Swingarm Mods

[Designer]

No, like I said this is going to take a long time, I am in the process to get the wheel and send it to machine. That will take a good 6 months or so.
Meanwhile, how do you measure where I should make the "notch" in the swing arm? I am going with the Metzeler tires

From the Pictures I posted, you can pretty much measure the placements of the cuts by copying what is shown using the Flat Portion of the Inside Edge of the SwingArm as a guide.

I found this is not so much Precision Machining, but as a Clearance Knotch that allows for any possible Tire Sidewall Flexing.

[azazelakira]

How do you made this "notch"?

[Designer]

How do you made this "notch"?

Wellsir,...I could tell ya,....buuuut,...ya gotta pay in cash!

[azazelakira]

I mean the round part in the middle of the aluminum part

[Designer]

I mean the round part in the middle of the aluminum part

I see. So my reference to the Eagles tune,.."life in the fast lane" ..didn't go over well.

Oh well.

Before I cut the Cover Plate to size, I took a 3" x 3" little piece of Sheet Aluminum to work with. I made that "dimple" using my Vise and a piece of 1/2" Diameter Plumbing Pipe

I placed the Pipe and 3x3 Sheet Stock in the Vise ( with "soft jaws" of thin Plywood so as not to damage the Aluminum). Then, using two pairs of Pliers, bent the Crease in the Aluminum on one side first.

Then removed and reset the Pipe/Sheet Stock in the Vise again and bent the other side of the Crease
Thus I had a partial "tunnel" in the Sheet Aluminum.

Then, it was a simple matter of cutting the shape of the Plate to fit the Notch in the Swing Arm.,....when fitted, I Drilled the 4 mounting Holes in the Cover Plate,.... and used those holes in the Plate as a Template for the needed Mounting Holes in the Swing Arm and then Tapped them for the Mounting Screws.

[azazelakira]

I see. So my reference to the Eagles tune,.."life in the fast lane" ..didn't go over well.

Oh well.

Ooohh sorry, I don't know the lyrics of that song.

Will start studying that right now.


Next week I am going to start the process on that modification, I got a swingarm to test and maybe will have a spare just in case.

[Designer]

Next week I am going to start the process on that modification, I got a swingarm to test and maybe will have a spare just in case.

To save you work in making that "dimple" , you might try not cutting the Swing Arm as deeply as I did.

I took such a cut as a "best estimate" because there was no way of accurately measuring the distance from the Swing Arm "Tube" to the Drive Shaft inside.

If you cut in a little less, you probably would only need a Flat Cover Plate (no "dimple") to clear the Drive Shaft when it inside the Swing Arm.

[Lechy]

That mod is extremely dangerous, the plate needs professionally welding using the same gauge of steel as the swing arm.

[Designer]

So sorry, but it is not dangerous. I studied the he structural design/thickness of material of the swingarm before performing this Mod. and after analyzing it all, determined it is so well "'over built" that such a notch in this location does not compromise its integrity within the forces acting upon it when all other elements involved and bolted together as a Swingarm "unit" ,...Installed and Ridden.

As was previously stated;
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14951&start=24

If it did,...then why has there been No issues At All for over 20 Years now,...and over 160,000 Miles,...including alot of pretty hard cornering ( I like to Carve those Twisties of my Riding of Country Roads) . The torsional/lateral forces of which would certainly have made evident any danger,.......

but none.

[hillsy v2]

So sorry, but it is not dangerous. I studied the he structural design/thickness of material of the swingarm before performing this Mod. and after analyzing it all, determined it is so well "'over built" that such a notch in this location does not compromise its integrity within the forces acting upon it when all other elements involved and bolted together as a Swingarm "unit" ,...Installed and Ridden.

As was previously stated;
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14951&start=24

If it did,...then why has there been No issues At All for over 20 Years now,...and over 160,000 Miles,...including alot of pretty hard cornering ( I like to Carve those Twisties of my Riding of Country Roads) . The torsional/lateral forces of which would certainly have made evident any danger,.......

but none.

Can't say I believe any of that.

[azazelakira]

If you guys can get a hold of Hägar of Devon, pretty sure he has the same mod as Designer on Tumper, made by Grey Wolf.

