sleeve prior to installation right? Do you have a micrometer to check them versus just eyeing them up? Especially prior to removing them.

But if you are actually having to hammer the sleeve in then something is wrong wrt the size of the bearings. Or they got ruined while installing them. having to do it a second time would really suck.

That sucks,...I know how frustrated you must be, I spent all day getting the old ones out. I actually used the swing are bolt to try to get the old ones out and deformed the end so much that I had to get a new one, So,...I am good a breaking things also.

I used a threaded bolt, washers, and nuts (and socket for the deep ones) to pull the new bearings in versus using a hammer to make sure I did not deform them.

Yeah I didn't check them on the sleeve before installing them. I assumed they would fit. I forgot that the sleeve was supposed to go in easily. I bought these bearings off Amazon because they were the same size. The need height is too high or whatever. I'm really not sure the purpose of the bearings honestly. I didn't wanna get the bearings off z1 enterprises for $11 each. No thanks. I'm gonna just have to somehow get these bearings out now.

How much did these cost?
Steve

JimB wrote: Hummm,....and I bet you did not try the new bearings on the sleeve prior to installation right? Do you have a micrometer to check them versus just eyeing them up? Especially prior to removing them.

But if you are actually having to hammer the sleeve in then something is wrong wrt the size of the bearings. Or they got ruined while installing them. having to do it a second time would really suck.

That sucks,...I know how frustrated you must be, I spent all day getting the old ones out. I actually used the swing are bolt to try to get the old ones out and deformed the end so much that I had to get a new one, So,...I am good a breaking things also.

I used a threaded bolt, washers, and nuts (and socket for the deep ones) to pull the new bearings in versus using a hammer to make sure I did not deform them.

I got the older bearings in and I slid the sleeve 3/4 of the way in but kinda got stuck on the other bearings so I had to wack it in pretty hard to get it the rest of the way through.

Well,...at least you got the sleeve in, A bigger hammer always seems to get the job done,

Safe riding.

JimB wrote: Well,...at least you got the sleeve in, A bigger hammer always seems to get the job done,

Safe riding.

But is the sleeve supposed to be so snug in the bearings that it doesn't move?

No, they are ether mis installed, bent or the wrong ones.
Steve