Ready for a swingarm upgrade? The “5-Speed Swingarm Upgrade Kit” significantly enhances the feel of the rear suspension by replacing old style worn out OEM parts with high tech spherical bearings and CNC precision machined spacers and collars. The conversion fits all FXR and Touring models from 1980 through 2001. Suggested retail for the 7-piece kit is $335.95. At Paughco or call 775-246-5738.
Swingarm Upgrade Kit For 80-01 Harley FXR And Touring Models
Published by January 19th, 2016 in Customs, Editorial and Suspension.9 Responses to “Swingarm Upgrade Kit For 80-01 Harley FXR And Touring Models”
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There are many different products addressing the FL/FXR swingarm pivot shaft bushings and upgrades for this type of Harley powertrain / chassis design. 1993 and later models have aftermarket kits that connect the rear oil pan to the frame via another link for more stability.
There are stock silicone filled bushings, bronze bushings, Delrin bushings, and now these spherical bearings and spacers which mimic the 2002-present style. Plus those offset plastic inserts to eliminate any side loading of the rear rubber mount.
It would be great to hear what people on this site have used and what there personal experience with any of these products or combinations of products and stabilizers yielded.
I ride an 1985 FLHT with about 400,000 miles on it and have replaced the rear rubber mounts, front motor mount and both linkages once in all that time. The bike tracks great and doesn’t wobble, and holds a line even cruising 90.
I have heard a lot about the dreaded bagger wobble, but it doesn’t seem like the 1980-2001 bikes are affected as much as later models, and I wonder why.
Anyone care to comment?
Very frustrating that you can spend so much on some bikes and then need to “upgrade” a swingarm pivot to something as basic as this. How much longer before H-D runs out of leftover Studebaker kingpins and does a robust design on all bikes?
Harley charges a fortune for a factory bike with “inferior” parts. Imagine what it would cost with all of the parts that we declare they should use in the first place. Just rolling through my foggy memory of the last year or so of posts on this blog, that would include the swing arm pivot, headlight, Timken bearings on the sprocket shaft, suspension upgrades, braking system, compensator sprocket. What else am I missing?
Add all of that in and your new Harley would cost an additional $5000.
I’ve been an FXR aficionado all my HD life and never experienced a real problem with their OE rubbermount system. Conversely, I have used the spherical conversion on my latest 120ci T&P motored scoot and the engine into chassis vibrations are way above that standard FXR equivalent.
I would therefore guard against thinking that this conversion is good for all. Maybe for some but not for all 😉
I ride a ’99 Ultra with just under 160,000 miles on the old girl. It’s a pretty much run of the mill 95″ engine making 98/104 hp/tq and I tend to ride it pretty hard. Swingarm bushings and bearings were definitely “the weak link” until I fixed it good ‘n proper.
After tearing up the stock cleveblocks a couple of times I did the “less expensive” spherical bearings from V-Twin. They lived a couple of years and were toast. I do believe the better quality spherical bearing kits on the market may have lived longer but after the “budget” spherical bearings gave up I did solid self-lubricating bronze bushings wrapped in high durometer nylon. It is now rock solid and I suspect it will be for a very, very long time.
The trade-off is that I definitely feel more vibration in the footboards but I’m okay with that. Others may not be okay with the added vibration as it’s pretty substantial.
If anyone is interested in the specs, I think I have them saved here somewhere. Otherwise you may be able to Google it. I originally found the specs from a guy that did this to his FXR. And let me stress again, the added vibration is substantial. This “fix” may not be for you if the added vibration would bother you.
Still running stock HD bushing on my 81 FLT (180,000+miles) no problems with wobble or tracking.
I found the original specs that I followed, with part numbers from McMaster-Carr. I’ll paste them below. And yet again I say, there will be substantial added vibration if you do this. I would do it again, but that’s just me.
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Swing arm bushings with parts from McMaster Carr
Part Number 6391K9
Sae 841 Bronze Sleeve Bearing, For 5/8″ Shaft Diameter, 1″ Od, 3″ Length (2 ea, one for each side of the swingarm)
$21.26 each
Part Number 87235K566
Black Polyurethane Tubing, 1-3/4″ Od, 1″ Id, 6″ Length (only need one to cut into 2 pcs, one for each side)
$17.85
The polyurethane I got was 95A durometer, but you can get 87235K565 at 75D scale durometer (harder yet). 95A is pretty darn tough though.
Press together, cut to EXACTING lengths a MUST. This keeps everything centered and snug from side to side. I don’t have stock measurements because I have altered quite a bit on my setup to shift my drivetrain approx. 5/8″ + to accommodate a larger tire conversion.
You may need to lightly hone (hand sand evenly) to OD to get it to press in the swingarm, but make it tight! I had to press mine in which was good.
Custom cycle engineering has had pretty much this same kit available for quite a few years now and at a lower price. Works well, I’ve installed a few.
Alloy Art has the TRX, this also works well.
Progressive has a version also.
Terry Components has one
Sta Bo is another
Glide Pro-another plus they have complete kits for front mount as well as swing arm.
I’m sure there are more.
However, if ya get a high speed wobble, lay down (forward of course). It works but ya gotta fight every instinct in you to not “wrestle” the bike, just lay down and transfer weight. The wobble will stop. It has worked every time I’ve encountered the “wobble” no matter what model bike I’ve been riding.
I test ride every bike I service (weather permitting) and after 26 years doing this, that amounts to 1000’s of bikes. The weight transfer is what cures the wobbling.
Thank you Shanedrive.
Yes Custom Cycle Engineering is the original manufacturer of this part until Paugho copied it.
Tim Wallingford with Custom Cycle Engineering designed and developed this product and this is completely made here in the USA by Custom Cycle Engineering. Support the original maker and get a much better quality product by giving us a call.