Oh Nooo!!!

I'm beginning to go through my bike today making a list of things I want/need to do.

I found a crack in the rear suspension on the right side.

Can I take this to a welder, or should I be thinking about replacement?

I'll attach a photo so you can get a better idea of what i'm dealing with.

Eddie

 

i don't see a crack but the floor's nice and clean

 

It's a major stress point.
You can have it welded with a support member added.
You can have anything welded.
It's all about who is doing the welding.

What you need to do is find the right Welder!
The Pro who can read the situation and FIX it better than it was.

 

I think that's just the edge of the flitch plate.

 

Just the unwelded end of the gusseting used on the swingarm, in the trade you weld gussets on along a length of metal, not across it.

If there was weld on that gap on the inside of that swingarm photo you would soon have the whole arm crack apart. Just wire brush your dirty rust off and respray it.

There i fixed it..

I weld Alloy bullbars here

 

I don't see a crack either. I'm seeing the same thing reckerto is, the unwelded part of the swingarm gusset. Since it was'nt welded at the factory you don't need to worry about it.

 

LoL... Yeah, don't worry about it until the swing arm falls off when you're cornering at 70mph with a 18 wheeler coming the other way..

Alternatively you can post a better focussed picture and put an arrow or a ring where you see the crack.

If these lads are right about the bit you mean, you don't need to worry, but personally I'm not going to say that until I'm sure you mean what they think you mean, and I really can't see anything on that photo.

 

Swissjon has a good point, a better pic might help.

 

i blew the picture up best i can tell its in the middle of the dirty area i could be wrong but it looks like the swing arm has a dent there and the crack is in the middle of it. i would say if this is true replace the swing arm its not that bad to do. i could be wrong cant really tell by the picture

 

that obvious gap isn't a crack, like rockerto said it's supposed to be there
if you think there's a crack in the weld you'll need some Liquid Dye Penetrant, something like this link
or make your own with food coloring, rubbing alcohol and spray baby powder

but it has to be bare metal shiny clean

 

I think what he's thinking is the crack is the crack-looking thing on the left
Edge of the swingarm, lined up with the Rainbow shaped part of the center stand

 

it's a crack. and it's looks like it's been tweaked. mine 81 looks nothing like that. it's in perfect shape.

 

That's the thing that's scaring me about this thread.. A lot of "I think.."

If it's a crack, this guy needs to know. If it's a mod that's been done well, he needs to know, if it's OE, he needs to know.

We need a better photo.

It's a bit late to say "Ooops, well I didn't know for sure" when someone's dead.

 

I squeezed in for a better angle with the camera.

 

just take the wheel off and yank on it for awhile, then you'll know for sure, then look at your brakes

 

I just looked at my 81 XJ650. If you're talking about the fact that it's not welded vertically, mine isn't either. It's just welded along the top and bottom of the swing arm.

What rockerto said.

 

When I stare at the original photograph ...
I seem to see.

Billy Joel, wearing shades, with a Torque Wrench through his head.
Olive Oil in Hair Curlers.
A tall caricature of Adolph Hitler in a Chef's Hat riding an armadillo, with a chimpanzee on his back.

Maybe I was out in the sun too long today.
(( See if your kids can see them too. ))

 

Once again, Polock cracks me up.

 

Better safe than sorry and judging by the amount of rust I would say weld it and be done.
FYI, I have had the local muffler shop look at my exhaust on my car before and asked that they tack my bumper up better. Throw in a 12pk of beer to sweeten the deal.

 

What BillB said.

I tawt I thaw a puddy tat in that first picture.

 

my 2c worth. It seems to me ,from the second picture , that your main problem here is corrosion.It looks as though the brake arm mount has started to rust away. If this is the case ,you carn,t weld it .The only way is to look for a used swing arm to replace it. I,d be pulling the arm off and wire brushing or sandblasting the area to get a good look at it before making a final decision. ( looks as tho battery acid has been at work there )

Cheers ,Murray

 

I think Murray is right.. Sand blast it..

The brake mount is going, most of it's already gone.. But there's plenty of bods on fleabay that'll fabricate you one for a reasonable price in Alu.. If you don't use your rear brake (I don't) then there's no issue.. The swing arm will show problems (or lack of) with sand blasting..

Sand blast all of the rusty bits, then see what you're left with.. Patch any thin bits, replace anything you can't patch and then repaint with rust preventative paint.

 

hello fellow grand blanc-er....
nice to see another xj in da hood....drop a line and we'll take a spin

maybe it's just me, but the "crack" just looks like where 1 piece of metal lays over the other piece of metal...doesn't look like it was ever welded and not sure if it needs to be.

 

Alright...

After further inspection and eyeballing another swingarm, I was wrong.

It's not a crack, and is intended to be there. So before crying WOLF, I will continue to learn every nook and cranny of my bike.

Thanks anyways guys for all your input.

Eddie

 

Hey, Eddie:

You did the right thing!
If you hadn't checked-it-out ... it might have been something bad lurking down-there to bite you.

 

What Rick said. Better to ask and be wrong than not to ask and be dead.

 

I,d stilll be taking a closer look at the corrosion down there,it looks as though it will need attention eventually.

cheers, Murray