I'm swapping out my swingarm for a chrome one (2002 FLSTS). I have the old swingarm off and the bearings seem to be held in with a snap-ring but there are no holes in the ring to get a set of snap-ring plyers on it compress it for removal. I caught a few threads that suggest the bearing should be pressed or hammered out (using a socket on the race part of the bearing). This makes sense if they were friction fit but what about the snap-ring....does it just pop out with the force of the bearing pushing on it or am I to hammer the bearing inward (away from the snap ring)? The shop manual is silent on removing the bearings. It simply says they should last for the life of the bike. Help is appreciated!
well...I guess I don't yet see how it works. The circlip is spring loaded onto the bearing but it is also recessed into the swingarm so that there is no room for it to expand. Is the purpose of the circlip to prevent the bearing from moving any farther inward? If so, do I need to push (hammer/press) the bearing out from the inside with no need to ever take the circlip off? Then when putting the bearing in the new swingarm, push it inward until the circlip rests in the recessed hole (slightly larger than the hole the bearing goes into) of the swingarm? Is that how it works?
Best thing to do is start with a new set of bearings. Most come with a new cir-clip also. There is a tool you can buy for installing/removing the bearing and I would highly recommend getting one. It's not difficult to try to press in a bearing and it go in a little crooked if the right equipment is not used.
Install the cir-clip into the the slot of the new swingarm. Next, press the bearing into the swingarm until it comes into contact with the cir-clip. That's it.
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