Installed swing arm with brace

[clowell]

Just installed my new swing arm with a brace. I bought a used swing arm on eBay for $35 because I still wanted to ride the Vmax. I fabricated the brace out of schedule 80 1 inch pipe. I then had a friend tig weld the brace to the swing arm to minimize any fluctuation during the welding process. He did it in three rounds allowing the brace to cool down before welding on it again. It fit perfectly. Very happy with it, looks cool and it is functional!

 

[Fire-medic]

Did you widen the space for the wheel/tire? The fabrication looks good. What is your subjective riding impression with the braced swingarm?

 

[clowell]

Did you widen the space for the wheel/tire? The fabrication looks good. What is your subjective riding impression with the braced swingarm?

I going to keep the stock tire but I did leave room for a bigger tire later on down the road. The difference in feel was not overwhelming but the back end did feel more stable especially under hard acceleration.

 

[Fire-medic]

I wondered if you enlarged the crimp in the arm where the drive-side has that to clear the wheel/tire.

 

[PATMAX]

Just installed my new swing arm with a brace. I bought a used swing arm on eBay for $35 because I still wanted to ride the Vmax. I fabricated the brace out of schedule 80 1 inch pipe. I then had a friend tig weld the brace to the swing arm to minimize any fluctuation during the welding process. He did it in three rounds allowing the brace to cool down before welding on it again. It fit perfectly. Very happy with it, looks cool and it is functional!

Looks like the commercially available units. You could have “Notched“ it at the same time to fit fatter rubber ! Good job.

 

[clowell]

Looks like the commercially available units. You could have “Notcged” it at the same time to fit fatter rubber ! Good job.

Yep you are right that would of been a good time to notch it. I'll leave it for the next owner. Don't have $3000 grand for new rims and tires so will be sticking with the stock donut tire, sigh...

 

[clowell]

I wondered if you enlarged the crimp in the arm where the drive-side has that to clear the wheel/tire.

Yeah you are right, I did not. But I'm going to stick with stock tires for a long time since I don't have the cash to upgrade my rims and tires.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Stock tire with a brace and no extra room? For the fun of fabrication?

 

[PATMAX]

Stock tire with a brace and no extra room? For the fun of fabrication?

Might have gotten at least a 190 and some 200s on a stock wheel if notched.

 

[clowell]

Stock tire with a brace and no extra room? For the fun of fabrication?

Why not?

 

[Jack Hammer]

Fair point.

 

[Big"A"]

Just installed my new swing arm with a brace. I bought a used swing arm on eBay for $35 because I still wanted to ride the Vmax. I fabricated the brace out of schedule 80 1 inch pipe. I then had a friend tig weld the brace to the swing arm to minimize any fluctuation during the welding process. He did it in three rounds allowing the brace to cool down before welding on it again. It fit perfectly. Very happy with it, looks cool and it is functional!

Did you increase the size of your tire. Did you notch the swingarm at all

 

[tomzzx636]

The VMax doesn't need any bigger tire than a 170. The bigger you go, the heavier the tire gets and the better chance of snapping a driveshaft. I run my 10" over modded stock swingarm with a 170 series tire, and it needs nothing bigger believe me.

 

[StanVM2007]

Maybe I am reading the first photo wrong, but isn't it already notched? The tube surrounding the shaft isn't straight as in stock but has indentation welded in.

 

[Fire-medic]

Maybe I am reading the first photo wrong, but isn't it already notched? The tube surrounding the shaft isn't straight as in stock but has indentation welded in.

Take a look at your swingarm, you have a notch at the tire/wheel on the driveshaft/left tube.

 

[StanVM2007]

Just ran to take a look. Indeed. I expected I must be missing something! lol It's been a long time since putting on a new tire, and I haven't touched a spare stock swing arm I bought to brace and notch it for 5 years maybe? haha 0ne thing for sure, this indicates a proper clean up/polishing is way overdue.

 

[MaxMidnight]

The VMax doesn't need any bigger tire than a 170. The bigger you go, the heavier the tire gets and the better chance of snapping a driveshaft.

This is not correct: OE rear with half worn tyre weighs 34lb, Dymag + new Bridgestone BT020 (180 section) weighs 31lb
With the matching Dymag on the front you loose another 7lb.