How to shorten an aluminum swingarm....

[tkent02]

I'd like to use an 1100e swingarm on my 550/650. The width between the frame is perfect, but it is too long and too wide at the axle. If it were cut across each arm and put back together shorter it would fix both the length and the width problem, since the arms come back at an angle.
This is not something for my welding abilities, but for someone who has the skills is this easy to do?
How strong would it be?
Any better ideas?

[Toasty]

How wide is it at the axle compared to the steel one? You may be able to make some spacers. Are you using wheels with discs?

I think length wise, most people just live with the extra inch. I dunno if it would be worthwhile to have it shortened and welded...



I wish the OP in this thread was still around, he put a gs1100 swingarm on his 550.

http://thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=197052&highlight=gs550+1100+swingarm

[tkent02]

I don't want it any longer or any wider at all.

[Agemax]

shortening a swing arm is not much difference to lengthening an arm,which is a common mod. except when shortening you only have to weld once, where as lengthening you will have 2 welds each side, so in theory it should be a lot stronger.
would still need a good welder to do the job though!

[tatu]

I would think that it is very straightfoward and the place to cut it is as close to the pivot point as possible where the stresses are reduced, not through each arm but through the main block next to the pivot tube, not nearly the same stresses there and plenty of strong material to spread the load. The thing is keeping it fixed while welding so it would have to be jigged.
Plenty here know about welding this sort of job.

[tkent02]

I think the most stresses are nearest the pivot? Twisting and side to side loads, especially.
Isn't that why they have all that extra metal up there?
Why people sometimes add extra bracing around the pivot?

[tatu]

More metal at that end to spread the load for the twisting and twisting is not as high as the impacting over the length of the arm, look how skinny the ordinary metal tube ones are, the ally ones are plenty over engineerd.
I think the bracing is to stiffen the length of the arm.
Plenty on here that will know more than me.