Swingarm Woes
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Swingarm Woes
A few years back, I bounced my scoot off a U-haul as I was loading it (wet day-slick ramp). Ever since, my rear tire would always cup. Well, I'm i the midst of a rebuild and ordered a new swingarm to replace and re-align the back end. Here's where the rub is... the new swingarm (OEM part 47820-81a) is 1/2' narrower than the original. I've come up with a new spacer and some bolt on's to compensate for the length of the axle, but my shocks are being a real pain to line up. It's like they are slightly "tilted" in and won't line up to bolt onto the swingarm. I'm about to order a new spacer kit from progressive, but wondered if anyone else has had this issue? There are plenty of other jobs to keep me busy with it right now, but I'll get back to that job in a week or two, when everything else gets put back together. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
GM
GM
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From: Sw Florida
RE: Swingarm Woes
I agree ,1/2 inch is huge . Make sure the swing arm is right and not use all the spacers and stuff . I know it sounds dumb but did ya measure the swing arm mounting points?
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RE: Swingarm Woes
Yeah, I know... always measure before you put it on! Friggin' usually do, but....
Everything is identical except for the span where the axle is... 1/2 inch short by measuring paralell to the axle). Frankly, I just eyeballed it to the other part. I noticed a diffence in the span, but with everything else being equal, I put it down to a little bending due to the drop it took. After a day of looking, scratching head, looking, measuring and scratching head again, I made some diagonal measurements on the old swingarm and now think that it's true. ALL of the other measurements are dead on, It's just that bend. I really don't like the idea of pulling it, knockiing out the bushings and recycling the old swing arm. Don't think J&P will take it back after it's had the parts pressed back out, (yeah, it's that cursed chrome one, couldn't find a plain old black one!) and I'm not real eager to sell it, as I'm not exactly sure what's going on with it. It's a 1985 model and I've got the parts book, which shows this as the correct OEM number. Aaargh! Stumpfounding! Hadn't found the number on the old part, but I'll look.
GM
Everything is identical except for the span where the axle is... 1/2 inch short by measuring paralell to the axle). Frankly, I just eyeballed it to the other part. I noticed a diffence in the span, but with everything else being equal, I put it down to a little bending due to the drop it took. After a day of looking, scratching head, looking, measuring and scratching head again, I made some diagonal measurements on the old swingarm and now think that it's true. ALL of the other measurements are dead on, It's just that bend. I really don't like the idea of pulling it, knockiing out the bushings and recycling the old swing arm. Don't think J&P will take it back after it's had the parts pressed back out, (yeah, it's that cursed chrome one, couldn't find a plain old black one!) and I'm not real eager to sell it, as I'm not exactly sure what's going on with it. It's a 1985 model and I've got the parts book, which shows this as the correct OEM number. Aaargh! Stumpfounding! Hadn't found the number on the old part, but I'll look.
GM
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Minneapolis Area, MN
RE: Swingarm Woes
I've never had mine off, but I'm thinking it's not gonna be a good replacement being that far off. I'd call J&P. They may be more than happy to help you out.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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RE: Swingarm Woes
ORIGINAL: greezymonkee
Yeah, I know... always measure before you put it on! Friggin' usually do, but....
Everything is identical except for the span where the axle is... 1/2 inch short by measuring paralell to the axle). Frankly, I just eyeballed it to the other part. I noticed a diffence in the span, but with everything else being equal, I put it down to a little bending due to the drop it took. After a day of looking, scratching head, looking, measuring and scratching head again, I made some diagonal measurements on the old swingarm and now think that it's true. ALL of the other measurements are dead on, It's just that bend. I really don't like the idea of pulling it, knockiing out the bushings and recycling the old swing arm. Don't think J&P will take it back after it's had the parts pressed back out, (yeah, it's that cursed chrome one, couldn't find a plain old black one!) and I'm not real eager to sell it, as I'm not exactly sure what's going on with it. It's a 1985 model and I've got the parts book, which shows this as the correct OEM number. Aaargh! Stumpfounding! Hadn't found the number on the old part, but I'll look.
GM
Yeah, I know... always measure before you put it on! Friggin' usually do, but....
Everything is identical except for the span where the axle is... 1/2 inch short by measuring paralell to the axle). Frankly, I just eyeballed it to the other part. I noticed a diffence in the span, but with everything else being equal, I put it down to a little bending due to the drop it took. After a day of looking, scratching head, looking, measuring and scratching head again, I made some diagonal measurements on the old swingarm and now think that it's true. ALL of the other measurements are dead on, It's just that bend. I really don't like the idea of pulling it, knockiing out the bushings and recycling the old swing arm. Don't think J&P will take it back after it's had the parts pressed back out, (yeah, it's that cursed chrome one, couldn't find a plain old black one!) and I'm not real eager to sell it, as I'm not exactly sure what's going on with it. It's a 1985 model and I've got the parts book, which shows this as the correct OEM number. Aaargh! Stumpfounding! Hadn't found the number on the old part, but I'll look.
GM
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RE: Swingarm Woes
It's the bend that determines the span between the holes where the axle rides. The axle hangs out about 1/4 to 1/2 beyond the threads, can't tighten it down.
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RE: Swingarm Woes
ORIGINAL: greezymonkee
It's the bend that determines the span between the holes where the axle rides. The axle hangs out about 1/4 to 1/2 beyond the threads, can't tighten it down.
It's the bend that determines the span between the holes where the axle rides. The axle hangs out about 1/4 to 1/2 beyond the threads, can't tighten it down.
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RE: Swingarm Woes
Yeah, it was a $2k bounce without counting the tires that were eaten afterwards. Lesson learned.... PUSH the bike up the big ramp, don't ride it up. When the frame caught on the low spot, the tire spun the rear of the bike out from under and down it went. Dropped about 4-5 feet off the back of the truck. Worst part... all my relatives were there to see us off. That was years ago now, and they've all since bought their own bikes and ride quite a bit. Not sure what that says about my kin, but it was sure a friggin' big ole egg on my face. We'd rode about 600 miles to get there and they were amazed you could ride a bike that far! Oh well, that which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger!