Oops,, cracked the calfab a little...lol

[Bryan Raffa]

check it out! 4 motocross practices and two motos on this calfab...:wondering I think ill send it out to get welded up and put on a ice racer... no more MX for this ol girl

welded up my 86 with 1/4 inch plate in all the spots that the stocker's like to crack.. should do the trick..:naughty: and allowed me to put my OMF skid on again...:cool:

[Mosh]

Well, I cannot hold back here.
I was kicking my own ass when I sold that for less than half price to another member than what I could have got for it. (Then see it sold 3rd party) I thought it would stay with someone who would care for it. (Not that you didnt, and it is not your fault it cracked, but had I kept it, I never would have Mx'd that rare of a piece.) I even brought that up to another guy that suggested I run it.
I mean that is only 1 out of 3 we have ever seen for a Z, and 1 was destroyed, the other was plus 2 that brought over 1200$ on ebay.
I guess I just had a little more reserve than your to run it. But call me a puss..LOL

Well, I guess it can be fixed, that is some good news.
But even better news...Looks like the SPROCK 330 motor, outlasted the Calfab.

[250rmanfmf]

Yea, Calfabs are nice swingers but they are NOT for MX or any type of jumping. Ask Mike from HRE ATV about the blaster calfab he saw break in half on a jump.

[Dirtcrasher]

Junk, they may look pretty but they obviously didn't use the right (or correct) alloy or welding technique. Look at the aluminum swingers that hold up fine, West Calfab suks IMHO.....................

Nostalgia isn't always a good thing.

[Chazz of Blades]

Mosh, it's one of those times that, if you never wanted to see harm to come to an item, then you have to either keep it, or sell it to someone you have no other contact with. But I do agree with you about not racing with something that is NOTORIOUS for cracking on hard labor. Especially something so rare and valuable.

[Mosh]

Junk, they may look pretty but they obviously didn't use the right (or correct) alloy or welding technique. Look at the aluminum swingers that hold up fine, West Calfab suks IMHO.....................

Nostalgia isn't always a good thing.


I have to respectfully disagree with you here DC. Yeah I mean if it was gonna break it would and did. But I do not think this particular one was built for MX.
Mark has been running MX Calfabs on a 250R and a 86 T-3 and jumping them with no issues for a few years now.
But this particular Z Calfab was set-up more for Flattrack.(And the only of that design we have seen). 2 of the 3 I have seen where more traditional plus 2's like other Calfabs with heavier gussets (The traditional square block near the carrier design), where this particular one was a plus 1 and 1/4 and built light for pure speed, with less gussets. I cannot say for sure, but even the shock mount was different than stock, I am assuming to alter the ride height.

I would suppose that some may find my posts offensive, and I dont mean to come off that way. It is just my outlook on the situation.
Had there been 10 of these, like Westcoast's for a Z, it wouldnt be such a shame, but the reality is, this was very rare, and I am sad I even let it go.
Shame on me.
Anyway that is my honest opinion on the deal, and nothing anyone says or posts will change that.

[Dirtcrasher]

I didn't know they had different applications. I guess they had different swingers for different intentions which I was unaware of........

But, I just keep seeing cracks and I'd rather have something chrome moly made to last.

[TheBlueWale]

Hey Raffa, I'm not too familiar with the Z's and their swingarm issues, but did this one crack along the same spots where the stock ones crack?

Also, maybe it was an earlier style calfab, but as soon as Calfab found the breaking issue they may have beefed it up.

[Bryan Raffa]

I have NO plans for gettin rid of this.. it will be welded and put on a new project,, thats on the work bench...it will never leave my hands till i die.. so ya it will be taken care of...and worth every penny I payed for it... the awesome thing is is you will never know it cracked ,, because it will be welded on top of welds.. just think Mosh when you sell that 330 and the owner actually rides the piss out of it.. we'll see whos cryin..:lol:

[Tri-Z 250]

Oh man! Well Mosh, we did kinda figure that thing for a TT/Flattracker setup. You said even back then it didn't really look like any MX(beefy) style you saw before. Goodthing I ended up going for the +3/4" BUCK25 Swinger...I feel for ya Raffa but it looks like you caught it in time to be repaired.

[Mosh]

just think Mosh when you sell that 330 and the owner actually rides the piss out of it.. we'll see whos cryin..:lol:
Well, I have ridden it. But just think with all the Yamahondaman stuff on that 330Z, the NOS parts I have on it that are now discontinued, if I took it to trike fest, wrecked on the MX track and jacked it up, then took it To wellsville and tossed it down the hill, many would be say Why The $$### do that to that trike?

The reality is that my bike will not sell, and if it did, by time the new owner puts his wallet away, he will realize that he paid for what it is. (not a daily rider that is everywhere you look.)
I would rather it set, and make money for my kids in 20 years then see it destroyed, and this is the perfect lesson to reinforce that thought.
It would be equivilent to buying a signed guitar By Jimi Hendrix, and carrying out to gigs with no bag, then smashing it on the floor at the end of a concert.

Sorry bro..No hard feelings, it is yours, you paid for it (3rd party) and did want you wanted with it, and I am sure you will fix it as best as possible.

[Bryan Raffa]

well if it was signed by Mr calfab ,, I probley wouldnt have rode it,,,..:lol: this just backs up every racer that i have talked to that said they were junk..and CRACKED,, thats why they did not run them.. no hard feelings dude .. I run my trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro.... period. I would have payed $1,200 for that swingarm ..and done the same thing.. look for it again on a longrod 370...Missle kit.....:twisted:

[Bryan Raffa]

AND NOW L@@KIN at the area... it looks like it was repaired before!!! none of the welds match!...

