Custom Swingarm Bushings (for swinger conversions)

[gearhead13]

I just drilled out my frame. The hole is not much bigger, so it guides itself, just let the drill and bit do the job, don't put any side loads on it. The strength of the larger bolt is partly why I went this way as I had already installed an 1100 in it. Why install a stronger swinger and use the weaker bolt and smaller bearings?
When I put in the 1100, I could feel the stock steel swing arm flex when I opened it up.

[mrbill5491]

I can't view those pics. Any way you can give us a link or post them in another format??

Dang I was afraid that would happen. I've been trying to use a different format even though they are in a JPEG format. For some reason anything I try ends up as text. Photobucket can't read them as jpegs either.

[Mark Harrop]

I'm going the same route on my 750...(have 1100 alum swingarm) and am waiting to see what the easiest/best solution is...

Like the tap/ream idea....

[T8erbug]

I'm going the same route on my 750...(have 1100 alum swingarm) and am waiting to see what the easiest/best solution is...

Like the tap/ream idea....

Tomorrow I will be on it. We will be going the drill and ream route with a drill press. Ben has a drill press at work that's pretty good size and I am going to tear down the bike tonight so I can take the frame in, turn it on it's side, then locate the center in the press. Once we do that I'm going to use wood shims and tie downs to hold it in place so we drill a straight hole that is concentric and will line up with the hole on the other side. I talked to him about machining a bushing that will slide over the 14mm and w/1mm wall thickness take it to 16mm but he said it would just be too tough/likely wouldn't get a good result out of lathing that up. When I mentioned to him my concerns about drilling out the frame he quickly pointed out the drill press and the ease of getting everything to square up. I trust him so we'll just have to see how it turns out. I'll be sure to document it thoroughly so you guys can either A) learn from my mistakes or B) do what I do to get a good result. HOPE FOR B

[storm 64]

I agree reamming the frame will work fine. However, if you do not have a Drill press or Boring Mill and your motorcycle is togerther with engine in the frame. The other alturnitive is to make a new inner race and inner spacer.I didn't like the 14mm-16mm spacer idea. What I did was using H-13 tool steel I roughed machined it leaving .050 stock on it. Then I heat treated the race to 38Rc. I then finised machining it to the exact size of the 1100 inner race only with a 14mm hole. I made two sets I have one set left.I could make more if anyone is interested going this route... Norm

[postman_pat]

I have a GS750 and am converting it to accept the GS1100 allow swingarm. As many of you know who have been around here for a while or who have already done the swap the choice in conversion basically boils down to boring out your frame to accept the larger diameter GS1100 pivot OR machining your own bushings to make your 750 pivot work with the 1100 swinger. I have opted for the bushing route because I just don't want to take the risk of drilling into the frame and having holes that are not concentric. NOW to my question for all of you GSers. What material should I use for my bushings? What are the stock bushings made out of? Where can I get round stock for a decent deal? Lastly when I get this done there is a good chance I will have spare bushing material machined to the correct dimensions for a GS750-GS1100 swinger swap so if anyone wants to buy the rest of it I'll give it to them at my cost for parts (free labor). PM me. Answers one or all of these questions would be most appreciated! Thanks guys

Probably a bit late to the party but... have you considered aluminum bronze or, even better nickel aluminum bronze as a material. The aluminum bronzes have excellent surface hardness characteristics and are easily machined as well as being suitable for heavy impact loads. Excellent corrosion resistance too. They are used as bearing and bushing materials, and are also used as valve guides. I've machined up aluminum bronze swing-arm bushings with good results.

[postman_pat]

Or, Option B.

GS750 uses the 22x29x30 needle roller bearing.

GS1100 uses the 25x33x30 needle roller bearing.

Machine a sleeve with ID 29 and OD 33. Press fit into GSX1100 swing-arm, and then fit the GS750 needle roller bearing into the sleeve.

MUCH easier than drilling out the frame and less risk.

