97 Evo RK Swingarm Upgrade
#11
12-02-2018, 07:30 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
did this on my 98 RK (albeit because i broke the stocker with an S&S 124)
a chain WILL work (and have enough adjustment), but may require some careful sprocket selection (i run a 25T 1/2" offset front sprocket from Baker...rear is 50T steel from SprocketSpecialties)
a 150mm Avon will fit under the rear fender, but JUST barely. I didnt have to trim the caliper mount at all, but I did have custom spacers machined down (helps having friends with tool&die shops)
Howard @ MotorcycleMetal for the pivot shaft bushings for sure
a chain WILL work (and have enough adjustment), but may require some careful sprocket selection (i run a 25T 1/2" offset front sprocket from Baker...rear is 50T steel from SprocketSpecialties)
a 150mm Avon will fit under the rear fender, but JUST barely. I didnt have to trim the caliper mount at all, but I did have custom spacers machined down (helps having friends with tool&die shops)
Howard @ MotorcycleMetal for the pivot shaft bushings for sure
#12
12-03-2018, 08:08 AM
Club Member
- I'll start out with the 2007 year swingarm 47549-02 with corresponding 1" axle. Will this swingarm have enough adjustment for a chain?
- I will need to keep my 5/8" pivot swingarm shaft due to the transmission. Is it better to keep this size or pull the tranny out and bore the hole for the 3/4" shaft? If I keep the 5/8" pivot swingarm shaft I will need adapter bushings for the swingarm. This is the route I would probably go since I don't want to pull the tranny at this time. Who makes the best bushing kit?
- I will need the brake caliper 44080-02 from the 2002 - 2007 models with the 1" axle. That older 1 piece caliper mount looks like a pain in the ***. Can I upgrade this to the newer 44080-08 mount and separate caliper by just boring out the 25mm mount to accept the 1" shaft.
- Will a Softail Fat Boy solid disc wheel drop right in? What spacers do I need for all this? From what I've read a 150 rear is the widest dictated by the belt. What is the widest limited by the fender with chain? Not interested in chasing a fat tire rear, just wanting to know the limitations.
- Recommended shocks for a 240lb ape with 50lbs of gear in the bags on a mildly aggressive ridden stock height minimalist lightweight bike with Avon tires.
This is the best I can gather from reading the forum and websites. I know I can count on you guys in helping me spend money.
- I will need to keep my 5/8" pivot swingarm shaft due to the transmission. Is it better to keep this size or pull the tranny out and bore the hole for the 3/4" shaft? If I keep the 5/8" pivot swingarm shaft I will need adapter bushings for the swingarm. This is the route I would probably go since I don't want to pull the tranny at this time. Who makes the best bushing kit?
- I will need the brake caliper 44080-02 from the 2002 - 2007 models with the 1" axle. That older 1 piece caliper mount looks like a pain in the ***. Can I upgrade this to the newer 44080-08 mount and separate caliper by just boring out the 25mm mount to accept the 1" shaft.
- Will a Softail Fat Boy solid disc wheel drop right in? What spacers do I need for all this? From what I've read a 150 rear is the widest dictated by the belt. What is the widest limited by the fender with chain? Not interested in chasing a fat tire rear, just wanting to know the limitations.
- Recommended shocks for a 240lb ape with 50lbs of gear in the bags on a mildly aggressive ridden stock height minimalist lightweight bike with Avon tires.
This is the best I can gather from reading the forum and websites. I know I can count on you guys in helping me spend money.
- I used a True-Track 5/8" swingarm axle and solid bushing kit, along with one of their stabilizer kits. Do not be tempted to open up the trans casing for a later larger OD axle, unless you have excellent machine-shop skills!
- Yes you can use the 2-piece later spec rear Brembo caliper - done that! You'll also need a Brembo diameter rotor (slightly larger in OD) and an additional out-board thin axle spacer, as the bracket is not as thick as the one-piece one.
