[Lurchio]

Hi, All. Just been changing out the rear tyre. I have only had the Burgman a couple of months, and noticed that the rear tyre was very old and hard! 11 Year's old to be precise.
I doubt in that time the wheel has been off. Removal was okay until it came to dislodging the axle shaft spacers. The flanged, shorter spacer against the swingarm took one hell of an effort to remove, even with levering the swingarm. When removed, I swear the swingarm 'snapped shut' about 5mm or more!
Now, on refitting, I have the same problem. There's about 5 to 7 mm 'short' to get the spacer back in. I have levered the swingarm outwards as much as I dare with a 5 foot bar, even made a wedge out of some 4 x 2. No dice, it won't drop in between the long spacer and the swingarm.
Last thing I want to do is crack the swingarm, for obvious reasons!
The wheel drive system is fully engaged at the other side!
Any thoughts? I think the fact that the assembly has been left intact for several years has not helped. The bike is from Madrid and has lived in a warm climate all its life. ( And will continue to do so.)
I am loathed to grind down the spacer, as that will have an effect on the rear geometry as regards the brake caliper for sure. Not that I can't attend to that if needed.

 

[mikeyMarine]

can you send a picture of the gap between wheel and bike on the other side? Ima get a measurement of the gap on mine and you can compare to make sure it's fully seated

 

[Lurchio]

can you send a picture of the gap between wheel and bike on the other side? Ima get a measurement of the gap on mine and you can compare to make sure it's fully seated

Thank you for reply. The pic is attached. The gap is uniform when I spin the wheel. To test it all, I made up a spacer 4mm shorter than the original, and bolted it all upto test everything for 'square' I still had to lever the swingarm back a bit to get even this one in!

The wheel runs perfectly square in this state, even with the engine/ cvt spinning it on cold start! The abs sensor gap is also correct, supporting the notion the wheel is fully engaged on its splines.

The way the swingarm 'slammed shut' when I knocked out the original spacer was quite severe. There's no signs of impact on the o/ s swingarm ( right viewed from rear) to cause this. If I lever with a longer bar,I honestly fear the swingarm will crack.Which will write the bike off probably!

Thanks again.

 

[mikeyMarine]

ok, my gap on the abs ring side is 5 mm with a 2mm gap between abs sensor and exciter ring, my spacers are an annoyingly tight fit and cannot go in at ANY kind of an angle, my only thought is that maybe your bearing on the right side is not fully seated, or may be a tad too thick?? if it is not oem or whatever I stuck in mine last time

 

[Lurchio]

Thank you. There's something not right for sure. With the shorter spacer in that I made today, everything appears spot on. I have only had the burgy a short while, so it's anybodies guess but I like the bearing idea......let's be honest that about all it could be.
I have removed / replaced loads of wheels fitted to alloy swingarms, again the way the swingarm 'slammed shut' when I drove out the spacer during the removal process ......never seen that before.

Looks like I may have to get the vernier calipers out and do a bit of 'jigging' with the caliper fittings / flanges to recentralise it over the wheel.mounted disc, now the fittings are 2 to 3 mil out.
If it is a new bearing in there, that swingarm was putting some 'push' on it. Come to think of it, the axle nut was WAY over 100 nm to get off, like five foot bar and six point impact socket tight.

Thanks once more, much obliged.

 

[Dave_J]

Lurchio, you can try a screw jack. A member did this .

Get a long nut used to join threaded rod used in construction. Then screw in a bolt and put it between the rear disc rotor and the swing arm. With 2 wrenches hold both the nut and the bolt and unscrew it. It will act as a jack pushing the swing arm out so you can slide the spacers in.

 

[Lurchio]

Thank you very much. Sensible advice.
Somethings just not right in my set up, I pry barred the swingarm with a five foot bar, huge leverage, yet the spacer was still not going in.

My fear is more force will do the swingarm.
See the reply above, it's possible I am trying to beat another problem, caused before my ownership.