[storm 64]

Postman Pat, I like your option "B". With your option "A" are you saying,not using the roller bearing at all? My question is when tighting the pivot bolt wouldn't you be squeezing the swingarm bushings also? I'm starting to think there is no realy right way or wrong way of doing this... Norm

[mlymanz71]

Here is my only concern. Machining a new inner race for the 1100 swinger to fit the bearings for a 750 you would be looking at a 1mm wall on the race to make it fit in the swinger and I would be afraid the wall thickness would be too thin to provide adequate strength.

[storm 64]

I'm with you on that Mlymanz71. What postman is talking about I making a sleeve that presses into the swingarm. With the I.d.(of the sleeve) the diameter of the 750 roller bearing o.d. Then using the 750 roller bearing and its inner race. If I had a 750 roller bearing at the time I might have gone that route.

[mlymanz71]

I'm with you on that Mlymanz71. What postman is talking about I making a sleeve that presses into the swingarm. With the I.d.(of the sleeve) the diameter of the 750 roller bearing o.d. Then using the 750 roller bearing and its inner race. If I had a 750 roller bearing at the time I might have gone that route.

Alright so I have been doing some research here and might be able to find a suitable alternative possibility, might be what you all are already talking about but I have to be able to see the breakdown. I pulled up the explosion figure on partsfish and looking at it #9 in the figure looks like it is a spacer that goes inside the bearing and then the pivot bolt goes inside it, correct me if I am wrong on this. Could I not just get one made up with the same OD and Length but make the ID 14mm to fit the stock 750 swinger bolt?



Sorry had to post the attachment cause I could not get it to show in the post

[T8erbug]

I agree reamming the frame will work fine. However, if you do not have a Drill press or Boring Mill and your motorcycle is togerther with engine in the frame. The other alturnitive is to make a new inner race and inner spacer.I didn't like the 14mm-16mm spacer idea. What I did was using H-13 tool steel I roughed machined it leaving .050 stock on it. Then I heat treated the race to 38Rc. I then finised machining it to the exact size of the 1100 inner race only with a 14mm hole. I made two sets I have one set left.I could make more if anyone is interested going this route... Norm

Haha you guys have great ideas! Just a skosh late, but hey this should help others out who don't end end drilling the frame (which is what I ended up doing). The reason being was just to upgrade the pivot bolt along with the swingarm plus I figured out a way to keep the holes pretty concentric using the drillpress. I also like the idea of machining a sleeve to press into the 1100 swingarm basically making it 750 size to accept 750 bearings, bushings, and bolt. Anyhow what's done is done and I ended up drilling the frame. Spent $33 bucks on a really good 5/8 bit from fastenal, drilled the holes, then cleaned them up lightly with my dremel (to open the 5/8 holes to 16mm takes very very little) so the 16mm bolt slid through. If anyone wants pictures of how I did it let me know or check out my build thread.

[postman_pat]

Alright so I have been doing some research here and might be able to find a suitable alternative possibility, might be what you all are already talking about but I have to be able to see the breakdown. I pulled up the explosion figure on partsfish and looking at it #9 in the figure looks like it is a spacer that goes inside the bearing and then the pivot bolt goes inside it, correct me if I am wrong on this. Could I not just get one made up with the same OD and Length but make the ID 14mm to fit the stock 750 swinger bolt?

That's exactly what you do. But the spacer has to be made from a material that can withstand bearing applications. Suzuki OEM spacers are hardened and precision ground steel. Trying to find a workshop that can do that sort of small job at a reasonable price seems to be getting hard these days. My suggestion of spacers made from nickel aluminum bronze is close enough, provided that you keep the bearing well lubricated. The spacer is not as hard as the original Suzuki item, and it won't last as long, but it will do.

I think, on reflection, the best way to go is my "option b" - to machine up a reducer sleeve which press fits into the GS1100 swing-arm pivot tube and then fit the standard GS750 bearing into the sleeve.

[T8erbug]

I agree. The reason option B is better is because you can still rely on oem parts from the manufacturer and the cost is much less. Even though you'd be sticking with the 14mm pivot bolt and smaller bearings at least it would be a tight, centered fit with the bearing riding on the right kind of metal.

[Smurf]

I ended up sourcing custom inner races that allowed me to avoid drilling my frame lugs. I used a stock-diameter (although shortened) GS750E 14mm pivot bolt and stock GS1100E bearings.

You can see photos here: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=204383