I'm gonna throw something......U Joint Boot

[mirion]

I ordered a new U-joint and boot for my 97 with 63K miles and it was a good thing because the boot was cracked in one of the seams. It all went well until the reinstall of the boot. (I used the method described by someone that doesn't require removal of the swing arm, just the wheel, pumkin and rear brake reservoir) The rubber is a little tight being new  and all. The front went on OK but the back is a little bigger diameter and harder to reach. I've tried lubing with WD40, I tried it dry, I try starting one side and turning in on, what a pain! I have done a lot of tear down and reassemble on my Valks and this is the most frustrating one yet. The air filter, the desmog, the fork seals, the fork bearings, the wheel bearings, they were a piece of cake compared to this stupid little task, it is making me nuts. Any other ideas that don't include taking the swing arm off......Thanks

[Chrisj CMA]

Well lubing with WD40 will help you get the rubber over that lip but it will help it slip off too.  Rubbing alcohol (wee tiny bit) will lub it as well as the WD but it dries so fast that once its on for a few seconds theres no more lub to "help" it come off.  This one a lesson in patience no doubt, but once its on its on

[Valker]

Long 45 or 90 degree needle nose pliers.

[Willow]

Try rolling the swing arm side back on itself before installing and then unroll it onto the swing arm.  Holding the tab with needle nosed pliers may help.

[F6MoRider]

I'd warm it and try to pre-stretch it ever so gently.  Any inflatable tube or even a larger than the current opening round object might give you just enough stretch so that it fits once you put it in place.  Relax, take a break and then try again.  Let us know what you did once you succeed.

Hang in there, it'll happen.

[BamaDrifter64]

Superglue that sucker!   

Dave

[HayHauler]

The only time I have done this, I put the swing arm side on first, then put the u-joint in the hole, then used the looong nosed pliers to help get the easy side on (front/engine).

Good Luck.

Hay  
Jimmyt

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Best luck I've had was wait until bike is off of the jack and on the side stand. It puts the swingarm at the normal angle and gives you the most room to work in there.

[art]

My best luck was instaling it from under the bike.Once it is in position lay down under the bike and try it .I did it from the outside thru the little space on the side of the bike ,big pain in the ass. From under the bike was easy

[Jess from VA]

I had my swing arm level, I tried all of these, I poked it on with long screwdrivers... put one small hole in it (crap) and believe I repaired the hole with liquid electrical tape.

I have read the roll-it-up-like-a-condom before and don't get it.... even with the swing arm level there is barely enough clearance for the boot bottom lip to clear the space, let alone a rolled up boot.

Spent some time thinking about it since, and have wondered if using fishing line or dental floss (dental tape is better) around the boot lip could pull it on from underneath.

I do know that I used all my bad words in colorful combinations when performing this task. 

[Valkpilot]

From another thread on the same subject, just a couple of weeks ago:

Screw the boot.  No, really.

My favorite technique to get the boot on the swingarm is to spray it with slicone spray lube, then screw it on.   There's a lip in the boot that fits in a groove on the swingarm.  Get it started on the bottom as this is the easiest to access.  Then hold your fingers against the area of the boot that's engaged and with your other hand rotate the boot, and it will almost pop itself in place.

[GOOSE]

the biggest thing to remember is this....DO NOT GET MAD, AND UPSET.  if you feel it coming on, walk away , do something else...when you come back  everything will go alot smoother.  i've put them on in 5-minutes, and i've spent 2- hours cussing it.  Mr. Bubbles does the same thing that i do....put the bike on the side stand and install the boot.

[mirion]

Thanks for all the ideas and encouraging words, I've gotten old enough to not actually do something dumb that I regret (because I did that a few times over the years) Going out to the garage and try again, I'll report on what worked for me, .......eventually.

[mirion]

Finally, got it on. The method that worked was fold it back on itself and then roll it on like a condom. Did the bigger end that goes to the swing arm first, the transmission end went on easy with just a straight push on. No lube involved. Thanks for all the ideas.