Identify my swing arm help

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Jan 8, 2018 | 12:20 PM

daven9113

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Road Master

Joined: Aug 2007

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From: Grew up in Texas, moved to AZ

Identify my swing arm help

I have a 1989 FLHTC, but I'm not the original owner. Can someone help me identify if the swingarm on it is OEM for that year?

Would any FL Evo-era swingarm/rear fork be interchangeable? I know they had -85, 85B, -97 versions for parts number. All took 3/4" axle, I believe.

The reason I ask is my swingarm doesn't look like the part depicted in the free online manual from Ronnie's H-D, although they didn't have 1989 year in particular.

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Identify my swing arm help-1989-flhtc-swingarm.jpg

Jan 8, 2018 | 02:57 PM

Beemervet

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Joined: May 2006

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From: Ohio

That looks like the OEM swingarm, which is the 85B version. Why do you ask?
https://shop.outpostalaska.com/OEMpa...-81594-H030123

Last edited by Beemervet; Jan 8, 2018 at 02:58 PM.

Jan 8, 2018 | 04:02 PM

daven9113

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Aug 2007

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From: Grew up in Texas, moved to AZ

Beemervet, thanks for the link. I'm just looking ahead in case I might need to replace the rear fork. Last summer, when I replaced my belt, I couldn't get the pivot bolt to move, so it's probably seized. Will need to address that in the future sometime. Worse case is having to cut the pivot bolt between tranny case and rear fork. I hope that it doesn't come to that. No issues with bike now with handling or anything. It's just been in the back of my mind.

I also want to know what years will interchange, in case I need to pick one up.

As you can see, the fork on my bike looks more like the diagram of a 1997 model on the right, and not what is depicted in the 1989 model on the left, so that got me curious. Maybe someone with a 1989 FL Evo can check their bike and let me know.

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Identify my swing arm help-1997-swingarm.jpg

Jan 8, 2018 | 06:12 PM

Beemervet

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From: Ohio

There are others here in EVOland with '89 FLs that can give you that comparison. They will be around eventually.

Jan 9, 2018 | 06:19 AM

grbrown

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Joined: Jun 2007

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From: Bedford UK

Your swingarm is stock, same as my 1990 bike, owned from new. A common problem with those is that they can crack around the axle slots, especially if used with lowering blocks. I don't use them and haven't had that problem, but have swapped for a much later one, similar to the 1997 one you show. That was introduced in 1997, so any fork up to model year 1996 will fit straight into your bike.

The reason I swapped to a later swingarm was to get the much stronger and stiffer design, as part of a rear suspension upgrade. It can most easily be made by also swapping to a later spec wheel and brake caliper, but will need a conversion kit for the swingarm bushings and axle. I used a 2007 swingarm, as that was further upgraded in 2002 for improved stiffness, over the 1997 version.