Anyone got details on the Suspension zerks needed to make them easier to use?

[msgoodwrench]

What I did to my Spyder yesterday....2008 GS. I lubed the front suspension. I have a 90 degree adapter for my grease gun, but it was still a struggle; I like the idea of a 45 degree fitting better that Blue Knight offered. To make sure I get the correct fitting, does anyone, by any chance have an idea of what that fitting is? I could pick up something locally, but need to know the threads and all of the fitting. Anyone else done this and have info on that? If nothing else, I will have to crawl in there and remove a fitting to take it somewhere and size it.
Appreciate any help! Thank you!

 

[Freddy]

6mm thread. I did mine soon after I got it and grease the suspension every service. I hope yours had been greased previously - or the nylon bushes wear quickly.

 

[Isopedella]

Wow I am interested in this. I looked and thought grease nipples would be good. But did nothing about it. But will now, after some advice. Can you post up some photos of where you placed them please. AAAnnnddd in the meantime I will do a search but some photos and comments will help lots.

I have a 2017F3 and haven't spotted one yet.

 

[Little Blue]

2016 RT Ltd

...My Spyder does not have any grease fittings. I am not sure when this started. So far I haven't had any problems with the Spyder.
Kind of what they did to today's cars. No grease fittings to worry about.
Sometimes good and then not so good.

Stay Healthy. ....:thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Wow I am interested in this. I looked and thought grease nipples would be good. But did nothing about it. But will now, after some advice. Can you post up some photos of where you placed them please. AAAnnnddd in the meantime I will do a search but some photos and comments will help lots.

I have a 2017F3 and haven't spotted one yet.

I hope you haven't spent a lot of time looking for the ZERKs .... BRP stopped using them a long time ago ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Isopedella]

I have not been out to the shed yet. I did not notice any when I had the front wheels off when I swapped out the tyres and had a sticky beak at the caliper.


Merry Christmas. Here is some Kiwi heritage for ya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRcJ554cMY8

 

[Peter Aawen]

Wow I am interested in this. I looked and thought grease nipples would be good. But did nothing about it. But will now, after some advice. Can you post up some photos of where you placed them please. AAAnnnddd in the meantime I will do a search but some photos and comments will help lots.

I have a 2017F3 and haven't spotted one yet.

...My Spyder does not have any grease fittings. I am not sure when this started. So far I haven't had any problems with the Spyder.
.......

I hope you haven't spent a lot of time looking for the ZERKs .... BRP stopped using them a long time ago ..... Mike :thumbup:

Just a point here, msgoodwrench did say that he has a 2008 GS, and unless I'm very much mistaken (but I'm not! ) right up until the release of the 2014 RT's, ALL Spyders had Zerks on their front suspension! :thumbup: So juuuust like my 2013 RT, the OP's 2008 GS Spyder DOES have those grease nipples on the front suspension, even if none of you lot have them on your later model Spyders any more! :lecturef_smilie:

As for what thread/fitting to use, I reckon Freddy's given you the answer msgood - I really don't know exactly which thread it is, cos I simply went to the large placcy box I have that has a whole lotta little dividers in it making lotsa smaller bins, each filled with a different choice in the range of various size/angle zerks/grease nipples you can get, and I just sorted thru them all until I found enough of the right type & angles that fitted into the existing holes in the suspension bushings.... and I still use the 90° end on the grease gun hose too, it makes it much easier to fit & service/lube up my ('slightly modified' suspension) grease points (they're still the same! It's the bolts/bushes that go in them that are 'slightly modified'! )

 

[oldgoat]

On my 2008GS they are metric 6mm grease nipples.
For the rear 4 I have 90 degree ones and for the front 4 I have 45 degree ones.
I had to invest in a decent, gripping grease gun end fitting to lock securely onto the grease nipples as the grease would ooze out when using the gun.

Even with all the above there are 2 or 3 nipples where I have to exert huge pressure on the grease gun lever to get the grease in. Changed the nipples but no difference. I now just put up with the extra exertion & get the job done.
I grease them every winter irrespective of mileage covered in the summer. (never more than 5000km). Never had to change the bushings in 60,000km

 

[Freddy]

I have not been out to the shed yet. I did not notice any when I had the front wheels off when I swapped out the tyres and had a sticky beak at the caliper.


Merry Christmas. Here is some Kiwi heritage for ya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRcJ554cMY8

The grease nipples are on the inner ends of the A arms. You must remove the frunk for access.

 

[RangerRick]

thankfully on my 2013 ST I have to remove nothing.

