The KX Project: 20. Not shocked, Linked in.

After spending the summer buried in three different history texts and writing over one hundred pages reporting on those books I did not feel the drive to write here. But with a few days off I have brought myself back to the keyboard to expose some of the KXProject happenings.
Two posts ago I began to tackle the shock and linkage, in this post I wash off all that dirt and rust and begin pulling bits apart.
Obviously the first task at hand was to bathe everything, I didn't get to take pictures of the bath scene because everyone was too shy to pose in such a state. After drying out I dove into the dismantle, and each time I do so I am amazed more than the last time as to the total lack of care and maintenance the past owners bestowed upon this bike.

The linkage arm:

As is and was the case with all bearings on the KX these were knackered, thus they had to come out and new put back in. I made the rounds of the local shops just to get an idea of what pressing the old ones out would run me. The cheapest I came up with was 25$ per bearing, ppffftt. In this economy, right. How do those guys stay in business?
So I created a press for a grand total of $0. A neighbor had some threaded rod, nuts and washers laying around which he kindly donated to the cause. I scrounged around a few local scrap piles and came up with a "receiver" and pulled out my impact sockets to play the part of "presser". I also pulled out the mini torch to add just a hint of heat if needed.

Here is the basic setup: Run a nut up a bit on the left side of the threaded rod, then a 3/4 or so flat washer then a larger fender washer that is a touch larger than the receiver tube, place the receiver onto the rod upto the washers. Place the rod through the bearings to be removed. Next find a corresponding sized socket, just a bit smaller than the bore, but a large enough to positively engage the bearing. Slide that onto the rod on the right side of the arm follow by another set of proper washers and another nut. Snug up this contraption making sure to keep all straight so as not to cause any jamming. Perhaps a little oil and heat, I used both and those suckers slid like butter.