Correct grease for pivot bearings?

Is that for your Anthem? If they are the originals, chuck 'em out and put in some enduro bearings.
The OE Giant bearings have less than optimal seals.

Hi. '
I have owned an anthem now for 4 years an have replaced the bearings several times. They are just standard industrial bearings that you can get at any local bearing shop.
most shops also have the option to buy chinese bearings, and with the lack of speed and weight the bearings are subject too, will be just fine.
As for removing the bearings. a big hammer and a drift or screw driver has always proved usefull for me. the bearings are knackered and it doesn't matter how damaged they get when being removed. Just be careful not to damage your frame or the bearings housing.
As for a cheap home made press to get the bearings back in. take the linkage with you to bunnings and buy a bolt that just goes through the smallest bearing, and a nut to suit. Then buy a heap of washers that you can put on between the bolts head and the nut, but make sure they bigger than the housing that the bearing is pressed into.
now put the bearing into the housing, place a washer between the head of the bolt and the bearing and slide the bolt through the bearing and out the side of the housing, place a washer on the housing side, then thread down the nut. now get 2 spanners and tighten the nut... slowly but surely the bearing will be pressed into the housing, just make sure it goes in straight.
do not try the hammer and screw driver trick or the old earing pressing in the new bearing with a hammer either to press the bearing back in. you will only fuck it up and damage your bearings.
best o luck.

pete

Just on using bolts and washers - I found it near impossible to get them to go in dead square, so used a rubber mallet - but I did so with patience and light taps - maybe a minute or 2 each bearing - I found this to be the easiest way to get them to go in straight.

No one recommends a hammer or mallet though, because it does require common sense and care - lowest common denominator and all that

Incidentally, I always found it's the 6902 bearings. On the rocker above the rear wheel that needed replacing most - re packing was never worth it when each bearing was a few dollars to replace.

Hi Jon,

You can get a set of enduro bearings from diymtb - http://www.diymtb.com.au/

That is what are in the bike now as I replaced them once. If you would like to borrow my press kit send me a message.

Cheers,

Nigel

Honestly, lithium based grease is pretty much the most common grease. Don't sweat it, it's not like you've just mixed greases on bearings doing 10000rpm which would be a no-no.

As an owner of exactly the same bike as yours, keep an eye on the lower shock pivot bolt tension and also make sure the bearings that go in the frame on the same pivot are a tight fit - the left hand one of mine was a little loose and now needs some 641 loctite on it to keep it from moving.

Suspension pivot bearing don't need hi temp, graphite, lithium, vegemite or other exotic additives. They are virtually stationary, once fitted the inner and outer races are fixed and only use a small range of movement with most of the load being in the same area. The balls may make a full circuit of the race once in a blue moon. The only suggestion I would make re type of grease is that if you ride in water (especially if salty) or use a hose to wash bike, use water proof boat bearing grease, but one that is a 'softish' grease - hard grease will stay hard as there is no heat in the bearings to soften it. Over time this may mean the grease is pushed away from the load areas where it is needed, softer grease overcomes this problem a little.

To check suspension: Let all the air out of the rear shock. Back off compression and rebound damping (though not essential - but write your settings down), remove rear wheel, invert bike and support saddle, cycle rear suspension diamond through full suspension movement. If any notchiness, clicks or pivot bearing creaks, then you may need to service or replace bearings. Getting creaks from pivots whilst riding is an indication a service may be required.

To clean and repack (not replace): Mark position of the outer race with permanent marker (before removal!), remove bearing (do one at a time), lift the bearing seal with a scriber; wash, clean and dry the bearing leaving mark so still visible; repack (almost fully leaving very little air space) with preferred grease and refit seal; refit bearing so outer race is at 120 degrees to original placement. Once all bearings done, recycle the suspension as above to check movement.

FWIW.

yeh these guys are great, DIY MTB I replace mine every year, regardless.
But I do have the maestro press which makes the job real easy.