research and development on my miltech swinger

[3leggeddog]

well i put this sweet swinger to good use this year.frank did an excellent job with the fab work,and fit and finish was dead on.i had not had any problems with the swinger all year.

well i torn the bike down for some winter cleaning,and inspection/replacment.first i noticed i bent the top shock linkage bolt,no biggie,i had done that last year.but while i was stripping the paint,and inspecting my swinger i noticed a crack.it is up front where the swingarm pivot bolt goes through.the left side is cracked 60%,and the right side is 20%.i am just gonna grind em down,take it to work,and tig over it again.

this not a thread to dog franky,or his work.i'm simply expressing my situtaion.it's no big deal,and i'm not sure that a stock swinger could hold up to me.this swinger is sweet,and i'll blaze some new big fat welds over it,and see if it cracks again.it just kinda bums me out.

this is the whole reason i bought a new frame this year.i am affraid i was putting too much stress on that one.tim sr. and i found a crack in the frame when loading my bike up at the track last week.sure glad i got that sweet silver vein p.c. frame from x system.looks like my equipment is starting to fail under the heavy stress of modern day mx.not sure what i can do to improve my machine,but i'm gonna have to look at some reinforcements in certain areas.

so my damage total for this mx season.

1.i wasted a dura blue axle
2. cracked my swinger in 2 places
3.i cracked my frame
4.bent another linkage bolt
5.put multiple flat spots on my rims,and a couple on derricks rims.
6.caved my pt silencer in a bit
7.cracked my rear plastics.
8.blew out 2 sets of fork seals
9.broke a chain

thats about it.a few other minor things.it was good year.any suggestions on how to improve,reinforce my machine are welcome.thanks

[Derrick Adams]

Brandon, I think alot of your issues are stemming from that rear motor mount missing. I really haven't seen any issues like that on my bike and I check it pretty good after every race.
Some better front forks would sure help you out. You bottom those stockers thru the whoops. I'd hate to see them landing the tabletop!

[x.system]

2 cracks on a swingarm is pretty minor considering the abuse you put it through. My buddy races mx and has multiple cracks on a lonestar, he's sent it back numours times for repair and finally gave up on lonestar and went with a houser. I would bet if you were still on a stock swingarm it would be close to being broke in half. I've cracked many stockers and I know I don't ride half as hard as you do. The last stocker I shortened had 5 cracks before modding it.

[Billy Golightly]

hey Brandon could you post some pictures of where its cracked at? Interested in seeing it just from an engineering/mechanical standpoint :)

[3leggeddog]

sure,i'll snap a few pics.i know a stocker would not hold up,thats why we built this one.like a said it has been great so far.no complaining,just thought it was crazy i cracked it.


hey d,what can do then?inverts are really the option huh.like we talked about cutting the swinger so i can run a stock mount,but now i am afaid to do that.

x,houser makes nice stuff.i've known jeff houser for a long time.all those houser parts are machined 20 minutes up the road form me,on my street.jeff is from my home town,and used to be one hella rider.he broke his back 2 years ago,and can't compete like he used to.i remember when him,and doug sheppard bought their first welders,and benders.it's crazy how much they have blown up since then.

[TimSr]

You should talk with guys at the track, and youll find many guys on new quads can rival your damages.

Here's a suggestion to reduce future damages: SLOW THE HELL DOWN!!!!!! :D :crazy:

[3leggeddog]

got the swinger retiged today.took the rod real well,and looks great.this was the first time i tiged steel.i got her painted,and it's drying at work over night.tomorow i'll snap some pics of it back here at home,under the new frame.i tried to get pics. of the crack,but none turned out very good.i'll post those tomorow aswell

[Dusty]

hey B lets go with inverts...im gonna put me some on the Z we'll do it together.......oh yea call me.....