Do remove your swing arm . . .

[Speedy1959]

As you may know I acquired a puncture in the rear tyre the other day..
Whilst my wheel was out I thought "why not remove the swing arm and re grease its bearings"
It all went to plan and I re greased the bearings.. One side was almost dry with a hint of rust..

Anyway I cleaned the swing arm of its 13 years of crud and noticed this . . . .
I assume its not "normal" ?
Its on the right side (Disc side)

[lil4399]

You can't leave it like that!

[lloydjames]

The suspense is killing me 

[Notty]

Simon !!! what did you find? I get security error message using my iMac 

[KiwiCol]

Let me have a guess, a miniaturised solar battery charger that also works on cloudy days?  Installed by the P.O.    Am I close?   

[grog]

Col.     

[Speedy1959]

No...
What looks like a 3" (7.5 cm) crack in the casting where the bearing fits..

As they say in Yorkshire.. "It'll be reet".

[lil4399]

No...
What looks like a 3" (7.5 cm) crack in the casting where the bearing fits..

As they say in Yorkshire.. "It'll be reet".

 

[Basil Brush]

This happened to a mate on a GSXR1100.

He was stripping his bike down and found a 3-4 inch hairline crack where swingarm pivot.

He did wonder why it wasn't handling so good previously...

[lloydjames]

 

I hope it's weldable

[Speedy1959]

I hope it's weldable

Its funny you say that..
My friend specializes in Alloy welding..
He reckons it will be stronger than original.
I suppose its similar to a well healed broken bone being stronger than original due to the thicker band of bone around the original break..
When GSXBarmy posts up the photos for me you will see that in my opinion the wall of the alloy where the bearings go don't look over thick to me!!
Watch this space for the photos..

[gsxbarmy]

So here's the photo's that Simon sent to me - never seen anything like this on the shaft before...I think if anyone has a spare swingarm in good condition the don't require Simon may be interested. Whether its weldable or not I don't know, I think a specialist alloy welder's opinion is necessary for that

[Speedy1959]

Wow thank you Dave for that...
On the big screen it looks more serious than on my phone..
At the moment it has a jubilee clip bracing it..

[gsxbarmy]

It needs welding Simon as a minimum, as I think that crack can only get worse. Certainly I'd show the pictures to your welder buddy to get his opinion, if only to find out what can be done to stop it spreading further. Years back one used to drill a small hole at the end of the crack to help stop it, whether that would work I don't know, it needs a specialist view.

Think I'd put an ad in the wanted section.....

[Mister Fishfinger]

Yeah, welding is OK if it's a proper skilled welder who knows what he is doing. Or a replacement swing arm, fine. But you couldn't pay me enough to ride that with a jubilee clip holding it together.