Introduction - Disassembly - Assembly - Routine Maintenance - Modifications

Pivot Modifications

While the main Turner pivot and zerk systems work extremely well, the chainstay (Horst-link) pivots can be reluctant to accept grease due to the fact that those pivot shafts do not have grease distribution channels machined in them the way that the larger shafts do. Subsequently, they sometimes will require disassembly for lubrication. The following procedure introduces grease distribution channels to the chainstay pivot shafts so that those pivots do not need to be disassembled for routine lubrication.

PLEASE NOTE: The following modification is not endorsed by Turner so any damage resulting from the following procedure is at your own risk. You will need a 3mm allen (hex) wrench, an 8mm socket, a vice with padded jaws (or similar method of holding the pivot shaft), and a small, fine round file. A chainsaw blade sharpening file works well.

Using a 3mm allen wrench and an 8mm socket, remove the nylock nuts and bolts from the chainstay pivots. Seperate the chainstays from the seat stays, remove the o-rings and set these aside, and then push the chainstay shafts out of the pivots. Some force may be required to push the shafts out. Using a punch and mallet may be necessary if the pivots are dry as the fit is quite snug. The bushings themselves can be left in place.

Hold the shaft in a padded jaw vice and use the round file to make 4 very shallow grooves in the outer surface of the shaft (Figure V) at approximately the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions. These channels will distribute grease out from the center of the pivot where the zerk is located and keep the entire pivot better lubed.

Figure V.

Give the shaft and the inside of the bushings a thin coat of grease and slide the shaft back into the pivot. Clean out the mouth of the pivot's zerks and give each one an exploratory few pumps of grease. Grease should exit the new channels you have created (Figure W).

Figure W.

Coat the face of the bushings with grease and put the o-rings back in place around the bushings. Slide the chainstays and seatstays back together and replace the bolts and nuts. Snug to 3.3 ft•lb or 4.5 n•m.

When you are going to lube the chainstay pivots in the future it may aid in grease flow to loosen the chainstay pivot bolts before pumping grease through to give the lube an easy exit point (Figure X).

Figure X.

Introduction - Disassembly - Assembly - Routine Maintenance - Modifications