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Does anyone have a workshop manual for a 2017 Scott Spark? I'm wanting to sort out side-to-side play (and a kind of knocking feeling when riding) in the rear triangle. The only manual I can find on the Scott website merely says 'If you have to change the bearings or pivots please consult your local SCOTT dealer for the purchase and fitting of the kit as special tools are required for disassembly and reassembly.'
I've taken all the pivot bolts out and have a couple of things to do that I'm not completely sure about.
1) The main bearings by the BB are in the frame (not the stays). There's a water protection sleeve in there flush against the bearings. The sleeve his 2 small (~6x3mm) gaps in each end I assume to allow either punching or pulling of the bearings. It's the sleeve 2nd from the left here:
I'd like to know how the manual advises removing these bearings; and then (or anyway) the best way to bodge this without the special tools. I think I can either try to punch the bearing next to the slot, or punch the sleeve from one side against the bearing on the other.
2) The connection between seat stay and shock linkage is bushing. This actually seems to be where most of the play is. I've just ordered the swingarm repair kit so I'll have all the bushings. Is there any maintenance I can do to make these bushings last longer? I seem to have worn them out in very few rides. (The bike's not new - but it was OK in May when I got it.)
Thanks!
You should be able to drift the main pivot bearings out from inside. Shop tools are likely an expanding bearing puller whatsit.
Most of the knocking I get is the upper shock mount backing itself off mid ride. Opposite thread, tool in from the NDS.
If your bushings are knocking Scott actually have 'tuning' washers that take up a bit of space, they take up that space that you normally take up by 'nipping the bolts up a bit tighter'.
I just got a Genius rebuild kit that has them.. this is the first kit I've ever gotten them in.
Would've been super useful over the years to have had a stash.
I waft silicon spray at my bushings which seems to help.
I'm not sure if the complete pivot kit includes the shim washers? The IGUS bush kit definitely includes them. Points to add above:
- the shims, if needed, are added to the bushes on the rocker link
- get the Rapid Racer Products bearing kit (you can just get the RRP press kit adapters and use a threaded bar instead of the RRP tool) - this makes life SO much easier on removal/replacement
- I've read in numerous sources and told by Scott UK not to spray anything on IGUS bushes and they are self-lubricating
- in my experience the rocker link bearings wear out faster than the main pivot bearings - nothing you can really do about this other that use decent bearings
- with the rear shock bolted only to the mainframe (and not bolted to the rocker link) there should be no side-to-side play visible on the trunnion bolts but a tiny amount of wiggle when you rock the top end of the shock from side-to-side
Hi OP,
before replacing anything can I suggest you torque check all bolts on rear susp , I had a knocking too but it was because the top shock bolt had worked loose (mine is reverse thread maybe somebody more knowledgeable can confirm this as mine is an e-spark), and during checking I also found out that one of the Igus black bolts was also coming loose (this was also reported on an ebike forum)
Otherwise wOuld really appreciate it if you could post up how it went/any discoveries/any tricks learned and what size the bearings are and where they are and how you got them out as it’s something I’ll be doing sooner or later and there isn’t much info on it. Ta
Bookmarking this as I have a 2018 spark whose setup appears very similar.
I can only add that I took my swingarm off to check / clean out the bearings after a lot of wet weather riding. They were in good nick so I packed them with marine grease. The searches I did on the bushes at the time was to leave them alone - no oil or anything.
One small bit of advise from then - is to take photos of the mounts / top-hat-things for the igus bushes before you take them apoart. I somehow managed to find a way to put them back together that was very wrong.
Let us know how you get on.
Thanks all.
I've bought the Swingarm Repair Kit as per the photo in my OP.
I’m not sure if the complete pivot kit includes the shim washers? The IGUS bush kit definitely includes them.
@strike Is the IGUS bush kit a Spark-specific kit or a generic thing? I've bought bearings before but not frame pivot bushings. It seems that it's possibly just the linkage bushings gone on mine so would be good to be able to get just those. And the rest of your points really helpful thanks. I've borrowed a proper bearing press but this didn't have the removal adaptors so I'll get those from RRP.
before replacing anything can I suggest you torque check all bolts on rear susp
@towzer Too late I've taken the rear triangle and shock off. I did check the linkage torque where the play was but didn't actually check the torque on the shock. Maybe I've had two issues - the side-to-side play from the linkage bushing and then the shock knocking as described by you and @bearback.
wOuld really appreciate it if you could post up how it went/any discoveries/any tricks learned and what size the bearings are and where they are and how you got them out as it’s something I’ll be doing sooner or later and there isn’t much info on it.
Will do. This should be in a manual from Scott shouldn't it! So far I can tell you the bearings are 4 x 6802 - 2 in the shock link and 2 in the downtube.
@strike I've found the IGUS bush set thanks - https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/scott-spark-genius-igus-bushing-set.html. Should have googled before posting. Expensive but looks like it's got more than one set. I'll need to look properly when I'm at home.