[Designer]

If you guys can get a hold of Hägar of Devon, pretty sure he has the same mod as Designer on Tumper, made by Grey Wolf.

YES! I remember him! Yes, we have many a conversation about customizing/Modding our 1400's. Especially when I was working on my Side-mounted Mikuni Carb/Manifold on my Springtail Frame Chopper. I also helped him out after he threw a Rod through his Engine case.

Do you know how he's doing ?

[azazelakira]

Do you know how he's doing ?

I personally never had contact with Grey Wolf, sadly.
And I lost contact with Hägar after I closed Facebook, but Hägar left us a bunch of videos on youtube that can help.

[hillsy v2]

If you guys can get a hold of Hägar of Devon, pretty sure he has the same mod as Designer on Tumper, made by Grey Wolf.

Hagar Moto?

https://youtube.com/@HagarMoto?si=IMNtGkHpgSiSZ3ox

Did he weld the hole up? That's really the biggest issue with this. Screwing a plate over the hole is not doing anything to restore the structural integrity of the swingarm.

[azazelakira]

Yes that Hägar, I help the guy when he needed a cylinder head, and I lost contact with him by the time he got Tumper, about welding the part I don't know but for what he said in the video where he shows that bike, I pretty sure is screwed and not welded, but I am not certain

[Designer]

We have gone over the structural aspects already....and how they have been Field tested ( 160,000 miles/ twenty years with deep cornering ) to prove the integrity of this mod..

[Herb]

I remember when you made the mod and wondered about it at the time. I guess that it worked well because you are still alive.

Did you ever have an issue with the screws working loose?

[Designer]

I remember when you made the mod and wondered about it at the time. I guess that it worked well because you are still alive.

You bet. Still alive and well.

...Did you ever have an issue with the screws working loose? ...

Nope, I used Locktite Blue Thread Locker and silicone Sealant.
All's well.

[hillsy v2]

We have gone over the structural aspects already....and how they have been Field tested ( 160,000 miles/ twenty years with deep cornering ) to prove the integrity of this mod..

160k miles?

Simply don't believe you. Unless that was on a trailer. The only thing I DO believe about this mod is that YOU did it.

This mod is dodgy as fuck. There is no way of knowing if and when it could fail. If the plate was welded in with the swingarm heated then it would not be an issue but just screwing in a cover is bad. You can see sharp edges with no radius in the pics. They are points that attract cracking.

Sorry - but I won't sit back in the tech forum and shut up about bullshit mods that can get someone killed - especially when there's a new guy who is being told it's safe to do.

[Daveguy]

[url]https://postimages.org/[/url] Bike Hi, I am Daveguy from the old IA board where I was a frequent contributor including splitting the cases to do the Designer gear mods 1 and 2, took detalied pics of installing a chopper kit (google "chopper kit usa intruderalert dave guy") and it may still have an old file where they featured my bike on their website, adapted a Harley Quick Bob tank for my bike, hopped up my engine with 10.5 to 1 pistons, cams, ported, Dellorto side draft carb, Nitrous Oxide, Ignatech ignition, etc, etc. Some of you long time Intruder owners may remember me from the old board, or the pics of the bike may refresh your memory. My point is that I have done extensive work on Intruders and also know Designer well, have ridden with him in Paducah, Tail of the Dragon multiple times, ridden from west-central Illinois to Wisconsin and back, and ridden thousands of miles behind him. Ed is a far better rider than I am so I was usually in the back and have personally witnessed him taking corners at speeds that his skills and bike handled with ease that I wouldn't dare try. After seven knee surgeries including both knees being replaced I sold my Intruder and my wife and I enjoy convertibles now. Having known Designer for many years and completed some of his modifications myself, wrenched with him on our bikes and spent countless hours together at rallies, riding or grilling, I find it disappointing to see some of the negative comments written about one of the most knowledgeable and experienced Intruder mechanics I know. I am rarely on this board and hardly recognize any of the names, but suggest that less experienced riders and mechanics pay attention to what Designer has to share. His attention to detail, research and testing is commendable.