[gashousegorilla]

   Got bored the other day, and while I was fixing a nasty slope in the rear axle,..... the back wheel was a bit cocked to the left on top and to the right on the bottom by about 3/8"-1/2", due to the slots in the axle plates not lining up in relation to each other when the axle slides through rear brake assembly....  I decided while I was at it, to make the swing arm a little better.

[Ducati Scotty]

Is that electrical conduit?

[gashousegorilla]

Is that electrical conduit?

 LOL !  ....too funny.  No Scotty it's not EMT , but not a bad idea !  I splurged for mild steel tubing   

[Ducati Scotty]

I remember a story and picture I saw recently.  One salt flats racer got hooked when young by building a slipstreamer out of his moped and a chassis he made from conduit. It was in the fifties so maybe it was beefier stuff back then.  I'd be terrified to do that now.

Scott

[gashousegorilla]

  For sure !.....   VERY interesting with that story, pretty cool and I bet is was lite.

[ace.cafe]

Nice work!

[High On Octane]

Nice work! 


What the hell Tom?!   You posted the exact same thing I was going to post a half second before I did!   

[gashousegorilla]

  Thanks Boys.

  I'll tell ya is was a bit of a head scratcher.  My rear wheel always looked a bit "OFF" to me while looking at it from the back.  It looked a bit left of center, or so I thought..... even with the alignment being good.  So leveled the bike with some shims under the center stand, making damn sure the bike was level.  And started measuring things in relation to various points on the frame.... first I thought it was a spacer cut wrong? .... Or maybe the shock mounts not being welded in the correct location?

  Putting a level along side the back tire showed I was not plumb.... Even though the rest of the bike was level and the front wheel was plumb.  So I was not left of center on the wheel, I had some positive camber going on ?... I was to the right on the bottom ?.....  What the hell ?!  So I pulled the back wheel and checked the swing arm and it was good, side rails nice and level ?   So I laid the axle ONLY in the slots in the axle plates and put a level across it.... I was off. Not all that much, but a little low on the left and high on the right.  I took the spindle, or collar out of the brake , slide it on the axle and laid it in there like it would be .   WAY off !

  It seems they didn't allow for the difference in height when the axle is slide through the brake spindle.... or they welded on the axle plates on at a different level.  Long story short, I welded up the left side axle slot to add material to the bottom of the slot. Smoothed it and opened up the top of the slot.  And just got the axle level WITH the rear brake assembly on.

  This all should keep my wheel nice and straight, without any flexing in the arm.... by tying in the axle, to the cross brace and to the pivot tube, and looping it around. Especially when the wheel wants to pull up and to the right  with the torque of the back wheel under load..... or as I'm on and off the throttle.   
 

[ace.cafe]

Nice work! 


What the hell Tom?!   You posted the exact same thing I was going to post a half second before I did!   

On the same wavelength!
[twilight zone music] du du du du   du du du du[twilight zone music]
 

[ace.cafe]

  Thanks Boys.

  I'll tell ya is was a bit of a head scratcher.  My rear wheel always looked a bit "OFF" to me while looking at it from the back.  It looked a bit left of center, or so I thought..... even with the alignment being good.  So leveled the bike with some shims under the center stand, making damn sure the bike was level.  And started measuring things in relation to various points on the frame.... first I thought it was a spacer cut wrong? .... Or maybe the shock mounts not being welded in the correct location?

  Putting a level along side the back tire showed I was not plumb.... Even though the rest of the bike was level and the front wheel was plumb.  So I was not left of center on the wheel, I had some positive camber going on ?... I was to the right on the bottom ?.....  What the hell ?!  So I pulled the back wheel and checked the swing arm and it was good, side rails nice and level ?   So I laid the axle ONLY in the slots in the axle plates and put a level across it.... I was off. Not all that much, but a little low on the left and high on the right.  I took the spindle, or collar out of the brake , slide it on the axle and laid it in there like it would be .   WAY off !

  It seems they didn't allow for the difference in height when the axle is slide through the brake spindle.... or they welded on the axle plates on at a different level.  Long story short, I welded up the left side axle slot to add material to the bottom of the slot. Smoothed it and opened up the top of the slot.  And just got the axle level WITH the rear brake assembly on.

  This all should keep my wheel nice and straight, without any flexing in the arm.... by tying in the axle, to the cross brace and to the pivot tube, and looping it around. Especially when the wheel wants to pull up and to the right  with the torque of the back wheel under load..... or as I'm on and off the throttle.

On Bullets, the more things you measure, the more things you find are off!
Should track and handle a lot nicer now!

[gashousegorilla]

  Oh gawd .... step away from the level and ruler . 

   Yeah, she glides along a bit nicer now and rear braking is a bit better. It's a tough thing to see and pick up on, with the rear wheel shrouded in a big fender.  No rear fender on mine... 

[GSS]

Nice job GHG!  Looks great!

GSS

[gashousegorilla]

Nice job GHG!  Looks great!

GSS

  Thanks GSS   

[AussieDave]

I'm a little stunned they build 'em like this..... Nice fix GHG!

[gashousegorilla]

I'm a little stunned they build 'em like this..... Nice fix GHG!

  Beats me Dave?    I was trying to think of a good reason why it would be like that       Alright.... well maybe they expect the left rear side of the swing arm to flex up and straighten out as the bike is under way type thing ?!..... There IS a little bit of flex at the back of the swing arm across the axle plates , with the weight of the wheel and brake assembly.... But Naaaa, not THAT much flex !

  Also , obviously, a taller rear tire or wheel would make that lean more pronounced.  If i had a 19" on the back ?... forget it!  Even with the 120/80-18 I put on the back, which is slightly taller as well as wider then the 110/80-18, it was worse.