A question -
My D5 Bantam has grease nipples on many bearing surfaces - wheels, headstock clutch, front forks, swing arm - plenty to go over when I check the bike over. My 99 Dominator has far fewer grease points. Is the idea to dismantle bearings to regrease them occasionally?
Sealed bearings, reduced wear surfaces and better methods.
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There is much less to grease…
There is much less to grease on a dommie:
Wheel bearings - checking whenever the tyre is changed is more than adequate. They may have been replaced with sealed bearings.
Headstock is probably only worth dismantling if a problem is detected. These can be replaced with a Commando type sealed bearing arrangement.
The clutch bearing is lubricated by the primary drive oil bath unless you have a dry belt drive, in which case you should have a sealed bearing.
Forks are full of oil, not grease.
The swing arm has rubber bushes which do not need lubricating.
The speedo drive gearbox has the only nipple that I can think of, however many are loathe to use it because as soon as you add any grease it splats all over the wheel hub.
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Thank you for the replies. …
Thank you for the replies. I have become used to greasing suspension and wheel bearings on my old Scimitar - that's just what you have to do on a 1970's car with 1950's style under pinnings and as I enjoy more miles on the 1958 99 I was wondering if I was missing out some maintenance tasks.
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Most of the grease nipples…
Most of the grease nipples on prewar machines are on the girder forks - none of those on a Dommie. The Dommie does still have one on the brake pedal pivot. On the Dommie, Norton left out the grease nipples the Singles had on the head bearing races. Perhaps because modern greases have longer life before they oxidise than old ones?
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I have never found a gun…
I have never found a gun that works on Dommy grease nipples. its probably worth a shot to the speedo drive and ignore mess,. The taper roller head bearings get a carefully directed blast from a can of spray grease as do stand pivots. Wheel bearings get one drop of oil when changing brakes /tyres . 35 years on from when re built nothing greased failed yet. Brake cams need re greasing with lining changes and a regular drop of oil on the lever end. Carb slide gets a light coat of moly grease every few years.The oil can gets plenty of use , but my lads hate it if i go round their bikes with it. ( they are still learning) .
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I think these help with reduction of lube points on a machine. I have built Norton's BSA's and Sunbeams recently and by far BSA/ Sunbeam have a plethora of gn's for any pivot or open bush.
I don't prescribe to removal of bearings for the sake of greasing. If what they have has kept them in good working condition I stick with it. If there is movement or leakage by all means take a look, but otherwise keep the pivots clean and the nipples free of build up/paint, I see so many with the nipples clogged which can eventually be pumped into the protected surface and causing a worse condition.