400ex swingarm on a 86 r

would a 400ex swingarm fit on a 86 250r?

[Bspring]

Yes.

[QuadRacer041]

it may physically bolt up but it wont work right. there have been other posts like this look it up and you will find out the reason why.

[Bspring]

I haven’t looked at the other post on this subject but I rode with a guy last weekend that had this very set up. I thought it was a bad idea but he is very small and said it helped him out. He had to use a shorter dog bone and his suspension was too stiff, but he liked it. Keep in mind that the 400ex swingarm is weaker than the 250r.

[QuadRacer041]

the 400ex swingarm is also made out of aluminium, whats why.
thats what my piont was....the suspention is not going to be right and to me thats more important, you can just buy an aftermarket swingarm that is made out of 4130 instead of alum.also the shocks are differnt lengths so the bike isnt going to sit right.

[TRXR29]

It can be done. We put an EX arm on my '86 250R about a month ago and it seems to be working just fine. You do have to modify the rear linkage mount, it's about 1/8" to narrow. You also need two washers to take up a bit of space on the pivot bolt. With the stock linkage your bike will sit really high, so I want with an adjustable rear strut. If you run a skidplate you'll need to fabricate something, the stock 400EX plate interferes. I just got a PRM 400EX plate, we'll see if it works.

I've only ridden it three times with the EX swingarm, but it seems to be working pretty well. It's 1.25" shorter, so I can get a lot better traction. It doesn't try to spin out quite as much in the turns, and I can accelerate quicker because there is less wheelspin. The shorter length gives the wheels less leverage on the shock, so it is a little stiffer. If you push down on the grab bar it feels really stiff, but it works fine, I even bottomed it once.

I've got pictures if anyone is interested.

[QuadRacer041]

trx29r,
i think he is trying to do the oppiste of what you did, he wants a r swingarm on a 400ex.
.....i dont know, to me it seems like alot of trouble to get a swingarm to fit.washers shorter this, longer that. just buy the right swingarm

[TRXR29]

You could put either swingarm, on either bike. It's still not a lot of trouble.

I did it because I wanted a shorter, lighter swingarm, and I wanted it cheap. I got the swingarm off ebay, shipped to me for $125. The lowering link was $60, but I really wanted one anyway. Other stuff (washers, spacers, bolts etc.) ran about $50. So for under $250 you get a swingarm that weighs 6lbs less than a $500 Laeger.

It's not right for everyone, but it can be done, and it works for me.

[QuadRacer041]

yeah but that $250.00 400ex swingarm is NOT half as strong as a laeger, lonestar, roll, or any other after market arm.

this is my old 400ex swingarm.
my freind did the same thing about 3 months later.

[400exBro]

How did that happen quad041????
Did it happen off of a jump, or did it crack trail riding???
I am start to worry now because, i am starting to jump higher and further (before 10 feet, now 35-45 feet) and i now that the swing arm will snap really soon. At this rate hoe long does my swing arm still have life in it??
lata
Bro

[QuadRacer041]

well im not saying it will happen to you, im a pretty big guy...around 230#.
that happened to me about 2-3 mounths after gettinf into aggresive jumping.