I've searched the forums and not come up with a conclusive answer to the question of free play in the swinging arm. Should there be absolute zero, but with bearings, bushes, bolts and leverage it seems logical that a few 1/10mm would amplify to a few mm at the wheel.

I've just replaced all the bearings in the rear suspension and there is 4mm of free play at the end of the swinging arm / wheel. I can't detect any movement in any of the linkage bearings and all of the bolts are tight. Is this about or should there no movement at all?

Have you changed the spherical bearings in the shock?

 

Yes. I replaced all the linkage bearings, 'seals' and bushes using a All Balls kit.

Looks like the all balls kit only contains one spherical bearing, not two. Is that the case?

Yes, but didn't look or feel like any movement in either bearing so I replaced the bottom bearing figuring that it was most exposed. I'll get a spherical bearing for the other end of the shock.

Are you saying there should be no movement?

Anything that moves must have some freeplay!

There should be no noticeable movement at the end of the swinging arm, less than a mm after a complete bearing and bush change. Was the all ball spherical bearing the same as the Honda part? I've tried to get after market spherical bearings and the quality has been very bad. Also a local bearing trader will stock the roller bearings and seals, ask for ntn or something similar. Always use the genuine honda bushes and spherical bearing. Not cheap but far better.

Not the first time I've heard of this with aftermarket bearing kits,not sure tolerances are always what they should be

Thank you jrsunt. Just what I was looking for in an answer. How much play (next to no movement) and how to solve the problem (with genuine Honda parts). In the mean time the All Balls will be ok because there is less free play than before but next time it'll be genuine parts.

Had the same thing with All Balls better than it was but still movement  I guess they are cheap for a reason,my road race bikes had zero free play and a jewel like movement so I don't thin there should be any really.