I hope he gets someone who knows what they are doing to get that fixed. Could lead to a very bad day.

 

I'd like to know what someone would have to do to crack the weld ON TOP of the swingarm. Normal operation and even abnormal operation that weld ON TOP would be in compression.


Tough to hurt a weld in compression...

 

Ditto... The only time I can think of where that weld *might* be in tension would be if they were using a cheap pit stand on the rear swingarm... Aside from that, the upper part of the arm should be under compression at all times...

I'd be curious to see the pictures.

Personally, I wouldn't try and fix it. I'd replace the swingarm.

-Joe

 

Oops!

I would have to say it has got to be a factory defect. No one is perfect at anything, how many of these swing arms has Suzuki kicked out. Probably a bad weld from the get go, it happens, it just did not show it's self till it got a few thousand miles on it. I would agree with both of you guys in that I just don't see what a guy could do to make that particular weld crack.

 

The inside weld is very likely cracked and is traveling outward along the top weld seam.

 

Aluminum welds tend to crack through the center, not on the seam Steel and Stainless will crack on the edge of the weld area where heat has cause a change in the metal's structure.

I'd be inclined to go with a defective weld from the factory.

 

Aluminum welds tend to crack through the center, not on the seam Steel and Stainless will crack on the edge of the weld area where heat has cause a change in the metal's structure.