Modern Vespa

I happen to come across a video last night on Youtube.com showing a MP3 Front without the ABS, and its movements. I actually thought about those bolts last night wondering if they could stay in or not. Looking at the movements, and assuming the stress points, I don't think I would risk it.
Put them in, pump the grease, and take them out and re-torque.
At least that is what my plans are.

Do not ride with them installed....reinstall original bolts for riding.

By ABS I assume you mean plastic fairing, not the braking system. If you do a search regarding grease bolts some members came up with this a while back. In those threads
The issue of drilling and tapping the bolt was addressed along with the affect on the hardness of the bolt. Please view them to lessen the re-hashing of the same discussion

Mine have been in for a year. Might be hard to get out.

I just finished doing this job on mine. I counted roughly 25 pumps of grease on each area and I still didn't notice any leakage around the rings like the bulletin said I would see. Does this mean that mine are bone dry? I was just wondering what others experienced. If I need to, I will tear it back apart and get another tube of grease.

In case you were watching this thread--I have two 500s and did the front end lube on each. I just pumped until I saw the start of a bit of grease squeeze out from the back of the fitting...but I easily used WAY more than 25 pumps to do it. At first I thought I must be doing something wrong because it seemed like forever and I didn't see anything like you, but eventually it does start coming out if you just keep at it.

I used three mini grease tubes, and my hand sure got tired. I pumped until grease came out of the bottom, never did see any come out the top.
Scoot sure rides better though. How's your ride?

Ok, I'll have to take it apart again and buy another tube of grease - thanks for letting me know. I did notice when I took it out for a test drive, that it's turning much smoother. Combine that with the new rear tire I put on, and I'm flying around the curves like a madman...

I did this Grease-Service yesterday, and it only took about 30 minutes; and 3 mini-tubes of grease (and ~50 pumps of the grease gun, to get flow-out)

Question: The service bulletin only says to do the procedure on the Forward 4 each bolts... Does that mean that the added-grease flows the the Rear-facing 4 bearings as well??? Or, if not, then must I do the same procedure again, but from the back side?

What type of grease is recomended for greasing the bolts that are removed. I need to do mine. Thanks

[quote="ALEXB"]I did this Grease-Service yesterday, and it only took about 30 minutes; and 3 mini-tubes of grease (and ~50 pumps of the grease gun, to get flow-out)

Question: The service bulletin only says to do the procedure on the Forward 4 each bolts... Does that mean that the added-grease flows the the Rear-facing 4 bearings as well??? Or, if not, then must I do the same procedure again, but from the back side?[/quote
You're good. The grease flows around.

You don't actually grease the bolts. You remove the bolts, and force grease into the cavity surrounding the bearings. I used a waterproof marine(boat trailer bearings) grease.

Thanks Gsceff,
Just not as literate with the keystroke as the speech process. I'll get some .

Pardon my dumb, but wouldn't any wheel bearing grease be waterproof?

some are more than others. marine grade is better because the axels that go into water on the trailers.

I finally had time to grease my bearings today. I guess that Murphy's law does apply here. One tube of 14 oz. lithium grease does three bearings nicely ;( I had to run to the store and this time I purchased marine grease, which is basically what I wanted to use in the first place.

It's a snap to do on the 500. I took off both side covers even though I did not need to. Well I did notice a major difference between lithium and marine grease. Marine grease is super light. My greasgun ran right through the tube. I had a hard time getting it into the bearing cavity.

I guess I will see how things go with the next few days of riding to and from work. I took it out for a short ten mile ride, and no extra grease squeezed out, but time will tell.

Finished greasing and installing 18g Dr Pulleys as well
Didn't have to remove any plastic while performing grease bolt. Took a TON of grease though. Had to feel for the grease on the top bolts, but after getting my hands dirty, finally felt the excess grease slip out.

Bike definitely runs smoother with the Dr Pulleys!

I'm having mixed feelings about the grease though. Bike definitely turns easier, but almost too loose for me. I can definitely feel a lot more of the road (especially with bumps on a turn), and I'm not sure if I like it or not.

I'm sure I'll get used to it, but I wonder if I'm the only one that has noticed a lot more sensitivity in the bike handling.

*off topic - has anyone figured out how to make the pet carrier waterproof? Anytime I have to leave the bike out in a little rain, my spare passenger helmet gets soaked inside.

This is proof the factory grease was gone and you needed to grease the bearings. You will get longer life with the bearings properly greased. You'll get used to it.

The first time you drive it will feel far too bumpy. It took about a day to get fully integrated. Now I wonder why I didn't do it sooner.

If you used Lithium, you need to get that out of your bearings, it's not designed for heavy loads on bearings at all.

Can I use standard bearing grease for the column bearings?

Yes, they're not exactly under much load, and certainly aren't required to rotate at speed.

So regular lithium grease would be okay then? It is impossible to find that over priced AGIP stuff around here.

