swingarm brace...

[TechMagic]

I was taking off my belt guards last night and pulled the swingarm brace off to get to the top guard bolts. Then I'm leafing through my manual and see that you're supposed to relive tension on the belt before doing so or "damage can occur to swingarm brace" I'm not sure how that can be, since it seats into the swingarm in two locations how can belt tension have any effect on this? Now I may be paranoid but it doesn't seem to seat perfectly flush with the swingarm now...

any insight?

 

[Tork]

Not sure about damage to the brace, but the brace helps distribute some of the belt tension from the swingarm to the frame. If you don't relieve the tension first (just loosen the axle pinch bolts and back out the axle 10-15 turns), the worst I think would happen is that you would have some difficulty removing and/or reinstalling the brace as you're experiencing, and possibly cross-threading some brace screws while trying to force the brace back into place at either the swingarm or frame locations. Just a guess.

 

[TechMagic]

that makes sense but I'm sensitive to cross-threading as a fabricator....didn't feel like I was cross threading but it also doesn't seat quite flush...what to do now?

And it looks to me like both locations that the brace mount are part of the swingarm, this is what confuses me.

 

[Tork]

Sorry 'bout that, dude. You're right- I went out to the garage to check the brace on my bike and both brace ends bolt to a part of the swingarm. I also noticed that the lower end is pretty flush, but the edges on the upper brace mount are not flush. I don't think they're supposed to be.

 

[TechMagic]

hahaha well that solves my problem! If yours is like mine which it sounds like it is, I guess I'm good since the belt isn't wandering or anything. thanks!