72 swingarm bearing lube question

[crash carden]

Howdy,I have a 72 Jackpiner it has no lube holes or grease zerks on the swingarm axis. I also have two 74 Jackpiners they both have two small screws on the swingarm axis which are for filling the axis with oil. Does the 72 model not require oil/lube of some sort? Would it be wise drill and tap two small holes in the 72 swingarm for oil/lube caps? My 72 swingarm bearings seem to be ok,however I did spray WD 40 in and around the pivit point because it was a bit stiff ,now it works better.I just think it would be better if I could get more oil directly to the bearings.I'm guessing the oil screwcaps are a later model improvement on the 74s? Any advice! Thanks Crash Carden.

 

[Rocket]

Crash
My 73 had the holes to fill with oil.  I would think if the 72 has the same setup, no reason not to drill and tap holes so you can flood the bearings with oil.
Rocket

 

[Paul Danik]

The 72 does not have a bearing inside the swingarm, it has a bushing. The 72 Piner engine is actually installed in a slightly modified 100/125 chassis.

 

[Rocket]

Paul
Didn't realize that Paul.  Always more a guy can learn about the "Penton".
Rocket

 

[crash carden]

Thanks for the feedback,Rocket,Paul. So I take it the bushing is ok as is? This is about the only part of the bike I have not taken apart. I'm learning more about Pentons everyday, and thats fun! Thanks again, Crash.

 

[Paul Danik]

The main thing is to keep the swingarm bolt properly tightened, 75 ft.lbs. You need to lossen the pinchbolt before you check the tightness.  If it were mine I would remove the swingarm bolt and clean any rust off of it, then put a dab of neversieze on the threads and grease the remainder of the bolt and reinstall it to proper tightness. Once in awhile those bolts can be tough to get out, be forwarned. This information only pretains to Pentons with the CMF frames and bushings in the swingarms. I take an allen wrench and cut a short straight section of it off to fit into the swingarm bolt, then fit a socket to the other end and now you can use your torque
wrench.  Mr. Penton always preached to keep all bolts properly tightened, espicially the engine and swingarm bolts.

 

[crash carden]

Thanks Paul,I'll take your advice and put it to use. I'm one step closer!

 

[tomale]

Crash,
If putting a little WD-40 around the piviots loosned up the swingarm then it is a good bet that you need to take that swingarm off and clean everything, bushings, piviot, the treads,etc. As your probably know, grease hardens up after awile and needs to be cleaned and freshly greased once more (I would think that, that would be especially true of bushings) then assemble to specs.
We use to use WD-40 on everything but it is not near the product that it use to be. WD stand for "water displacement" it was formulated to be used on electric parts as a way to seal them from water. I watched a guy spray it on a points ignition system. He cleaned the contacts on the points and then started up the bike and then sprayed water on it while it was running and it did not miss a beat. It worked pretty well as a pentrating oil too. I still use it from time to time but I also have better pentrating oils in my collection. WD dries up and its lubrication properties go away, They have changed the formula (now it is water based) and it is not as good as the old stuff, it no longer works for water displacement and guess what it does when it gets around water?
It goes away. Just thought you would like to know. It is ok for short time fix but that is all.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[crash carden]

Thanks Thom,I learned something today,good input.I've already taken Pauls advice and tore apart my swingarm.Thanks for the info. on WD40 I'll set my can of it aside!So you say you have your original 76 250 COOL, you were smart to hang on to it!I also have my original Jackpiner I bought new in spring of 73.Although I had sold it in late fall of 74 I was lucky enough to find it again on this website. It had been setting in a clean, dry , heated basement for over twenty years with just 699 miles on it, and it was only 25 miles from my house.Only bad thing was they had taken it completly apart and lost a few peices,so I had to do a complete restoration.But I don't mind its worth it to have my favorite dirt bike back. Thanks again Crash Carden.

 

[tomale]

Hey crash, Your welcome. I am not sure I was so smart. I just could not part with it. there is a bike like your piner in my past. My first bike was a 1969 suzuki 90 I soon out grew that. My friends dad had a montesa 360. They only imported that bike two years.I looked up to see how many of those bike were made and only 200 bikes. I payed 400 dollars, if it was even around now I am sure that it is worth alot more than that.  I rode that bike for a couple of years and then I sold it to some one else. I wish I had that bike now. the chances are that it now longer it even in existance. oh well
good luck on the restoration.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.