Painting the swingarm while it's still on the bike

[katana_j]

This question might seem sort of stupid,but i was wondering if anyone has ever painted or attempted to paint their swingarm while it was still on the bike?Are there any do's and don'ts that should be followed?

[WildKat]

We've got more than a few avid members who do their own painting...although myself not being one, I'd think it'd be quite difficult if not next to impossible, to get around the wheel to try and do a thorough job. It's hard enuff to shine it up when detailing your bike in general with it installed.

[masrapido]

I painted a little visible area (batterie acid) of my swingarm a few years ago and only had to mask right the zone around. But the whole swingarm... dont know..

[BraadaJim]

Well, you can do it but I suspect it would not be the easiest venture in the world. You are obviously going to want to pull the wheel and brake arm off and then mask it out carefully getting back as far as you can into the areas that are "inside" the bike.

Sanding will be a lot harder since you are going to be limited in the room you have to move and you might want to go ahead and pull all of your bodywork to avoid hours of taping to prevent overspray.

IMO you are much better off to just pull it out to do it right. Chances are that your bearings are ready for replacing anyway if your bike is a pre98 and once you get the wheel off there are literally only about 5 bolts that hold the rear suspension together.

If you just don't have the time,space, or knowledge to pull it out then tape carefully and sand out ALL the rust before you lay the first drop of paint or you are just wasting your time.

[BeekMan]

Take it off...it's not that difficult and well worth the effort.

[irenekat]

well, with all that has been said..i just want to ask...what color u painting it anyway?

[SweetLou]

If you were painting only the outside of the swingarm, yeah, it COULD be done, but the whole swingarm, I don't know. There is to much stuff in the way, and everything needs to be very clean, and sanded before you paint, so I would say no, it just would not be feesable.

[WildKat]

Plus it'll be a learning experience taking it off and putting it on..so u'll be better off in the end, knowledge wise as well.

[duff daddy]

i was gonna say just take off the wheel and get a sheet and wrap the bike in that and then paint away bro

[katana_j]

I was going to paint the swingarm and my lower front forks with Dupli-color silver high performance wheel coating. I was asking because i realy don't have the tools or the space to totally dismantle the back end of my bike,That's why i was wondering about painting it while it was still on the bike,But it would be a good thing to dismantle it and paint it,And replace the rear bearings as well.

[ThAzKat]

I just finished painting mine. I took it all off. I pulled the brake arm and painted it and the strut bars for the shock. It depends on how many miles are on the bike as far as replacing the bearings. If the bike is pre98 then for sure replace the bearings. There is just as much work involved in trying to paint the swingarm still on the bike as there would be if you took it off. I am sure you can find someone near you that can supply the tools and maybe the space. If you do it right it should take a couple of days. We have members that live in Florida, check with them.

[BearKat]

Powdercoated black

[duff daddy]

Powdercoated black

-----what isnt?

[ThAzKat]

I like the black BearKat!
These guys like it too, search and you will find it.

http://www.sportbikerider.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=showthumbs&Category1_ID=All&Category2_ID=All&Category3_ID=All&Since=1%20Day

http://www.sportbikerider.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayit&Picture_ID=21126

I think this says it all!

[kahluamud]

I also suggest the dismantling idea, but want to let you know that I have tons of that same paint on my bike and I love it. It is very sturdy.