CX500 Rust on swing arm

[griffonmel]

Hi Guy's,

I have a CX500 I am rebuilding to a Cafe racer theme. I have just stripped it all down, needs a good clean as usual or should I say a major one! Checked all over main frame is good just some basic surface rust, been tapping away with hammer and screwdriver to be sure! However a I found some rust through on swing arm, not to bad as I can see, solid all around holes. Do you all think this can be sorted out via weld repair?

Cheers, Mel.

[Robby]

It's a fairly common place for old steel swingarms to rot out. The usual repair would be cut out the rotten and thin metal and weld on a new patch. I would remove the whole section - it gets thin - and replace with new metal.

[blurredman]

Yes. My CX lately had to have 10 weld patches in various areas of the frame and swingarm. Here are a few pictures:

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Pictures/bikes/cx/rsz_dsc_0411.jpg

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Pictures/bikes/cx/rsz_dsc_0412.jpg

There were other holes, including of the swingarm. The hole on your swingarm is not the same place as where mine were (oddly enough on the face that points to the swingarm pivoter (?), but it's handy that it's in a flat place means it is even easier for a welder to fix.

It got bigger as I prodded more, notice how thin the metal is though, and that is a mirrored issue in your picture. Typical not of just the CX but a lot of older bikes. Like I said, no biggy to fix.

https://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/pictures/bikes/cx/20150815/swingarmhole.JPG
____________________
CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[WD Forte]

CX500?
Rubbish!
Just burn it and buy a proper bike
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bikers smell of wee

[davebike]

Welded lots of CX500 swing arms common problem

You NEED to brace the end of the arm when welding replace the Drive box get a thick a piece of studding that will fit the wheel spindle hole fit with nuts on both inside and outside maintaining the arm width

I personally just plate the outside of the damaged areas Then drill a small hole and use ACF50 or similar on the inside
Paint the outside with smoothrite and it good to go

The Temporary bracing is very necessary
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[RhynoCZ]

The disadvantage of a shaft drive is, that you can't just swap the swing arm for anything but the original one.

I think it is time to buy a new bike.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor