'84 Wr Swing Arm/frame Fit

Hello, first time poster here, and first time Husky owner after picking up an '84 WR250 a few weeks ago. I had the swing arm off and replaced the needle bearings. Loosening the swingarm nuts took a tremendous amount of force, which at the time I thought was due to the thing sitting for 25 years unused. But now it appears that there is something like 1/8" gap on each side between the swingarm and the frame, and I wonder if all that force was due to 'un-squeezing' the frame. I didn't change the inner spacers, and the fit between the engine and swing arm is spot on with the single shim that was part of the assembly. The parts book does not show any spacers between the frame and swingarm, but this can't be normal. Making up some spacers isn't a big deal, but I have to ask if anyone else has seen this? Am I missing something?

Takes washers like these for a replacement.
http://www.husqvarna-parts.com/catalog/item/3736740/5756761.htm

From memory those side frame areas are kind of springy and it would not take an awful lot of force to squeeze them in. It is not uncommon to find the central race that looks kind of like a piston wrist pin has cut into either the frame or the insert in the rear of the engine . even if the shim thing is there it cann kind of get cut through. Those holes the swingarm pivot rod go through can egg out or maybe eventually will. The rod has a certain length and if I recall correctly perhaps a mm of thread each side past the nylon locking part of the nut. As things wear part of the kickstart stuff can hit the nut so I make that one not stick out any more than necessary.

Thanks guys. The one thin washer I found in the assembly was between the engine and swingarm, but I guess they don't have to go only there, they could go between the swingarm and frame.

The point brought up about the kickstart fouling the swingarm nut brings up another issue: my kick start lever grazes the shock spring, and all the paint is worn away there. The fit on the splines seems pretty good, but the shaft has the ability to move in and out, and maybe just a little off axis. What is a good fix here? Shim the end play? Bush the the case? Learn to kick straight?

Are the rear motor case bushing sleeves good and tight in the cases? If they are worn or loose in the case the motor may have shifted to the side. I have taken Huskys apart and found the complete flange on the right side sleeve is worn away and would account for much of that 1/8" gap. The shims for the swing arm pivot fit between the swing arm and frame. Post pictures if you can.

Marty

I'll have to check that, Marty. They seemed pretty tight, but I also didn't look at them very close because the fit between the motor and swingarm felt good and didn't raise suspicion. Should the inner bearing spacers stick out of the swingarm some distance between the swingarm and the frame? Mine don't, they are kind of flush with the outside of the swingarm. If they should, I probably do have a problem with the spacers in the cases.

The swing arm bearing spacer/sleeves will be almost flush with the edges of the swing arm but still slightly longer. Check the rear motor bushings really well as they are what usually wear. Do you have both shims? They are the one that fit between the frame and swing arm. They do not fit between the motor and swing arm. If you want to measure the length of the swing arm spacer/sleeves with a caliper I can tell you if it is the correct length. As Frank said the frames do spread some once the swing arm pivot shaft is loosened up and the swing arm spacer/sleeves can cut into the rear motor mount bushing. If you can post some pictures especially pictures of the rear motor mount bushings on the left and right side. The right side usually wears first.

Marty

"The point brought up about the kickstart fouling the swingarm nut brings up another issue: my kick start lever grazes the shock spring, and all the paint is worn away there. The fit on the splines seems pretty good, but the shaft has the ability to move in and out, and maybe just a little off axis. What is a good fix here? Shim the end play? Bush the the case? Learn to kick straight? "

Often pretty early on a blob of hard face weld is installed on one of the kick start components so when it is folded out it does not rotate back too far.

If the shaft has the ability to move in and out the magnesium of the clutch cover being worn or damaged would be the best guess from a remote location. I did sleeve one once, the 87-88 ones have a steel sleeve (magnetic could be iron) and also at the shifter though this would not effect in out. It is hard to speculate what has happened that is an area that has been tampered with fairly often with used stuff.

Ok, I took another look at things (sorry to not have pictures, but I didn't have much time tonight). The spacers in the cases are good in terms of diameter, but the faces look a little beat. Not chewed up, just well worn and almost a little bevelled around their OD, as though the swingarm was trying to twist around the motor and caused this wear. The engine width=4.655". Each bearing sleeve is 1.875" long. These 3 add up to 8.415". The inside of the frame, plate to plate, is about 8.613". So I have a gap of .198". The one shim I had was between the swingarm and the engine, rather jammed in there. But now that you are telling me these go on the outside things make more sense. I'll buy or make them to shim out the gap. If anyone has numbers to compare these to, I'd be interested to know, but I'm assuming the worn engine sleeves have created a larger gap than normal. When the time comes to split the cases, I'll change these.

As for the kicker, I may dig into that soon and see what can be done.

You are all good with those measurements. In fact when I checked a couple of my motors the rear mount width is 4.630" and 4.635". I also checked the spread on the frame and the gap with the swing arm bolt not tightened is about 1/8"- 3/16" . The bevel on the outer diameter of the rear motor mount bushing/sleeve is normal. Just make sure you place the shims between the swing arm and frame on each side. Also on the left side just tighten the shaft nut till the top of the nut is just flush with the shaft end to help give clearance for the kick start lever. If you need a couple of shims I have some NOS ones available. You can PM me if you want.

Marty

Thanks for the help. I'll be in contact.
Todd