Swingarm bushing question.

[brian4.2]

1972 stock Commando. I have my swingarm and all apart and have been studying the set up. I am using split collars to hold the spindle tight.
My question is. Why not block both ends of the spindle with a plug, silicon or grub screw. Oiling thru the existing center hole and be done with it? Forget the long bolt, fix the endplates with silicon.

 

[3 of them]

because they (the end plates would fall out ) and its a bit bodgey !!

 

[brian4.2]

I think the endplates are easy to figure out. If there is no oil behind them , they are only for show. The whole set up stock seems bodgey. It really is an easy oil delivery. What am I missing?

 

[1up3down]

The end caps purpose is to keep the oil inside so there is a supply to go down the spindle lubing holes.
Heinz Kegler told me that the factory recommended the heavier 140 oil not for any special lubing purposes but so that it would leak past the end caps as a slower rate than a thinner oil.
The factory knew the rubber sealed end caps were not oil tight in the first place.

 

[3 of them]

there is oil behind them hence the oil nipple on the right hand side plate . what i do is drill the centre of the nipple out and attach a pipe to it which is then zip tied to the frame tube in front of the oil tank . it is then filled with a wesco type oil can and a small bolt or screw is then screwed into the top of the tube . you can always see weather there is a good head of oil to lubricate the swinging arm bushes . you can then top up when necessary. simple but effective . i use engine oil yes it does leak out but is no great hardship to refill once a month or so , and you know it is always getting a clean supply of oil

 

[brian4.2]

If I block/plug both ends in the spindle, the oil can no longer get to the endcaps. It will flow down the center (old bolthole)with an oiler barb/tube and thru the small holes in the bottom of the spindle. Until the O-rings stop working it should not leak. Hopefully eliminating the endcaps as leak points.

 

[rvich]

The Mk3 and some later Mk2 bikes came with sealed end caps. They are Welch plugs.

http://www.oldbritts.com/nor_mk3_75_16.html

 

[3 of them]

it will just leak out of the swing arm engine cradle seal

 

[MFB]

If I block/plug both ends in the spindle, the oil can no longer get to the endcaps. It will flow down the center (old bolthole)with an oiler barb/tube and thru the small holes in the bottom of the spindle. Until the O-rings stop working it should not leak. Hopefully eliminating the endcaps as leak points.

Something like this?
I left the long thru bolt in to hold the end plates in place.
Oil leaks past the seals. Once the leak stops, forget about it for a year or two. There is no need to have an oil bath in there. The oilite bushes retain plenty of oil in their pores.