This preventative Maintenance "fix" is applicable and recommended for all year and model year DRZ 2000 -2011

There are many reasons to perform this maintenance.

:prof: If this is a new bike, chances are great you will find a very small quantity of thin grease on the bearings and bushing when you take things apart. This is a know issue for most all new bikes. This first maintenance is important in ensuring your new bike has a long life.

:prof: New bike to you? What better way that to find out what condition your rear suspension is in, then to clean, inspect, grease and replace worn parts as needed.. If all parts are in good condition, then even better, you now have a base line for your maintenance schedule. And a good feeling, knowing your bike is ready to hit the trail.

Last but not least

:prof: Routine maintenance.. But how often is routine? Opinions vary; I believe, after a lot of years with this bike and many others, once a year is the minimum for an off road bike. This includes all DRZ models, E, S or SM,, No matter if they have the OEM grease fittings or not. There are places that corroded and fail due to grease never reaching them even when a diligent owner uses those grease fittings. If you’re doing a lot of mud, water crossings or in general riding in watery conditions, you should increase your schedule. If done before damage have occurred, it will only cost you time and grease. If you wait, it will get very expensive to fix the damage

This is why you are here

To prevent or fix this. Rusted, worn, destroyed needle bearings, worn out spacers and bushings


As well as the dreaded corroded swingarm pivot shaft :banghead: Do a search in the DRZ forum for "stuck swingarm shaft" or the like,, you will get more hits then you can read in a night.

[BREAK=Swingarm and rear suspension linkage maintenance; How it's done]
The main cause for a stuck swingarm pivot shaft is corrosion. The shaft runs from frame spar to frame spar though the motor case
A good look at a case that has been opened and you can see why we have this issue.

The shaft rides in two steel inserts within the case. A large air gap results from the remaining case space between the steel inserts. This allows moisture, water, and the like to build up and cause corrosion.. couple that with steel on steel contact between the shaft and case inserts, you get a real problem if you do not protect the parts from corrosion. You can use any robust anticorrosion, water proof compound to protect these parts. Anti-seize could be used on the clean pivot shaft just before you install it, or you could simply apply a thin coating of waterproof grease, same grease you used to lube the bearings. What ever you use… use something to protect these parts, if not, have a large hammer, brass drift, and maybe a torch handy for removal the next time:banghead: . This is one of those areas that the factory grease fittings DO NOT get any lube to.. So even if the bearings are not damaged, and you just want to relube them for the upcoming season… you may find a simple job turned in to a large one.. for lack of a little lube on the swingarm pivot shaft.
[BREAK=Disassembly of the rear suspension]

Disassembly of the rear suspension

The fasteners for the cushion link levers are 17mm on both ends, you'll need 2 17mm tools. The swingarm pivot shaft has a 22mm nut, you'll need a 1/2" drive socket for that and a breaker bar or ratchet. The bottom of the shock is attached to the cushion lever with a single bolt, 12mm head, 14mm nut.

Place the bike up on a stand that allows the rear wheel to hang free.
:prof: Remove the rear wheel and set aside.
:prof: Remove the rear shock
:thumbsup: NOTE You do not need to completely remove the shock,, but it only makes sense to do so and inspect the spherical bearing at the top, as well as get the entire assembly out of the way while working on the swing arm.
:prof: Remove the chain guide from the swingarm.
:prof: Remove the rear brake caliper
:prof: Remove the rear brake line clips from the swingarm
:prof: Remove the cushion levers bolts from the cushion lever and frame
:prof: Remove the cushion lever to frame mounting bolt and nut NOTE in this pic, Harry has already removed the swing arm, That’s not wrong, just another way to get to the end result. For this article, to work best with most readers, the procedure list closely follows that outlined in the Factory Service Manual.
:prof: Next, remove the 22mm nut on the left side from the swingarm shaft.
:prof: Using a brass drift or wooden dowel tap the pivot shaft out from left to right.
Once the swingarm pivot shaft is out the swingarm can be removed. Look carefully at the placement and order of the seals, washers, bushings as you remove the swingarm and other items. It is not as intuitive as one might expect.
:prof: Remove the cushion link from the swingarm and inspect all bearings bushings, washers AND BOLTS for wear. Remeber, the bolt for the shock mounts, cushion links and levers,,, is what the bearings ride on, IOW, the bolt is the inner bearing race. If the bolt is worn where the bearing rides on it, you must replace it.

The swingarm and cushion link outer bearing races are best removed with a slide hammer. With some creativity that can be removed using a press or the right size drift and hammer..
[BREAK=Reinstalling the rear suspension]
After everything is clean, inspected, replaced as needed. It's just a matter of greasing all the parts with good grease like BelRay Waterproof grease, or Silkolene Pro-RG2 Waterproof grease.

Then reassemble the parts in the reverse order.
Few tips.
:prof: Grease is not only for lubing the bearings and bushings.. It will help hold the various needle bearings and washers in place.

:prof: Install the swingarm to the frame, then the cushion link to the frame
:prof: Install the shock top and bottom mounts and last the cushion levers.



:prof: Leave the cushion levers to last because they tend to get in the way of tightening other fasteners.