- Will any softail wheel drop in? No, it needs a little help, assuming you use a sealed ball-race wheel (as I have!). They had 3/4" ID sealed ball races, although either 1" (or 25mm) ID bearings will fit their bearing cups, however the hole through the centre of the hub only has clearance for a 3/4" bearing spacer tube, so you will need to bore that out to clear the larger OD tube for 1" bearings and axle. My local Yamaha dealer did that for me!
- I couldn't make a 150 tyre work with the original 1 1/2" belt, so in upgrading to one I also used a later 1 1/18" narrow pulley qwhich came with my (initial) Touring cast wheel (later changed to a Duece solid wheel). You may have to change belt anyway, as I did, as my 1990 stock swingarm was shorter than the 2007 one I installed, so I needed a longer belt.
- Shocks? That's a query too far! Do you have any idea how many darned shocks questions there are out there? I have Ohlins - select wisely, fit once.
Last edited by grbrown; 12-03-2018 at 08:10 AM.
#13
12-05-2018, 10:58 PM
I have a spare tranny on the shelf I'll bore out to 3/4" and have it ready to swap out when I tear into the engine at a later time.
I will be going to a chain, the maintence never bothers me, but I would like to drop some RPMs.
2007 swingarm with 5/8" bushings, 2000+ Fat Boy wheel, 2 piece Brembo brake bored out to 1" and the larger disc to go with it. 150 tire max due to fender, should be plenty clear for chain.
Are all the spacers stock or do I need to machine some custom lengths?
I will be going to a chain, the maintence never bothers me, but I would like to drop some RPMs.
2007 swingarm with 5/8" bushings, 2000+ Fat Boy wheel, 2 piece Brembo brake bored out to 1" and the larger disc to go with it. 150 tire max due to fender, should be plenty clear for chain.
Are all the spacers stock or do I need to machine some custom lengths?
#14
12-06-2018, 03:42 AM
Club Member
I have a spare tranny on the shelf I'll bore out to 3/4" and have it ready to swap out when I tear into the engine at a later time.
I will be going to a chain, the maintence never bothers me, but I would like to drop some RPMs.
2007 swingarm with 5/8" bushings, 2000+ Fat Boy wheel, 2 piece Brembo brake bored out to 1" and the larger disc to go with it. 150 tire max due to fender, should be plenty clear for chain.
Are all the spacers stock or do I need to machine some custom lengths?
I will be going to a chain, the maintence never bothers me, but I would like to drop some RPMs.
2007 swingarm with 5/8" bushings, 2000+ Fat Boy wheel, 2 piece Brembo brake bored out to 1" and the larger disc to go with it. 150 tire max due to fender, should be plenty clear for chain.
Are all the spacers stock or do I need to machine some custom lengths?
Why do you want to drop rpms? Our Evos are high-geared as stock!
#15
12-06-2018, 08:07 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
You can use shims if necessary or you can mock it up and have spacers made. I don't believe the hub width is the same.. my aftermarket rims that I had put on where 2000 and up but I had to have the hub machined down because I couldn't get everything to line up properly. For the longest time I used washers to space the rear wheel and it worked without any issues..
#17
12-06-2018, 01:45 PM
Supporter
https://www.customcycleengineering.com/tech-tips-D
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#18
12-06-2018, 02:19 PM
Club Member
If it only had one of them then yes, it would be able to go all over the place, however as Schex points out they are both on the same shaft. 0maha has also pointed out that the swingarm bearing 'housings' in the s/a are not precisely machined. Using spherical bearings allows the MoCo to do that and yet also ensure the swingarm bearings align with each other. The older cleve blocks did much the same job, but in a different way, as they were not able to maintain the swingarm in a true relationship with the rest of the bike, which the spherical bearings do.
#19
12-06-2018, 02:39 PM
Supporter
#20
12-06-2018, 04:55 PM
I guess due to the swingarm not being line bored spherical bearings solve misalignment issues. The problem I see with spherical bearings is corrosion and being dry. I would be curious to see the long term results of this setup.
The plastic and rubber bushings must be more forgiving with any alignment issues to work.......or the alignment is not really much of an issue to begin with.
