Swing Arm Adjustment?

[kflyboy]

Hi Guys, Finishing up final drive conversion on my 80G. Had to install a new swing arm boot. Installed the swing arm and checked the centering gaps on both sides of the swing arm. Is the swing supposed to slide horizontally on the pivot bolts about 1/8 inch either way in the frame? This doesn't seem right. What is the best method to center it in the frame. Be back to the office computer in a couple hrs. Got to take of some things in the field. Thanks for any input and advice.

[bikerphil]

Is the swing supposed to slide horizontally on the pivot bolts about 1/8 inch either way in the frame?

No it isn't, tighten each allen bolt in some so there is no play, don't overtighten, should be 47 inch pounds. Check again to make sure it is centered. Then tighten the large lock nuts. Eyeballing it should be ok, using a feeler guage to check the clearances is a bit overkill IMHO.

[kflyboy]

No it isn't, tighten each allen bolt in some so there is no play, don't overtighten, should be 47 inch pounds. Check again to make sure it is centered. Then tighten the large lock nuts. Eyeballing it should be ok, using a feeler guage to check the clearances is a bit overkill IMHO.

Thanks for the help.

[DGXSER]

My eyes have never been over calibrated, so I use a dial caliper to verify the gap is pretty close. Still, no need to try to be down to a nats butt hair. And yes, INCH pounds. Made that mistake before going ft-lbs.

[kflyboy]

My eyes have never been over calibrated, so I use a dial caliper to verify the gap is pretty close. Still, no need to try to be down to a nats butt hair. And yes, INCH pounds. Made that mistake before going ft-lbs.

Thanks for the tips.

[CaptonZap]

OK, here's a question for you chassis tuning gurus.
Ideally, the rear wheel and front wheel should have their tire contact centerlines in the same line. If you are a little off with the rear swing arm alignment, the rear contact point will be a little to one side or the other of the front wheel contact point.
What affect will that have on the balance or tracking of the bike?
CZ

[BA80]

It would have to be pretty far off to cause any real problem CZ. The frame on trbigs XJ is bent and it doesn't slow him down a bit.

[TopCatGr58]

My eyes have never been over calibrated, so I use a dial caliper to verify the gap is pretty close. Still, no need to try to be down to a nats butt hair. And yes, INCH pounds. Made that mistake before going ft-lbs.

Hey Don,

If you wear glasses and have had an eye exam, you HAVE had your eyes calibrated!

At 14" the healthy human eye can resolve to about 75 microns, and at 2.5 feet about 250 microns, or 1/4mm. Of course this ability to see the difference is size/position is with the objects next to each other. With the wide positioning of the swing arm bearing gaps it's a bit more difficult to be able to gauge/judge the actual width similarity with just visual memory.

So..kflyboy, if you don't have a caliper handy, then you can just take some stiff plastic and cut some strips of varying size, incrementally 1 mm largery/wider with each one, and then just hold that up to the S.A. gaps and compare, and then adjust accordingly!

T.C.

[DGXSER]

Hey Don,

If you wear glasses and have had an eye exam, you HAVE had your eyes calibrated!

Agree TC, but since I go to Sam's Optical, and it has been since 2010, the level of calibration is certainly suspect. Although now I find I see fine with the glasses at a distance, but have to look over /under the spectacles to see up close. Thus the reason I no longer wear contacts. Old age sucks!!!

[BA80]

old age sucks!!!

+1 .......................

[DiverRay]

No, getting old isn't for sissies!
And the alternative to getting old isn't fun either!