Depends on which lithium grease I would think, there are many different formulations. I use Fuchs Silkolene Pro-RG2 - but any high-cling water-repellant grease (and not all lithium greases are) should do.

Go to Auto Zone or where ever and just get Marine Axle Bearing Grease.
If they don't have it, go to any boat dealer or marine supply store.

exactly.

I just got 4 Screws with greasers (P/N 020943Y) . Piaggio's instructions say to grease and then remove and reinstall original bolts(Would have just got one?) Many on this site state they have left them in? What to do ? If the bolts are of good quality, they should still be strong enough? I am going to use Red Line CV-2 Grease. I have used it for 20 years with good results.

I don't know of anyone leaving in the PIAGGIO bolts. don't know the grade of them if they are suitable enough to leave in.

The only ones I know of left in were made by mjm50cal and those are of very good quality.

I put mine in at the beginning when mjm50cal released them. Greased up the bearings and haven't taken them out til this week.

After all the conversation about the probability of failure, I removed them for inspection. I didn't see anything indicating failure imminently. So, I put them back in at the recommended torque. To be certain I did not have them X-rayed nor were they destructively tested. It seems that it has been two riding seasons and this will be the third.

Think I'll just leave them there.

Cheekythomas.....thank you. Haven't been on this website for a long time. I've had my MP3 500 for a few years now. Other than the 2 plungers leaking on the hydraulics that failed and caused tilting, it has never given me problems. Easy fix.

These machines are also very electrically sensitive which I have stayed on top of. Still have the same battery since late 09 and it is still functioning well after my care and reads full amps. I just called the Brandon, Florida shop and talked to them about this Technical Bulletin. They are on top of it and will handle this along with a new belt change and other stuff. I've "never had the weaving/wobble effect" while driving it, but I figured I would get his done now.

My MP3 500 continues to be very reliable but I realized a few years ago that all they need is care and attention and they will deliver. And so did my BMW, Honda, Yamaha, Harley, Puch, Peugeot, Solex, Suzuki, and so on...... I trust this bike. I am originally from Belgium and had them all in my lifetime.

Thank you again....Tom

Does anybody know if the 020943Y grease bolts are available in the uk please?

Some of the posts about these bolts confuse me. Some people have installed sets of four and ridden for years with them. Other people say the bolts should only be used as a tool and replaced with the stock bolt as they have been weakened and are not up to the job of dealing with the forces involved in operation. A few years ago someone posted on one of these threads that he just took out his bolts one at a time and pressed the grease gun nozzle into the bolt hole and filled them up and replaced the bolts.

If you are willing to take the chance and ride on them buying four and replacing the stock bolts makes sense; but if you're not going to leave them in doesn't this bolt just make it take more time and effort?

go to a dealer and order 1. they get them thru piaggio parts.

A modification to increment the live of the bearings sistem (Page 2)


Go to this topic July 2010 where I posted how, after removing each bolt separately, I injected the grease using a flexible grease gun hose after first unscrewing the standard fitting at the end.

I just had Barney's of Tampa do my steering with the grease tool that they had. Took about 1 1/2 hrs. and the cost was just about $100 to do. Well worth for me as I didn't want to fiddle with the everything that needed to be taken off. They have 3 locations in the Tampa Bay area and all 3 are authorized Piaggio dealers that service any kind of Piaggio. They are great and this location I went to had very knowledgeable mechanics. Great service and care. You should have seen the Service Manager run my MP3 500 all around to make sure everything was just perfect.

I ordered the bolt through my local dealer.
Arrived two days later and only £3.52!
Job now done as instructed on this website.
No plastics removed and all done in under 1 hour.

Thanks everyone for your help.
Long live my bearings!

Soundman

Wow, I will have to tell my dealer that you didn't remove any of the plastics. But in all fairness I had him check out torque and anything else that needed maintenance on. He really gave it once over for everything under the plastics. 1 1/2 hrs. for $100 that they did is still not bad. And I have peace of mind that a trained Piaggio mechanic did all this. I have someone to go back to if anything is wrong.

guess I need to up my prices. I only charge 10% of what they did and no plastics to remove either.

I agree with you as long as you do what they did......... You are much more mechanically inclined that I. And I would suspect much more so than most of us. I just wished you lived in the Tampa Bay area as I would have asked you to do mine. I would trust what you do 100% with your knowledge and expertise. I am just a rider that loves my Piaggio that is just trying to give a plug to this great dealer. I change my oil my self but nothing else other than the routine stuff. My Piaggio runs and runs and runs without any issues. That is what I care about.

Scooterwest did mine as part of the service work I had them do recently. I don't have the invoice in front of me right now so I can't tell you exactly what they charged; but if I remember correctly they lumped several small things together and charged me one hour for all of them. Seemed fair to me. They already had the plastics off for other things they were working on so I don't know if they normally do this with or without plastic.
Motorsport Scooters aka scooterwest