Each kit contains all the necessary components (bearings, seals, pins, spacers, collars, thrust washers, thrust bearings) needed to rebuild each system or component.
Yes. In ALL applications, these kits meet OEM standards for quality, durability, and fit. In most cases, these kits are of a higher standard. Where the OEM may use caged needle bearings, in most applications Pivot Works kits use Full Compliment bearings which are known to wear better, spread the load better, and function better. Our wheel bearings use a double sealed design where as the OEM may be a single sealed bearing.
Yes - as of January 1st, 2012 most of the Pivot Works linkage kits now include the lower shock bearing. There are a few kits that still do not have the lower shock bearing, but that is because they are not servicable.
Driving the bearing out from the opposite side it best. If you can’t do that, here is another alternative. In most cases, roller or needle bearing cages are case hardened. While this is good for wear resistance it tends to leave the bearing cage somewhat brittle and this makes them easy to break with impact. The best way is to try to fold the bearing cage in on itself using a good punch and hammer. This method will USUALLY break the cage and make the bearing cage easier to extract from its cavity. Be sure to wear protective clothing and safety glasses when performing this procedure. With Roller Ball Bearings, extracting them is usually a little less challenging, especially when they are whole. Be sure to remove any snap rings, retainer clips, or bearing retainers that are used to hold the bearings in place before attempting to remove them. Look for lips on the surfaces around the outer or inner edges of the bearing that could cause resistance to the extraction of the bearing. Hitting the inner race of a ball bearing will not matter since you are going to be replacing the bearing, so its OK to remove the bearing by pushing or impacting the inner race. Again, be safety conscious and always wear the appropriate safety gear.
As with any bearing, pressing is always the best way. It insures that the bearing is being installed smoothly & straight in and more than likely it will be fully seated when installed. Pressing the bearing keeps impact out of the equation and is less likely to damage the bearing. Remember when installing a Full Compliment bearing (no inner cage for the needles to ride in) leaving the needles and plastic retainer in place helps spread the load of installing the bearing throughout the cage as opposed to placing all the pressure on one lip of the cage. With Roller Ball Bearings, NEVER push or impact the inner race! This will damage the races and the balls resulting in less bearing life and noisy operation. On top of that, getting the bearing to seat properly is almost impossible and will result in side loading of the bearing when assembled which also means shortened life expectancy from the bearing. ALWAYS push the bearing into place using the outside race of the bearing. Being sure that the bearing is fully seated is as important as the way it was installed. Side loading of a Roller Ball Bearing will result in rapid wear, resistance to movement, high temperature operation, and the assured failure of the bearing.
In the case of sealed Roller Ball Bearings, they come fully lubricated so, there is no reason to “pack” them. With Full Compliment and Caged Needle Bearings, it’s important to work some high quality, low temperature grease into the needles of the bearings. With Pivot Works Spherical Bearings, if the sphere of the bearing is chrome, it is not necessary to lubricate this bearing. If it is black in color, use a high quality, low temperature grease and work the bearing, turning the inner race in every direction, to fully coat the metal surface of the bearing.
As with any item that holds its own lubrication, it depends a lot on the conditions that it is being operated in. The more harsh the conditions (be it high ambient temperatures, very cold ambient temperatures, dusty or wet conditions), the more they should be serviced. If the vehicle is being raced, as in the case of a motocross bike, the owner’s manual usually has a maintenance schedule in it. It is our suggestion that you follow those instructions. If the vehicle is not being raced, we suggest inspecting and lubricating every 20 hours of operation, again depending on the conditions.
Pivot Works is available at thousands of dealers throughout the U.S. You can find your nearest dealer at http://www.pivotworks.com/Dealers.aspx. If your local dealer does not stock Pivot Works, you can buy direct online from us on this web site.
The goal of Pivot Works’ rider support program is to help support as many aspiring racers as possible. Pivot Works accepts rider support applications/resumes at the end of the racing season (September 1st - December 31st) for the upcoming year. All resumes will be reviewed at the end of December for the upcoming season. Resumes and applications can be mailed to the address below for review.
Questions about sponsorship can be sent to support@pivotworks.com
Pivot Works Rider Support 2751 Parkside Circle Urbandale, IA 50322 515-402-8000