Thank you again.

 

[mikeyMarine]

Just thought of something else, is it possible someone else put the wrong size spacer in it earlier ?

 

[maccecht]

Spacer goes into the bearing seal on the rh side. It takes a small amount of leverage on the swingarm to open it up and slide the second spacer in.

Offer up the wheel get it onto the splines slide the axle through so it goes into the 1st spacer on the rh side. Lever the swing arm out slightly then insert the second spacer then tap the axle through.

All the rear wheels are the same set up as the diagram below irrespective of year. Note NO home made spacers.

Any home made parts you installed remove them they will misalign everything and make the bike unsafe.

Mod'ed for syntax flow

 

[Dave_J]

I searched for the post where a member had to use the 'Screw Jack'. Did not find it.

On my 2008 I had this problem but was able to do in like what Maccecht posted and it slid in. Mine was about 0.0450 inch too tight, about 1.2mm.

 

[wspollack]

On my 2008 I had this problem but was able to do in like what Maccecht posted and it slid in. Mine was about 0.0450 inch too tight, about 1.2mm.

That’s what… oh, never mind, family site.

 

[JRoss]

That’s what… oh, never mind, family site.

been watching sarah-n-tuned?

 

[rjs987]

5 mm is a fairly big space to have to spread the swing arm. On my 2013 model (very similar to the earlier models) I found there was not any spare space with all the spacers inserted but I also found that the spacing between the ends of the swing arm was just perfectly enough for the spacers to be inserted straight in. The only difference I see in the parts breakouts is that the right side long and short spacers are reversed. On the 2007 the diagram shows the shorter spacer goes against the wheel against the bearing with the flare away from the wheel and then the longer spacer goes between the short spacer and the swing arm on that side. That might possibly be wrong but that's what it shows even on the 2012 models. The 2013 model diagram shows the longer spacer goes closer to the wheel.

On the left side the spacer has a wide end and a narrow end. The wide end goes closer to the wheel and the narrow end goes into the final drive assembly. With mine I also did as @maccecht mentions and start inserting the axle as I insert the left spacer, then the wheel, then the spacer that goes closer to the wheel and finally the last spacer as I am pushing the axle through to hold each spacer in place as I go.

It may be that the left spacer is turned around, though that photo of the left side of the wheel/final drive looks right. It also may be that one of the spacers is not inserted all the way to the bearing on one side or other. If all spacers are in the right direction and in the right place then there is something possibly wrong with the swing arm or even maybe a bearing is not seated right or a bearing or spacer is the wrong one for this bike.

 

[Lurchio]

Just thought of something else, is it possible someone else put the wrong size spacer in it earlier ?

Sorry for the late reply! I considered that, so bought a used set of spacers on ebay.......they are identical to the ones originally fitted, however. Still, only a few euros. I believe its an aftermarket bearing issue.
Thanks once more.

 

[Lurchio]

Spacer goes into the bearing seal on the rh side. It takes a small amount of leverage on the swingarm to open it up and slide the second spacer in.

Offer up the wheel get it onto the splines slide the axle through so it goes into the 1st spacer on the rh side. Lever the swing arm out slightly then insert the second spacer then tap the axle through.

All the rear wheels are the same set up as the diagram below irrespective of year. Note NO home made spacers.

Any home made parts you installed remove them they will misalign everything and make the bike unsafe.

Mod'ed for syntax flow

Thank you, the home made spacer was installed just to prove a point. I have to lever the swingarm out more than slightly I can promise you. Again thanks, but I have tried your suggestions previously...that swingarm needs to move at least 5 mm ( poss more, I have not forced it) to insert the short flanged spacer.I have changed out loads of rear wheels on ally swingarms, never come across a similar problem.

