Rear Wheel/Swingarm Problems

Energy One
82ndAirborne

82ndAirborne

Member
Appreciate your comments. I think I've found the problem (Me)! In order to really test the movement of the swingarm I removed the back wheel, fender, and Shocks. I had just put new Shocks on about two months ago. When I went th remove the front two bolts, both had backed out significantly! When I put the new Shocks in I had sprayed brake cleaner in the bolt holes trying to get all the previous loctite out. I think that cleaner dissolved the new loctite I put on. So, my thoughts are that without the Shocks stability at the bottom of the swingarm it allowed the back end to twist slightly and push the axle rearward...opposite the drive pully. I know that on the test drive after first installing the shocks everything was fine. It was a couple of rides later that I began experiencing problems. I couldn't understand how the axle could move either if it was tightly secured by the setscrews. If you think about it for a moment, if you twist the swingarm towards the drive pully side, that changes the geometry of the entire back end in relation to the transmission drive gear. So, that would seem to be what caused the axle to move rearward on the left side, opposite the drive pully. I also noticed that my axle spacers could be rotated quite easily with the axle torqued to 65 ft lbs. So I ordered new ones, probably need a 1/64 axle shim if I can find one. I'm thinking about using one of the old spacers...recut one to use on the left side making it 1/64 wider.

So, I've just been in an auto accident...got rear ended a few days ago and I'm banged up a little. It will be at least a couple of weeks before I can work on the bike.

As usual, I cannot tell you guys how much I appreciate the great response I get from all my posts. The FORUM is always the first place I go to for any problems. Thanks
 
HMAN

HMAN

I just like my Freedom
82ndAirborne said:
Appreciate your comments. I think I've found the problem (Me)! In order to really test the movement of the swingarm I removed the back wheel, fender, and Shocks. I had just put new Shocks on about two months ago. When I went th remove the front two bolts, both had backed out significantly! When I put the new Shocks in I had sprayed brake cleaner in the bolt holes trying to get all the previous loctite out. I think that cleaner dissolved the new loctite I put on. So, my thoughts are that without the Shocks stability at the bottom of the swingarm it allowed the back end to twist slightly and push the axle rearward...opposite the drive pully. I know that on the test drive after first installing the shocks everything was fine. It was a couple of rides later that I began experiencing problems. I couldn't understand how the axle could move either if it was tightly secured by the setscrews. If you think about it for a moment, if you twist the swingarm towards the drive pully side, that changes the geometry of the entire back end in relation to the transmission drive gear. So, that would seem to be what caused the axle to move rearward on the left side, opposite the drive pully. I also noticed that my axle spacers could be rotated quite easily with the axle torqued to 65 ft lbs. So I ordered new ones, probably need a 1/64 axle shim if I can find one. I'm thinking about using one of the old spacers...recut one to use on the left side making it 1/64 wider.

So, I've just been in an auto accident...got rear ended a few days ago and I'm banged up a little. It will be at least a couple of weeks before I can work on the bike.

As usual, I cannot tell you guys how much I appreciate the great response I get from all my posts. The FORUM is always the first place I go to for any problems. Thanks
Click to expand...
Wow! I hope you heal up quick. Wrecks are never good.
 
Mickmorris

Mickmorris

Well Known Member
Supporting Member
82ndAirborne said:
Appreciate your comments. I think I've found the problem (Me)! In order to really test the movement of the swingarm I removed the back wheel, fender, and Shocks. I had just put new Shocks on about two months ago. When I went th remove the front two bolts, both had backed out significantly! When I put the new Shocks in I had sprayed brake cleaner in the bolt holes trying to get all the previous loctite out. I think that cleaner dissolved the new loctite I put on. So, my thoughts are that without the Shocks stability at the bottom of the swingarm it allowed the back end to twist slightly and push the axle rearward...opposite the drive pully. I know that on the test drive after first installing the shocks everything was fine. It was a couple of rides later that I began experiencing problems. I couldn't understand how the axle could move either if it was tightly secured by the setscrews. If you think about it for a moment, if you twist the swingarm towards the drive pully side, that changes the geometry of the entire back end in relation to the transmission drive gear. So, that would seem to be what caused the axle to move rearward on the left side, opposite the drive pully. I also noticed that my axle spacers could be rotated quite easily with the axle torqued to 65 ft lbs. So I ordered new ones, probably need a 1/64 axle shim if I can find one. I'm thinking about using one of the old spacers...recut one to use on the left side making it 1/64 wider.

So, I've just been in an auto accident...got rear ended a few days ago and I'm banged up a little. It will be at least a couple of weeks before I can work on the bike.

As usual, I cannot tell you guys how much I appreciate the great response I get from all my posts. The FORUM is always the first place I go to for any problems. Thanks
Click to expand...
Yeah Brother heal up quick! :cheers: :chopper:
 
82ndAirborne

82ndAirborne

Member
Does anyone see what I see? The black shock absorber is stock on my 2006 K9, the chrome was the replacement. I thought the bolts had backed out because the Shocks had quite a bit of movement. I didn't realize this when I initially installed the Shocks because the back wheel was still in place and the weight prevented me from noticing how lose the Shocks were. Later, I thought I had a problem with the swingarm because the rear axle was shifting backwards opposite the drive pully. I ordered new bolts for the Shocks from Donna and the package included 4 shims/washers. However, I thought I didn't need them because they weren't used before. But, this is a different shock...and if you examine the photo closely you see the diameter of the bolt hole is slightly different. I found that using the shims supplied with the new bolts solved the problem. Also, I added a shim to NEW axle spacers I ordered. Everything is tight now...and I'm confident that the problem with the axle/swingarm movement is solved. Have to put the rear fender back on and go for a ride.
 

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82ndAirborne

82ndAirborne

Member
Swingarm/Rear axle problem solved... I discovered that the rear Shocks I had installed a few months ago required a Spacer on each of the shock bolts. The spacers came with the new bolt set I ordered from Donna. They bolted up perfectly. Next, I added new stock spacers on the rear axle. I still had some play so I bought a 1/64 spacer from Lowes...bolted up tight. Problem solved! I was really surprised to find the exact spacer I needed at Lowes. They had several that matched the axle and stock spacers and they had two different widths to choose from. I found them in the specialty bolt/washer section for anyone experiencing similar issues. If your spacers spin with the axle tight...you need to shim. So basically I had two problems that needed to be solved. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how my axle could move if the alignment/adjustment allen screws were adjusted properly. It seemed impossible that they could. I think the loose Shocks allowed the swingarm to move slightly and the loose axle would disengage from the set screws. Wow...can't tell you how relieved I am that everything is back in place. Thanks for the input and suggestions.
 
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