Steven DoetschmanBy — fitness equipment technician and owner, Krislynn.com

The connecting arm transfers pedal motion to the back handlebars on a Schwinn Airdyne, and it comes in two versions that are not interchangeable. Steven Doetschman explains the difference between the classic Airdyne arm (larger front wheel models) and the Airdyne Evolution arm (smaller front wheel). Both arms have roller bearings on each end held in by snap rings. He demonstrates how to remove a worn bearing using a vise and wood blocks, and how to press a new bearing in without damaging the arm — squeezing it in with a vise rather than hammering.

Full transcript

hi my name’s Steve and I’m going to show you connecting arm for a swinger now first and foremost the left side and the right side are exactly the same there’s two types of airlines that take connecting arms one is the airline evolution with a smaller front wheel and the other one is the airline which has a larger front wheel on the airline and evolution with a smaller front wheel you can see that in the connecting arm there’s a bearing on both sides of the connecting on a small bearing over here which connects where the handles drop down and a large bearing on here which connects by the cranks this is called a roller bearing with a snap ring there’s a snap ring on both sides you can take one snap ring off and then push the bearing out and it’ll come out and then you can replace it with a brand new roller bearing with snap ring on the other end okay is either a bushing which goes into a Schwinn air by connecting arm or a bearing which goes into an airline evolution connecting on you want to room if you want to remove it you can take it turn it over put it on a vice like so and gently tap the center of it with a big screwdriver and the old bearing will push out of the arm when you install the new one you want to do it on a vice and you want to squeeze it in gently you do not want to pound a new one in with a hammer or you’ll never get it in use a vise two blocks of wood and squeeze it together and push that bearing right back into the connecting arm and you’ll be set to go use the same process for removing or installing a pushing on the air time connecting arm you can squeeze it in with a vise there’s some information about connecting arms or squared up