Swingarm Hairline Fracture

[gsxrpilot]

I recently purchased a used 1999 GSXR1300, Copper/Silver in original condition with 9000 miles. The only modifications are a Corbin seat and center stand. The previous owner rode the bike as a sport tourer and I use it solely as a commuter and tourer. It has never been raced or dropped. The bike has undergone all recalls for the 1999 Busa.

I have noticed a hairline crack running along the top of the swingarm on the chain side. The crack seems to begin at the screw hole for the chain guard and travels 1cm forward and about 4cm aft of the hole.

I have notified Suzuki of the problem and they have said it is not their problem since the bike is out of warranty and I am the second owner.

Being a possible defect (metallurgical?) and potentially deadly problem I don't think warranty or owners should enter into it. I digress.

Please check your swingarm and let me know if you find anything. I will try to get some pics of the crack to post.

 

[ks-waterbug]

Haven't heard or seen this problem before. You could stop drill the crack depending on the location.........Post some pictures.

 

[Dae]

hi,
i am new to busas and have just bought a 99 model and as you do i have thoroughly striped and cleaned my new purchase. i have a hairline crack in my swingarm exactly as you describe and it does concern me a little. but if i had not been so thorough i would never have noticed. i think i will just buy a second hand one during the winter. what else can i do ???

 

[Tacoo]

Hello, i´m a new member on this excellence board

also a new proud owner of a -99 Busa (copper/silver whit HMF full system and pc II) During my cleaning, polishing and checking the bike, i´ll run into just exact the same problem.. hairline fracture "through" screwthread-socket (hmm is this the right term ?) located in the area of chain cover front hold. Perhaps this is a problem of the -99 model ? Anyway, i´ll think i´ll get some help to secure it by weld the fracture, that should fix the problem permanent ? or what do you thing guys ? I´ll post a picture of the fracture..

 

[05 Busa LE]

Certain you'll get advice from the members here; meantime, try the "Search" at the top. Drilling a hole seems risky, considering that's where it appears to start. Also, make sure welding won't stress the area more.

 

[johnstein]

i belive the 99 models came with aluminim swingarms , and they would crack under heavy loads , 2 up riding , or sport touring . there were a few nasty accidents i have read about , i would suggest you to pick up steel swingarm off of a latter model busa ,there is one for sale in the forsale section for 100 dollars , so you do not have to worry about this ! i do not think suzuki ever accepted this as thier problem ? but under those conditions they all crack , DO NOT RIDE THOSE BIKES !

 

[BusaSamurai]

Correct me if im wrong but didnt they do a swingarm change in 01 because of this problem..

 

[johnstein]

yes they did , i have been searchin this topic to post more info with no luck , only thing i came up with was rubberside down trading his for a steel one , and warning that they have bee known to crack

 

[BA BUSA]

yes they did , i have been searchin this topic to post more info with no luck , only thing i came up with was rubberside down trading his for a steel one  , and warning that they have bee known to crack

Swingarms and subframes....two different items.

All Busa swingarms are aluminum and attach the rear wheel to the frame.

99-00 Busa's had a aluminum subframe....01 and newer have a steel one. The subframe is the frame work that attaches to the upper rear part of the main frame and supports the tail section.

The subframe problem was not a recall or defect....the stock dual can exhaust system helps to support the tail section. When you change to a 4 into 1 after market system you lose some support....this gets worse if you carry a passenger or carry heavy luggage.

As for a crack in your swingarm I would suggest that you either replace the arm or remove it and have it repaired....braced and welded.

Rubbersidedown's aluminum subframe from a 00 model is on the back of my 03....I ride solo so it is not a issue and it is 8lbs lighter than a steel one  

 

[BA BUSA]

By the way guys the original post is from 5/03 and gsxrpilot has not logged on since JUNE of that year

 

[Revlis]

 The Ally Subframes would sometimes fail because riders were loading the Busa down with their big butts, luggage and woman on the back.  Suzuki never inteded the Busa to become the sport-Touring machine Americans turned it into.    So a simple re-design and problem solved.

"Must make subframe stronger for big Cheeseburger eatin American A55e5..."  

As for the swingarms.... It is news to me, I'd say possible crash damage or a manufactering blemish. Kinda like on the rear hubs.



