Author Topic: Extended swingarm cb550  (Read 7337 times)

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Offline Gurp

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Extended swingarm cb550
« on: June 17, 2012, 11:35:14 PM »
Does anyone know of a wingarm that is atleast 3inches longer than stock for a 74cb550. it must bolt in directly. and hopefully be able to use the stock wheel not worried about shock pos.
Thx Ron
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline 77cb750speed

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2012, 12:50:54 AM »
You could extent the one you have by 3 inches or more just cut it and weld. I have done it on a 4 wheeler's well my 350 Warrior that I made into a buggy with XR500 engine. I had to extent the swing arm for more travel of the rear axle. I'm sure it can be done just make sure you brace it all you can you don't want it to be weak.

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2012, 10:57:53 AM »
Well  cant weld .. lmao its my reason for actually looking for a extended swingarm lol. i seen overpriced carpy goods but those were for the 750 .. idk how they would line up..
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline 77cb750speed

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2012, 04:01:39 AM »
Search around I may be wrong but I think you can put the 750 swingarm on the 550 thought I read it somewhere. Once I figured out how to search on this forum I have just about fell in love with it. There is about nothing you can't find here. I found just want your are looking for there is a thread here about the the 750 swingarm fitting a 550 and it will. The 77/78 750 swingarm are longer than the 550 but 76 and older are an inch shorter than the 550

Try this thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=97265.0

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2012, 08:46:20 AM »
i thought all the years of 750 was shorter... learn sometthing everyday, ESP on here. im really wanting a box style swingarm... thought about getting one from carpys site but really hate to have to pay his prices. He thinks he is god and prices alll his #$%* like the holy gail itself.
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline jaguar

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2012, 05:18:44 PM »
His boxed arms are dresda copies.  He sells them cheaper then dave will make them.  Gotta pay to play

Why do you want such a longer swingarm?
I dont think you are going to find some part that just bolts in and is cheap

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2012, 02:26:25 AM »
Im hoping to find smething used but if i dont. its like you said pay to play.
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline Geeto67

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2012, 03:47:25 AM »
You can cut a DOHC 750f swing arm to fit. It's longer than a750 but I have no idea how long it is compared to a 550.

The old school arms people used back in the day are gs1100 and cb1100f. I have a gs1100 arm for a cb750 and I have no idea what was modded to make it fit but if I had to guess it looks like a lot of spacers and bushing sleeves.
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Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2012, 04:23:18 AM »
isnt a cb750 arm a direct bolt in?
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline Geeto67

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2012, 07:00:13 AM »
A SOHC arm (1969-1978)? Maybe. A DOHC cb750f arm? Not without cutting. See that acronym in my previous post? It stands for Dual overhead cam which refers to bikes made from 1979 to 1982. Learn to read more carefully. You have to cut the DOHC arm to fit a SOHC 750, but it is the kind of cut you can make with a Hacksaw and a miter box if you are careful. The pivot is asymmetrical and you cut off the long side to make it symmetrical. The cb1100f arm is box aluminum and shares dimensions with the DOHC cb750f because it is from the same family of bikes.
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Offline Geeto67

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2012, 07:07:36 AM »
The gs1100 arm came on the scene in 1981 and was the first factory alloy boxed arm. Guys put them on everything. I have seen them on a couple of 550s over the years as well as a ton of cb750s, gs750s Kawasaki triples, etc. you can get them all day long for around $150. You may have to take some meat out of the pivot and you will have to sleeve the pivot Needle bearings to fit your pivot but for about $200 to a machine shop I believe you can get the whole thing sorted.

If you are not willing to get your hands dirty, maybe you shouldn't be modding bikes.
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Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2012, 12:37:57 AM »
Its not im not willing i lack alot of the tools.. all the work done to my bike so far except the hardtail i have done. In the Fall when my hours pick up im going to buy a welder and start learning to weld got a few friends who said if i get one they will help teach me. i will look up the GS1100 arm. if its something i think i can mod witht what i have access to i will try to.
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline matt mattison

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2012, 02:41:45 AM »
Do yourself a big favor and have an experienced welder do the work for you. To weld an aluminum swing arm or even a steel piece would require a TIG weld to ensure maximum strength. You can't just pick up a welding rig , learn in a month,and expect to weld up a critical weight and torque bearing part. Dont forget this machine can propel your body through space at high speeds  ;)
1975 CB550F
2011 MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2012, 03:18:40 PM »
Beleice me i have no intention of welding anything bearing alot of weight or force until i get a decent amount of exp. i like living. Welding is one of things if i learn while im young it will benifit me alot through the course of my life
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2012, 10:39:21 PM »
Does anyone know of any forum members that make a swingarm for A CB550/750?
I'm figuring this will cost me a bit but it's pay to play. price is going to be high i figure. got to pay to get what you want if your not skilled enough to make it.
slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline jaguar

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2012, 08:03:31 AM »
carpy makes a bolt in arm for the cb550.
I know that his dresda copy for the 750 is longer then the true dresda
dresda is still making arms
search for an RC engineering arm for a cb750

Really what this comes down to is that no one really ever needed a longer arm on a 550 so no one ever made one.  There are some for the 750, i dont know it it bolts in.
Is there nothing else on the bike that would need attention before the arm?

Offline DJ_AX

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #16 on: June 25, 2012, 10:56:54 AM »
A longer swingarm... so your front end is less likely to come up during wholeshots right?
~ Vincent . . . '75 CB750 K5 . . . '97 BMW r1100rt . . . had; '75 CB550 K1 (sold) . . .  '73 CB350G (gifted) HELL YEAH!
Disclaimer: I could be wrong. :)

Offline Gurp

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #17 on: June 25, 2012, 02:50:50 PM »
Ive tried to contact carpy about making a custom one with no reply. I'm looking into a gsxr arm but not sure how to still use the stock wheel. Im actually wanting the arm for the extra stability and i plan on playing allittle on a hillside or two.

slow Progress 74 cb550.

Poor boy chop 73 CB500 chop


Future project 77 Cb750 Amen Savior/80 shovelhead chopper

"Alley Cat"  93 sportster

Offline DJ_AX

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #18 on: June 25, 2012, 03:12:26 PM »
does look cool though I won't lie :)

~ Vincent . . . '75 CB750 K5 . . . '97 BMW r1100rt . . . had; '75 CB550 K1 (sold) . . .  '73 CB350G (gifted) HELL YEAH!
Disclaimer: I could be wrong. :)

Offline jaguar

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #19 on: June 25, 2012, 03:32:05 PM »
Like what has been said, either pay for a custom arm, or machine one to fit.

Offline Eddie

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Re: Extended swingarm cb550
« Reply #20 on: June 25, 2012, 07:18:56 PM »
 I added 2" to my 550 by getting another swing arm and cutting the front piviot portion off, notching it to fit over the rounded front of the orig swing arm. Welded it all the way around then adden a 1/8" plate to the bottom over lapping the weld joint. I have 250 mi on it and so far so good ! tracks nice and straight...