Entire '86 250R rear suspension combination onto '86 350x possible?

[fyi]

Has anyone ever adapted the 1986 250R rear suspension/swingarm-shock-linkage setup onto a 1986 350x chassis?

Anyone with real-world experience with this?

[fyi]

No one?

Certainly someone has done something like this....

[Billy Golightly]

The 250R rear shock is alot longer then the 350x one. The 350X swingarm is solid inthe front where it mounts and the bolt goes through, the 250R one is notched out for it to go around the motor. You could do it I suppose but it'd be a whole lot of work. It'd be better to get a new swingarm made specificly for the 350X and get and aftermarket shock.

[fyi]

Thanks for the reply.

I noticed that the 250R swingarm is a bit longer, as well as the shock itself. Additionally, the 250R shock has a unique linkage for it that has aftermarket components available for for some additional level of adjustability.

I assumed the longer swingarm and longer shock of the 250R was engineered there to allow for a lot longer wheel travel for racing use, etc, whereas the 350X was never used in racing, so it has a lot simpler, yet less effective rear suspension combination.

That's the main reason for the switch mostly, as I have all the parts on hand for the swap now. The 250R-to-Sabertooth 500R project I have is getting an aluminum frame fabricated to match the O.E. frame....w/ some improvements, so I'll probably use the old steel 250R frame for the 350X engine stuff.

Hope the whole mess works... :lol:

[Billy Golightly]

Aluminum 250R frame! Bah, I've been beaten! :lol: I've been wanting to make one of those for a year or two now...just been waiting on the oppertunity to buy a pipe bender. You going square or round tubing on the frame construction? Get some pictures of that posted up...gonna be awesome I know.

[fyi]

It's a combination of the two actually, depending on where the tube passes and what strength needs are where. The fab guy in the shop is doing it, so I'm leaving it to him, as he knows more about proper frame construction than I do. :wondering

[smokinp]

FYI, that sounds like a sweet project...:pics: ?

[fyi]

I'll post some when I get a chance, but time is a premium around here, as this is the busiest time of the year at the shop. ;)

[smokinp]

would about just buying a 350x rear works shock?Ive heard they are a night and day difference better then the stocker

[fyi]

I was looking for the added travel length of the 250R suspension though... I tip the scales at 212 lbs. at 5' 10", so I need all the travel I can get. ;)

[Jason Hall]

fyi, I put a 89 TRX swinger on my 85 350x. I had some spacers made to put on the outside of the front pivot point, because the origional spacers & seals made it a bit to wide for the 350x frame. After that all I did was weld the origional bracket that I cut from the R frame on the X frame the one that holds the steel link to the bottom frame tube. The shorter TRX aluminum swingarm is still about 1 1/2" longer than the stock X swinger. If you made a spacer to fit correctly between the seal cups on a 85-86 steel swinger it could be made to work also.

[fyi]

Really! That is really good info! I'd rather have an alum. rear swingarm anyway and I'll bet there are quite a few of them around on Ebay too. Thanks for the lead...I'll look into that. :)

[Aussieduner]

89 TRX swinger went straight into my 250r with no fuss.

Aussie

[thebutelr]

fyi, I put a 89 TRX swinger on my 85 350x. I had some spacers made to put on the outside of the front pivot point, because the origional spacers & seals made it a bit to wide for the 350x frame. After that all I did was weld the origional bracket that I cut from the R frame on the X frame the one that holds the steel link to the bottom frame tube. The shorter TRX aluminum swingarm is still about 1 1/2" longer than the stock X swinger. If you made a spacer to fit correctly between the seal cups on a 85-86 steel swinger it could be made to work also.

Do you have any pics you can post of this mod?

[Jason Hall]

I sold the X with the swinger on it about 2 years ago. I kick myself everyday, mostly cause I sold it to cheap :cry:.