Having searched here, Clymer and YT, and being well past the age of embarrassment:
Before removing my swing arm I did the standard lateral movement test and it was rock solid.
However now I have the arm out I thought I’d do a visual check. I replaced the pivots and both bearings rock freely in their seats (couldn’t upload the mp4 but I do mean freely and you can hear them rattle).
I am running a biggish chair and just had to replace the front wheel bearings.

To my mind there is no question that they are shot to pieces, but they are so comically bad and show no movement with the arm in place I just wonder if I’m missing some intentional design feature.

So, simple question(s)
Should they rock in their seats?
The adjustable pivot had been PreviOusly red loctited in and I wonder if it might just have been torqued down so hard that it hid the in situ symptom. Possible?
Cheers all, Stu

likely the last person in there  forgot to grease them ?   and is a totally useless mechanic

charlie99 wrote:likely the last person in there  forgot to grease them ?   and is a totally useless mechanic

Not even close to the language I’ve been using Charlie   .

So you agree: if they rock, they’re cock?

they are a bevel roller bearing , so should move around a bit dry , its not until they are tightened that they mate home properly

to grease them , there should be a cup of alloy behind the bearing in the swing arm , place the right grease inside the centre core and use the pivot pin to pressure the grease home deep into the roller bearing , it should start working its way towards the front so that a little excess bleeds through the front cage - seal area when full .

hope that helps

Thanks Charlie, I’ll grease them up and put them back. Lots of copperslip on the pivots and no loctite should make any future replacement pretty straightforward compared to this time.
Now onwards to the clutch.

tinyspuds wrote:Lots of copperslip on the pivots

Allyslip if you can get it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALUMINIUM-GRAPHITE-ANTI-SEIZE-PASTE-50g-alternative-to-Never-Seez-compound/392272192879?hash=item5b553ea56f:g:WZ4AAMXQBg5RpAxW