I have done a few, bearings could be carefully knocked out the frame with a punch (if you dont have a puller), dont use the alloy support sleeve to drive the bearing out, you will damage it.
RRP kit was great on the linkage bearings
Just used a tuning washer on both DS and NDS chain/seat stay bushings...outboard side.
They go on the top hat against the igus bushing.
Solved my slight knock.
I've finished 🙂
Notes for @towzer and anyone else interested...
Tools:
6802 blind bearing puller
https://www.bearingprotools.com/products/bearing-puller?variant=6928650174522
RRP bearing press kit 9
https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/rrp-bearing-press-tool-p298665
Press tool to go with the RRP kit.
Hammer and big screwdriver to use with the blind puller.
Torque wrench with T30 bit - all pivot bolts are 10Nm
(and a T30 tool for undoing)
Grease and threadlock
Bearings / Bushings:
4 x 6802 bearings
https://www.kineticbikebearings.com/6802-llu-max-enduro.html
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Scott Igus Bush Set For E-Genius/Genius/Spark/E-Spark (2018)
https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/scott-igus-bush-set-for-e-genius-genius-spark-e-spark-2018-p337059/s602825
(I used a 10% off code PANDA10 for the bushings and RRP kit)
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This kit comes with 2 sets of the bushings needed for the linkage (which were the ones worn on mine) and 1 set of the bushings needed for the trunnion shock mount on the frame. It doesn’t come with the bushings for the upper shock mount to the linkage. It has the shims that @bearback and @strike mention for the linkage bushings. I also looked at the Scott Swingarm Repair Kit For 120mm Travel Spark (2017) https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/scott-swingarm-repair-kit-for-120mm-travel-spark-2017-p331811. This comes with 1 set of the bushings for linkage and trunnion shock mount; the 4 x 6802 bearings; and the bolts and other mounting hardware - but no shims. I didn’t get this because I didn’t need the hardware and wanted the shims and more bushings. The bits circled in yellow above are extra in the bush set over the swingarm repair kit.
Neither Scott kit comes with anything to service the shock top mount.
---
Watched GMBN’s ‘how to replace frame bearings’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nFNX3Smb8g
---
Method:
Removed chain and crank.
Removed air from shock.
Unbolted shock and all suspension pivots. [I discovered later I didn’t need to unbolt the lower shock bolts since I decided not to replace those bushings.]
Left shock connected to lockout cable and swingarm dangling by brake hose and gear cable.
Knocked out frame bearings using blind bearing puller. One side came out fairly easily; the other needed to have the tool tightened hard onto the bearing and given a very firm tap.
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Pushed out linkage bearings using RRP kit. There’s a lip on the back (frame side) of the linkage so bearings will only push out one way.
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Removed linkage bushings using small screwdriver in little gap between bushings.
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I didn’t remove the lower shock bushings in the frame - I couldn’t detect any play there and the kit only came with 1 set of these.
Pushed 4 x new linkage bushings in with fingers (no grease). Put 4 x metal top hats on top.
Greased and pressed in 6802 bearings to frame and linkage using RRP kit, remembering to put sleeve in frame between the bearings.
Bolted shock lower mount to frame (didn’t need to have undone this one).
Bolt on the swing arm at the main pivot. This goes bolt, swingarm, washer, frame (bearing, sleeve, bearing), washer, swingarm, nut. I found it hard to get the bolt through the sleeve between the bearings. Generally on the bolting I applied threadlock to the nut rather than the bolt to avoid getting threadlock on the bushings.
Bolt drive side linkage plate to frame. It’s just a bolt (no washer) for the linkage plate.
Bolt linkage plates to shock. This goes bolt, linkage, washer, o-ring, bush.
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Bolt non-drive side linkage plate to frame.
Bolt swing arm to linkage plates. Had to compress the rear triangle a bit while doing this and was slightly worried about stripiing the thread. No washers here (aside from the top hats already on the bushings. The tuning washers would go here...
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Torque everything up to 10 Nm and I’m done!
Fantastic write up! Thanks 🙂
So the washers sit outside the bushes & inside the top hats. Was the play in yours side to side or front to back?
I will update this with any comments / differences when I do my 2018.
This should be in a manual from Scott shouldn’t it!
I don't know of any bike that has a workshop manual.
I don’t know of any bike that has a workshop manual.
Doesn't even need to be a full manual but at least something like this from Bird showing what goes where.
Cheers OP, many thanks, will be hanging on to a copy of this, most useful info that I’ve yet found on the subject, again cheers.
Hi,
Just done the igus pack, very easy(fingers, t30 and torque wrench)arm bushes much much more worn than shock base(it still seemed minty), actual bearings all rock solid but have got the bearing pack anyway so will keep an eye on them. Probably plan to do the igus about once a year.
Out of interest why are there igus bits in the bearing pack, are they “std bearings” or do they have an igus bit as well ?
Cheers