Crank rebuilding is a very special art that requires special tools and a crazy dance for the crank gods. It should be left to a pro. Or go the smart route and buy a complete kit, crank and rod. This way you can assemble the motor without the need of help from someone like Chad.

With the motor parts on order we turned our attention to the rest of the bike. The swing arm pivot and linkage was in a state, a total nightmare! It was as if it had not been serviced once since it was originally purchased. Several of the pivot points were frozen solid with dry, rusty needle bearings, nice. The bearing for the lower shock mount actually ground the needle bearings into tiny little bits. We had to use a grinder to get the steel race out. Needless to say it was a boatload of work.

If you don’t service your rear shock linkage, it will come back to haunt you! Or someone else, as it did in our case.

The All Balls Racing bearing kits work very well as OEM replacements. Pressing out the steel bearing race was a major PIA but well worth the effort. After installation of all the parts, the swing arm pivot area felt like new again and brought a smile to all who felt it before we did the work. With routine maintenance will continue to perform as intended.

With so many new parts going into the motor and a sweet feeling swing arm linkage our KX was feeling as if it found the fountain of youth. Feeling so young and fresh but still having a head full of gray hair wouldn’t work. A new plastic kit was in order! We called UFO Plastic, the number one choice in aftermarket plastic and spoke with Mark to see what they had available, he was a great help. Turns out they make everything except the airbox. We ordered it all. Fit and finish are fantastic!

Continued