Best's +2 swingarm

[Triplecrown421]

finally talked him into it extending the swingarm on the sx250blaster we figured 2in would be best. not to intrested in making a long or wide setup at all just a small attempt at keepin the front down.

who needs a jack!!

crack repaired back when bike was built, looks good

mr. Best

this swingarm has already been modded to fit the motor

 

[Triplecrown421]

his plan on extending it is adding a steel plate onto the back secton of the arm

more like this

old school arc welders FTW

almost done

 

[blasty 95]

So do u plan jumping on it?

 

[Triplecrown421]

finished product

not to bad for less then 5 bucks of metal and an old welder,
ill update with it on the bike tomorrow>? I:I

 

[best]

So do u plan jumping on it?

Jumping on it? HELL YEAH! I jumped on it tonight. Several times. Feels gooood.
Does this thing look like some FRONT LAWN QUEEN? Does this look like a PARADE BIKE?
This is a RIDING MACHINE, boy! Made for riding HARD! Getting dirty.
Once daylight hits I'm going to head for the hills and seriously jump on it. Feel the weightlessness. Feel the thud.

I didn't put this extension on to make up for any shortage in my own life, I just wanted to keep the nose down on the hills.
Stand on the pegs if you will, even lean well over the bars, when ya give her all 40 odd ponies, she still wants RISE UP!
So we gave her just a little bit of length to take some of the sudden rise out of her. Not all. I still want to loft at will over logs and such.

Seriously now folks, Neil has a 3" extension, and it feels like a bit too much.
A lot of spinning and not able to loft easily on loose ground.
2" sounded like a good compromise. It is back on the bike now, ready to go tomorrow or the next. Good use of a rainy day.

1/4" x 2" mild steel, about 4" long. Weld is a bit rough looking, it was done in short left and right stitches to avoid twist.
Put a 1/8" horizontal brace inside it to get rid of any side to side bend. Should be good in all other axis.
Added weight: about 1 pound
Cost: $3 for the steel and a dozen rods for my old 1950s Forney stick welder.

 

[Blaaster]

Hang man, who needs an extension when this mod will work just great.

Why did I not think of it sooner.

I would prolly gusset from arm to extension tip for added strength.

You can avoid distortion and twist by backstepping the weld.

Weld an inch of the weld to the finish point, weld the next run for an inch to the starting point of the first weld, and repeat until all welding is done.

Just gotta give you some green.

 

[Triple_B]

Not a bad job. Welds look pretty ugly but look like they will hold up fine. We call them gorilla welds; Ugly but tough as hell!


Nice job man, keep up the good work

 

[best]

Hang man, who needs an extension when this mod will work just great.

Why did I not think of it sooner.

I would prolly gusset from arm to extension tip for added strength.

You can avoid distortion and twist by backstepping the weld.

Weld an inch of the weld to the finish point, weld the next run for an inch to the starting point of the first weld, and repeat until all welding is done.

Just gotta give you some green.

That is just what I did Blaaster, backstep the weld, so it is a series of stops and starts rather than a continuous weld.
Continuous weld would have been prettier, but I didn't have it jigged, just lightly tacked.

 

[Blaaster]

It is all in distribution, making the heat do the work by expansion and contraction.

Looks are not everything, it is all in the penetration. (What a sig quote )

 

[blasty 95]

Oh sweet! I didn't see it finished. Pretty smart idea, cause u didn't have to worry about relocating the shock mount

 

[brandoz28]

I have one where a mod like this was started. It's not how I would personally choose to do it, but it will work.


my biggest concern would be if it got too much side bite in a corner that it could bend it sideways

 

[slickerthanyou]

I like the idea of not messing with the shock mount. I do at some point plan on extending a swinger myself, but I haven't decided what length to go. The other issue is any extention I may not be able to get both quads on the trailer. Getting a larger trailer isn't the answer either , the Bonneville doesn't like the 4X8 now!

 

[79 bronco]

Did you bevel the ends of the plates and the ends of the swingarm before you welded them together?? Did you clean the paint off the swingarm where you welded it??

If done properly this can be a easy and light weight whey to extend a swingarm. If it was me i would weld some plates on the sides on the top and bottom on both sides of the swingarm... Or maybe some angle or some kind of gusset in the inside.. The only problem is the lack of room you have to work with because you have to have room for the carrier.

 

[Rich]

Idk take it easy on it.Thats going to eventually brake.Better planning.Gusset interlock and reinforce that fabrication.SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT.

 

[best]

Did you bevel the ends of the plates and the ends of the swingarm before you welded them together??
<SNIPPED>

No I didn't, I got Triplecrown to do the beveling and the grinding.
That way if it breaks, I can blame him for it!
Beveled the sides, not the ends, and I burnt it in real good. That is why I used the stick in small stitches.

If done properly this can be a easy and light weight whey to extend a swingarm. If it was me i would weld some plates on the sides on the top and bottom on both sides of the swingarm... Or maybe some angle or some kind of gusset in the inside.. The only problem is the lack of room you have to work with because you have to have room for the carrier.

Well, I thought about just exactly what you suggest but weight out at the end of the swingarm is an issue for me.
The 1/4" steel is plenty strong in all axis except the side bending that many have suggested.
Boxing it may be a good idea, but if my figures are right, the 1/8" plate brace should be enough.
I had it figured that I could drill 2 x 1" lightening holes in each side with out reducing strength, but Triplecrown said:
"Dad, how much weight are you gonna save? Stop friggin' around and get'er done!"

Idk take it easy on it.Thats going to eventually brake.Better planning.Gusset interlock and reinforce that fabrication.SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT.

Well Rich, I hear ya.
I didn't want this any heavier than necessary and I have it figured this should be just strong enough to do the job.
No over kill, no excess weight.
I'll test it pretty hard to see if it comes loose, hopefully it will give some warning, cracks, bends etc.
I'll report it if there is a problem so we all know, and there is room for more diagonal bracing if you want to do it.

So how's it work? Pretty good so far!
Still lofts easily even on grass and I gave it the the old wood pile test, you know? Drive over the wood pile?
Yeah Shaun, that one there...

The beauty of this extension is that it is very easy to line up without a jig.
The cut is straight forward, the 5 inches of weld in 1/4" steel is easy to get right.
The cut and the plate are the same thickness on both sides. Line up the bottom edges. Get it straight.

 

[blasterBruce]

So How Much are you going to Charge your Buddys To Do this Mod haha , looks good Man Its Looks Strong And Way better With Your Mod !

 

[Triplecrown421]

looks sweeet, yes the tires are backwards but its for a better attempt at traction from the used tires.

just the extra couple in's changed the whole feeling of the bike. i tested it myself and it feels SWEEET. the bike has no problem kicking side ways and exiting pulling smooth wheelies much more controlled.

my 04 build will be getting one of these i dont think this will brake.

 

[blasterBruce]

Does Look Sweet ! , Can't Wait to Get Mine going , Been Sitting For about 8 Years , Wow thats Way Too Long haha

 

[best]

That's what we want to do Blasterbruce, get you all wet and fired up to get your ride going.
Personally, I think if you bought that thing new when you were a teenager it would be all the more motivation to keep it forever.
So what if you put a motor out of this or wheels off of that, it is still the Blaster you bought as a kid!

We have this axe that has been in our family for 250 years.
We have put 8 handles on it and 4 heads, but it is still here!

<SOME SNIPPED> my 04 build will be getting one of these i dont think this will brake.

What do you mean "dont think this will brake"? I can out brake you any day!

 

[AlfonsoBarraza]

Any jumps yet with this mod?