 

[Isopedella]

The grease nipples are on the inner ends of the A arms. You must remove the frunk for access.

Himm. Some say no and then this. OK I guess I will have to check for myself.
I did find this which suggests there is in fact the nipples.



But I wasn't sure if it was the right one.

 

[oldgoat]

if you have them, that's where they are.

 

[Isopedella]

I finally got over to the shed and and had a good look at the A arms. Noticed it needs a clean after the roadworks last ride, another job on the list. For my F3 - nope. Guess I will just have to keep an eye on the bushes and check for any movement with my Annual Workxburger Service.

I took a photo.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Himm. Some say no and then this. OK I guess I will have to check for myself.
I did find this which suggests there is in fact the nipples.
....

BRP are notorious for a lot of things, including but limited to: not updating their user/glovebox manuals; including instructions/diagrams for other models in a different model's user manual &/or section of a user/glovebox manual; & not ever getting a user/glovebox manual completely or really anything much more than 'vaguely' correct.....

So just cos it's in the user/glovebox manual that was in/on or came with your Spyder &/or purports to be for your model Spyder, that doesn't mean that's what shown in said manual truly is on your F3! :lecturef_smilie:

While there might be some (so far, un-verifiable.... :dontknow: ) questions about 'a few' 2014 RT's sneaking thru & being sent from the factory to dealers/buyers that had them, I'm pretty sure that NONE of the F3's ever left the factory with front suspension grease nipples. :thumbup:

But you could probably fit them yourself if you wanted felt the need... Altho the later bushes do seem to last much longer than those on the earlier machines did!

 

[Isopedella]

Yup im getting it. These Spyders are in a league of their own. So these bushes .. so any idea of what is the norm for useful life before replacement it merited?

 

[Peter Aawen]

Yup im getting it. These Spyders are in a league of their own. So these bushes .. so any idea of what is the norm for useful life before replacement it merited?

I think it really depends a lot on how hard (& where ) you ride your Spyder. I just had a look at an F3 with over 150,000km on the odometer that's still on the original A arm bushes, belt, ball joints, & battery too! hyea: And besides the OE Kendas (they got tossed pretty much as soon as he got it off the the Can Am dealer's forecourt! ) it's only just onto it's 3rd set of tires! :shocked: But he certainly isn't hard on his bikes (or tires!); he rides solo & relatively lightly laden; does a lot of looong, fairly straight, very relaxed, & pretty smooth highway miles (for Oz!); rarely pushes his Spyder hard anywhere, let alone thru the twisties; & only rides it in the rain if it's wet! Still, I know of at least one other that's flogged its A arm bushes out by about 40,000 km; and IIRC, there might've even been a 2014/15 RT that had ball joint issues too that did them & front tires in somewhat less.... possibly because of the ball joint issues, but that one shouldn't have that particular problem ever again tho! :dontknow:

So they certainly aren't particularly 'fragile' & something you might hafta replace at every service; but if you work your bike hard, it'll probably pay to make sure you check them regularly.... not quite the same need for regular checks if you don't push the Spyder's limits all the time, but I'd suggest they're still worth checking at least every time you replace your front tires, especially if you run longer lasting A/mkt auto tires instead of the OE cr... errr, Kendas. An inspection & check for movement during your Annual Workxburger Service should be fine, unless you want to do them more often?!? :thumbup:

 

[Isopedella]

Cheers Peter. Ta for the info. The tyres. Yeah. I had mine home a week or so and fitted up a pair of KU 31's. They seem ok and much better than the oem's. Think I may need more rear ones than fronts. haha.


PS. We dont have any straight roads over here. Its all corners hills,and sidle roads following rivers.

Parapara Highway SH4 - Valley of a thousand hills.

 

[msgoodwrench]

Thank you for your thoughts. Well, I bought this a year ago, from a guy that had bought it maybe 2 years previously from someone. He only rode it home after he bought it, I think that was it. He didn't realize you needed a motorcycle license to ride in Ohio. He offered it for sale, I tried it and loved it. I had to sell my Gold Wing after many years of riding it, but kept my Yamaha Maxim. He told me the previous owner had it all serviced before selling to him, but I am trying to go through everything and get a good base line on the maintenance. So far everything looks good and solid. I replaced the plugs, wires, oil & filters, air filter. Checked brakes, front end, lubed. Installing belt guards. Learning as I go... I so much appreciate your help! It helps me grow in knowledge of this wonderful machine!

 

[Gwolf]

Bulk box of assorted Zerk fittings that have the right one for most anything you run into is not more than $10 or $15.

On line hardware places, most any auto supply stores, farm equipment stores.