I realise that IF I shorten the flanged spacer just enough to install it with say a 1mm gap to open on the swingarm, so that it all clamps up even before tightening the axle nut, the only misalignment I can create will be with the caliper mounting arrangement. The actual geometry of the wheel axis etc will remain the same, as there is no scope for adjustment at either end of the axle shafts fixings ( like a chain driven bike) and the slight lateral difference will create no other problem, as the wheel is as before fully engaged on the rear drive splines in any event, so the position and longitudinal alignment of the wheel will be where it always has been.

What a pain.

 

[Lurchio]

5 mm is a fairly big space to have to spread the swing arm. On my 2013 model (very similar to the earlier models) I found there was not any spare space with all the spacers inserted but I also found that the spacing between the ends of the swing arm was just perfectly enough for the spacers to be inserted straight in. The only difference I see in the parts breakouts is that the right side long and short spacers are reversed. On the 2007 the diagram shows the shorter spacer goes against the wheel against the bearing with the flare away from the wheel and then the longer spacer goes between the short spacer and the swing arm on that side. That might possibly be wrong but that's what it shows even on the 2012 models. The 2013 model diagram shows the longer spacer goes closer to the wheel.

On the left side the spacer has a wide end and a narrow end. The wide end goes closer to the wheel and the narrow end goes into the final drive assembly. With mine I also did as @maccecht mentions and start inserting the axle as I insert the left spacer, then the wheel, then the spacer that goes closer to the wheel and finally the last spacer as I am pushing the axle through to hold each spacer in place as I go.

It may be that the left spacer is turned around, though that photo of the left side of the wheel/final drive looks right. It also may be that one of the spacers is not inserted all the way to the bearing on one side or other. If all spacers are in the right direction and in the right place then there is something possibly wrong with the swing arm or even maybe a bearing is not seated right or a bearing or spacer is the wrong one for this bike.

Thank you. I am convinced its an aftermarket bearing issue causing this. The rh spacer set up was as found long one first, shorter flanged one against the swingarm. I have looked into this extensively, on the 07, that's the correct sequence. Whoever did the work on the rear wheel before me, must have had a similar problem, but a longer bar and no sympathy!
My luck is that if I try a repeat exercise, the swingarm will go BANG!

 

[Lurchio]

I searched for the post where a member had to use the 'Screw Jack'. Did not find it.

On my 2008 I had this problem but was able to do in like what Maccecht posted and it slid in. Mine was about 0.0450 inch too tight, about 1.2mm.

Thank you, lucky you to have only that gap to open!
There's definitely an issue with mine. I have tried about every suggestion on here......no dice!

 

[maccecht]

If you introduce your own home made spacer the caliper will be at a slight angle to the brake disc the results could be rather detrimental to you and your bike. Bearings should be fully seated check them if not tap then in until they ring. Sizes will be on the seals and if you search on here the bearing sizes are listed. Re-examine everything and do it right with no home made bodges

 

[Lurchio]

If you introduce your own home made spacer the caliper will be at a slight angle to the brake disc the results could be rather detrimental to you and your bike. Bearings should be fully seated check them if not tap then in until they ring. Sizes will be on the seals and if you search on here the bearing sizes are listed. Re-examine everything and do it right with no home made bodges

The bearings are seated properly.....my next step is to check if they are the right ones! The clue I found it that even when seated properly, the seal is not fully installing in the housing.......so there you go, the bearing (s) is / are probably not oe and slightly higher in the installed position.
Cheers, I wouldn't have bodged anything to do with safety.....Forensic Collision Investigator retired, just was interested in your original reply, that's all.
Thanks.

 

[maccecht]

Le dude to the rescue. Bearing sizes are on this thread and the dust seals should be flush with the hub.

DYI -- Burgman 650 Rear Wheel Removal Instructions

I thought I would pass this along to those that might have an interest in taking off the rear wheel on their Burgman 650. Taking the rear wheel off the 650 is a pretty straight forward affair; it just takes a bit of planning. I put together a little step by step tutorial along with a parts...

www.burgmanusa.com