Suzuki 2 Strokes

Hello All:

I have an 1983 Suzuki RM500D that has a problem. The inner race on the left hand crank bearing is loose on the crankshaft. I need to tie this bearing race down so that it spins with the shaft instead of the crank wheel spinning in the race.

By loose, I mean a slip fit. If the bearing lines up perfect, it pushes on with no effort.
There does not appear to be any wear on crankshaft where the bearing mounts.

I have been offered opinions on how best to accomplish this.

1. Replace the crank wheel. It is obviously too small. ( This is not cheap)

2. Peen up the shaft and push the bearing on. This was considered a short term fix. ( Seems somewhat brutal although i do trust the source)

3. Use Loctite 638 bearing locker. ( My personal favorite cause it is relatively cheap)

4. Use a proper OEM Suzuki bearing as they have different tolerances than garden variety bearings and may, I repeat, may, solve my dilemma.

Anyone care to offer an opinion on these methods?
I would like to keep the bike long term and would like to use the best repair possible consistent with my inherent cheapness.

Best Regards: Andy

If you can get hold of the OEM bearing, I'd give that a try. Ideally, the inner race of the bearing should be an interference fit on the crankshaft, yes?

Peening the part of the crankshaft that fits in the bearing might work, but my concern with that would be that the peening could risk making the bearing's inner race sit slightly off-centre, which might wear it out really fast.

Or maybe I'm over-thinking it .... what does Suzuki specify for the maximum permissible crank run-out? If you can peen it so that it retains the bearing while still being within the factory limit for run-out, it should be fine in theory.

Thank you for your reply.

I believe that i can get an OEM bearing from Suzuki although the part number has been superseded a few times. The existing bearing does not look bad except for the shaft looseness but does not appear to be a OEM part.

The peening part does sound possible but the psychology of beating on a crankshaft with a ballpeen hammer seems kind of medieval and blacksmithy.

Still hunting for a service manual pdf for the RM so i don't know the run-out specs.

I have a few days before the gasket kit shows up so i believe that i will follow the course you have outlined and do the OEM bearing first with ballpeening as a Stage 2 option.

Nobody that i spoke to has any long term success stories to tell me about Loctite Bearing Retainer technology. Doesn't mean that they are not out there, but i have not heard of any.

And anyway, how the bleep did my crank wheel come to have it's present affliction. It looks to be in fine condition.

Cheers: Andy

Partzilla in the US lists the current LH crank bearing as 09262-35038 as available:
https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/suzuk ... crankshaft

CMS in the Netherlands lists the current LH crank bearing as 09262-35034 as available:
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-rm500-1984 ... eqWlS2ZPFw
They also have the left crankshaft.

Per Partzilla, 09262-35034 was superseded by 09262-25038.
https://www.partzilla.com/product/suzuki/09262-35034

You can get Suzuki 08262-35034 via eBay for $25 or $42:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SUZUKI-ALT50-Q ... 3667994635
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-Suzuki ... 1803576362

You can get both -35038 or -35034. They likely are exactly the same bearing, but then maybe they aren’t.

Suzuki Canada likes the 09262-35038 number.

09262-35034 gets pointed to the 35038 number.

$43.00 plus tax.