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[Revlis]

As for Tacoo, I would recommend first cleaning the area real well, and actually making sure that the "crack is a Crack. Suzuki has been know to produce some pretty rough castings and some of their casting marks look like cracks. Now the area you've circled is an extruded piece but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a blemish more than an actual crack.

Reason I say this is that it's kinda odd that there would be crack there across the top of the swingarm. the location doesn't make any sense. It's not going to be a high stress area across the top like that.

Rev

 

[Tacoo]

I´m very greatful for all good replys and information, i´ll newer herd of the steel subframe, havent read about it on our swedish boards either.. I´ll started my surfing on the board whit a search for this fracture problem, thats why this is an old thread, the problem dosen´t appear to have been discusst since then either (and i´ll dont find anything about it on swedish borders, the local dealers havent heard of it and Suzuki sweden havent heard of it..) I´ll feel the fractur whit my finger/fingernail and if í´ll look really close it really seems like a fracture rather then a scratch or resemble.. ìll think that the threadrivet for the screw holding the front of chaincover cause the problem.. too small drillhole or similar during the assemble process in suzukifactory..

 

[Tacoo]

yes they did , i have been searchin this topic to post more info with no luck , only thing i came up with was rubberside down trading his for a steel one  , and warning that they have bee known to crack

Swingarms and subframes....two different items.

All Busa swingarms are aluminum and attach the rear wheel to the frame.

99-00 Busa's had a aluminum subframe....01 and newer have a steel one. The subframe is the frame work that attaches to the upper rear part of the main frame and supports the tail section.

The subframe problem was not a recall or defect....the stock dual can exhaust system helps to support the tail section. When you change to a 4 into 1 after market system you lose some support....this gets worse if you carry a passenger or carry heavy luggage.

As for a crack in your swingarm I would suggest that you either replace the arm or remove it and have it repaired....braced and welded.

Rubbersidedown's aluminum subframe from a 00 model is on the back of my 03....I ride solo so it is not a issue and it is 8lbs lighter than a steel one  

A short question

is this the part you call "subframe" ?



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[Revlis]

Yup! That is a Subframe. Gives you a seat basically. The 99 and 2000 Busa's had Aluminum subframe which would break when loaded heavily. The Steal version solved the problem.

 

[Burger King]

If I wasn't sure whether it was cracked or not I would find someplace to have a Eddy Current or some other type of NDT (non destructive test) done to find out whether it is really cracked or not. Possibly a local machine shop or sheet metal shop can do it for you cheap. Maybe someone else here knows some other way of checking it also.

 

[Aquaman]

Even know this is a dead thread...I'm glad someone clarified the alum/steel swingarm. I have a 06 and my swingarm is aluminum. I can tell an alum weld from a steel weld a mile away....nevermind simply trying to stick a magnet to it for teh dummies

 

[Tacoo]

Yup!  That is a Subframe.  Gives you a seat basically.  The 99 and 2000 Busa's had Aluminum subframe which would break when loaded heavily.  The Steal version solved the problem.

I´ll decide to replace my swingarm, that would solve that fracture problem. (found one from a -00)

Now concerning that subframeproblem, i´ll wounder if anyone knows if Suzuki had a bulletin whit a solution for these
weak subframes on the -99 and -00 models ? On my bike there is a steel part in the subframeattach to the mainframe.. perhaps that is Suzukis solution for the weak subframes ? or is it perhaps an erlier owner of my bike who put the strengthenpiece there by own initiative ? I´ll post a pic of the part.. (as far as i´ll knew that piece isn´t orginal Suzuki manufactured ?

)
Thang you in advance..

 

[ga1990]

Interesting...I just looked at mine (99), it does not have that extra support...i'd love to know if that's a suzuki item. Also...where should I watch for cracks in the aluminum subframe?

 

[Tacoo]

Well, i found a swingarm from a -00 to replace my cracked one whit..i hardly belived my eyes when i took a close look at the "new" swingarm when i unpacked it...SAME hairline fracture at that one too!! my god, i`ll think i`ll crack myself.. not as obvious fracture as at the first one but the same tendency.. soo i`ll send it back to where it came from and now i´ll get my velded!! Check your swingarms real close guy`s...



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