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apex 90 long travel swing arm break
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Posted by: reed19889

we have a 08 apex 90 long travel a couple weeks ago we were unloading our apex to get it ready for our race for the day when we noticed a break in the swing arm by bearing carrier below the top gusset weld on left. after researching for a swing arm discovered other people have same problem.. So please just be aware and check your swing arm so this does not happen to you. We were at the nationals this weekend and discovered that the group besides us there apex broke its swingarm also. i have heard about t his problem before and thought the 08 had upgraded swing arm but i was wrong.

Posted by: Blazer25

Do you know if this affects the 09's?

Posted by: reed19889

i dont know just keep your eye on it just incase

Posted by: FISH ON!

Can you post a PIC of the break? We have an '09 and have been very pleased and it's taken some good beatings between MX and XC. Bottom line is both brands are subject to failures but in STOCK form the new Apex is without a doubt, better. We had the fortune (and misfortune --- theft) to own both new models (DRR and APEX) and APEX clearly has made many improvements to the stock race platform over DRR. Yes DRR has the cutomer support edge largely thanks to guys like Gary Fallon and Marc Smith. BTW the new 09 APEX is gussetted from the factory which is great for those folks who don't have the time/money or talent to send one off for gussetting. I don't know if your '08 is or not.

Posted by: reed19889

i will take some picts and put on the 08 are gusseted but just on the top of swingarm i believe it started to break on the bottom also it broke up on theright side were chain guard goes on swingarm

Posted by: gorpracing

So we are on summer break from Worcs racing on the west coast. We clean the bike (90&70) both stock and what do we fined. The 70 had the beam on the sproket side broken all the way around and the break side cracked on the bottom. Wow that was a close one for my son. Then the 90 was cracked on the sprocket side on three sides. This one we fixed. I am learning to tig weld so it was a good project. Should hold till I can buy a second chromoly one from Apex. My boy hammers the 70 more so then his 90. We live in the desert north of las vegas( behind Josh Fredrick). So yes check the swing arm closely.

Posted by: sickairseth

Yes a pic of the problem area would be appreciated. I go over my boys' 50 with a fine tooth comb after every race and haven't found any breaks yet, but a look at a common problem area would be a big help. I have just learned to put a mark on every nut and bolt with a paint pen, cuz just about everything that could come loose, has.

Posted by: mmsoup

My daughter races GNCC and her 2009 90MXR LT swingarm broke completely in front of the bearing carrier on both tubes at the weld in the middle of a local hare scramble three weeks ago. I ordered a DC LT Roundhouse swinger from Gary and it has already arrived. No Zerk fitting installed and will need to drill mounting holes for the Chain Tensioner as well. I thought ahead and ordered new bushings and dust caps seperately.
I spoke with APEX and came to the conclusion that the OEM swinger just isn't substantial enough for racing purposes. XC or for certain aggressive MX.
The DC swinger looks and feels substantial. I run Houser suspension and frame parts on my quad and this part seems just as dense. Will report back after a race or two.

Posted by: Blazer25

Looks like the 09 Apex swing arms are included...my daughter broker hers this weekend during practice. I still wouldn't mind seeing pictures of those who broke theirs. I'm curious to see if it is in the same spot.

Also, for those who chose to repair their swing arms, did u put any reinforcements on it and how did it hold? Pics of your repairs/reinforcements would be great.

Posted by: reed19889

here is one pict

Posted by: Blazer25

Thanks for the pic. My daughter broke hers on the other side of the gusset. It cracked down the side of the swingarm. On the bottom of the swing arm, the crack follows the shape of the gusset and half way up the other side. Definately a different spot. That's not a good thing, now I have to worry about it cracking where your's did too. Ugh...may have to invest into an aftermarket one....$$$$$$$

Posted by: mmsoup

I already disposed of my daughters swingarm, but it broke about an inch up from the bearing carrier on BOTH tubes. they cracked and separated. By the time we got the quad off the track and back to the pits both had snapped. Consequently we had two parts instead of one.
She is 112 lbs and tall (12 years old) riding GNCC and in this case, a local hairscramble. The swingarm had roughly 4-6 races on it at the time.
I am in the manufacturing business and we occasionally use Chinese steel components. The biggest concern we have with them is soft steel. These OEM swingarms are not sufficiently hard/strong enough to withstand the abuse of racing, particularly with a larger child.
We bought her a DC arms swing arm and it appears to be OK. Problem #2 came when I went to assemble the new arm She also bent her shock when the OEM swingarm failed.
This is a shame because we have to run that shock for class reasons. I do not want unsafe or dangerous components under my child for any reason.

Posted by: reed19889

OUR SHOCK BENT ALSO

Posted by: markp95

Well another broken swingarm. My grandson raced the Mid-East Hare Scramble race today in South Carolina. After the race we noticed the swingarm was cracked all the way around right in front of the bearing carrier. We are going to the GNCC race in New York Thursday. Will have to have it welded by then.

Posted by: reed19889

Make sure you also check around chain slide goes over swing arm ours also broke there just look it over real good we did not notice that break until we ripped it apart

sounds like i was not the only one with bad luck on the swingarms we were parcting the night before races and when we went to get it out of truck at races noticed break so atleast you noticed it early

Posted by: Blazer25

Got another crack in the swing arm this weekend.

Posted by: gagebear

mxr90lt 2009 Looked at my sons swingarm the other day and it was {badly} cracked. it had 9 races on it.We built gussets on it to help reinforce it. I was really surprised on how thin the metal was in the swingarm.I strongly advise anyone who races an apex to beef up the swingarm or if affordable buy an aftermarket one. Keep the kids as safe as possible. DAD #76 YFZ450R MOM #29 YFZ450 SON# 21 APEX 90 DAUGHTER#77 APEX90 TEAM BURGESS RACING!!!!!!!

Posted by: Blazer25

I agree. The guy who welded ours said the metal is very thin. The Apex was suppose to be built for racing, so they should not have gone cheap on the materials to make it. They take a beating, so they need to make a machine that can withstand the abuse.