[just ben]

Well, I cannot hold back here.
I was kicking my own ass when I sold that for less than half price to another member than what I could have got for it. (Then see it sold 3rd party) I thought it would stay with someone who would care for it. (Not that you didnt, and it is not your fault it cracked, but had I kept it, I never would have Mx'd that rare of a piece.) I even brought that up to another guy that suggested I run it.
I mean that is only 1 out of 3 we have ever seen for a Z, and 1 was destroyed, the other was plus 2 that brought over 1200$ on ebay.
I guess I just had a little more reserve than your to run it. But call me a puss..LOL

Well, I guess it can be fixed, that is some good news.
But even better news...Looks like the SPROCK 330 motor, outlasted the Calfab.

not to give you trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro mosh but didn't you just tell another member to run theirs, thats what they are meant for? I may be wrong but I thought it was you. raffa if you want that welded up right and to look the way it did I can have it done free(minus polishing) ken that you met (my brother) is a master welder. (believe it or not) LOL

[cr480r]

i have a +2.. and it is cracked too.

[Mosh]

not to give you trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro mosh but didn't you just tell another member to run theirs, thats what they are meant for? I may be wrong but I thought it was you.I believe you are mistaken. Just searched my posts back to 2007 and did not find anywhere that I suggested someone run a calfab Tri-Z swingarm..
Maybe a westcoast or 250R calfab, since there are more out there, but not a Z.
However, I will insert foot in mouth, if you find otherwise. (About a Z calfab)

[Jason Hall]

IMHO, all swingers that have been welded together WILL break under extreme conditions eventually. The same Is true with the aluminum 88-89 TRX swingers. Also IMO most all aftermarket swingers (even chrome molly) are built too strong, and can't flex like they need to. I have talked with guys out west that desert race 450R's, and the one that holds up the longest Is the Stock 450r swinger. Its cast aluminum that Is beefy where It needs to be, but Is able to flex and twist as needed. I'm not saying that they (400ex-450R swinger's) don't break, but under some pretty grueling conditions they seem to hold up good.

I remember a thread on ATVriders.com where someone asked to see pics of broken 450r swing arms. Of course a couple people said they broke them, but had no Pics. They were probably the guys who spent 700.00 on a aftermarket swing arm and had to say that LOL. I have seen Lot's of Leager, walsh, Lonestar, JB swing arm's on Ebay. Most all of them that are For Sale are cracked!!! Now I will say, once an aluminum swing arm cracks, that's the end!!! Where the chrome molly arm would hold up longer after It has been welded.

I ran a Modded Stock 06 trx swinger on my aluminum 450r for close to 4 years, all I ever did to It was put pivot bearing In It Once. It made 2 week long trips to Glammis, and Many other torture rides right here In MI. IMO a 3 wheeler Is harder on a swing arm than a quad under normal and extreme conditions because of the twisting force put on the rear pivot section because of one front wheel In the center of the front end. Unlike a quad that leans over on the front suspension. One rear wheel landing's are the worst, as It twist's the 2 sides of the arm. Think about all the leverage the axle has to twist on the swinger. With the Big strong cross member where the shock link mounts hanging tough, they usually break along the sides like In Raffa's case. This Is just my opinion, and I'm not trying to cause argument. I'm just stating what I have seen MANY time's.

[Bryan Raffa]

great post jason thats why I went back to a stocker.. I have run tons of races on thos and they crack a little.. just waiting on someone to build a swinger for a tri z that I dont have to worry about,,, =)

[just ben]

I believe you are mistaken. Just searched my posts back to 2007 and did not find anywhere that I suggested someone run a calfab Tri-Z swingarm..
Maybe a westcoast or 250R calfab, since there are more out there, but not a Z.
However, I will insert foot in mouth, if you find otherwise. (About a Z calfab)

I looked too, my bad I thought it was you I did say that I may be mistaken. I cant even find the thread now. I dont have any trouble admitting when I'm wrong, sorry

[Bryan Raffa]

Thoe's that said it was destroyed,,,, :lol: stronger than ever!,, even better and deeper welds!:naughty: off to G KING for A Show Stopper polish and some new stickers!:cool:

[El Camexican]

just waiting on someone to build a swinger for a tri z that I dont have to worry about,,, =)

If it ends up being an obsesion at some point you may want to invest $1,??? into a 4130 Chromoly copy of the stocker + whatever you want over stock length. Just make sure whoever welds it uses the right gas and rod and purges the inside of the tubes as they weld (pipe a few psi of Argon or whatever mix of gas you are welding with into the tubes to make sure the weld is free of impurities) and stress relive the welds afterwards. As far as Aluminum goes Jason is 100% right about cracking at some point. All Aluminium work hardens over time and once the cracking starts its like incurable cancer. Gussets may help, but they also add more stress to other areas that may have never been meant to be stressed by a weld. The same thing happens with Chromoly over time. The very properties (light weight and rigidity) we seek from these materials is what causes them to crack before mild steel would. Anyone looking to confirm this need only look at the 1985 GSXR 750 frames that were raced at a pro level, or talk to the owners of older Chromoly dragster frames. You'll hear that dragster frames don't wearout from racing, they wearout in their trailers as they are transported to the races on bumpy roads. I'll add that as much as most of us are do-it-yourselfers when it comes to welding parts that would put skin to ground in a failure situation it's best to seek out someone with experiance to do the work, or at least consult on the job. I've found aviation certified welders to be the best when it comes to Aluminum and Chromoly.