gilberjj
Needs a job
Friend of Fast
Posts: 3196
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posted April 21, 2011 03:53 PM
Evil arm
Ive had several hesitations about doing this, but I feel potential clients should know. I would have appreciated knowing what I'm about to write before bought the arm, so here goes.
I ordered an evil 8-12" over chromoly swingarm. I chose a very basic arm, with a single axle adjuster. The price was good, and the service was great. I got the arm when I was told I would get it, and I'm very pleased with the look and quality. However the problems started as soon as I got it. It came with ZERO instructions. It was literally just an arm in a box.
Hmmmmm....
How hard could it be right?
The arm comes with what I perceived to be a spacer, but I did t k ow where it went, or which side it was supposed to go on. No worries, Ive done everything else on my bike, and I can figure it out.
When I got the stock arm off, I knew I would've appreciated some instructions. The front mount (that mounts to the bike) was skinnier then the stock arm, so I knew the spacer had to be mounted there. I struggled with finding the right combo of how to space the arm using the stock spacer and the provided spacer. After taking the arm on and off 3 times, I called evil and they quickly told me, pull the sleeve out of the stock arm, use the stock spacer on the chain side, and the provided spacer on the brake side. Great, everything lines up and it looks great.
Then, I go to mount up the rear wheel, and it was the easiest wheel install ever.... Because the arm is about .22" too wide!!!! I called evil again and they said measure at the air tank and it should be within 1/16" of the stock arm width. I measured, and it's right on the money, but where the wheel mounts is way wider (0.22" wider). I took the washer that sits behind the axle nut on the stock setup, and using that as a spacer puts it within 1/16" of an inch, but I'll still have to torque it down to remove all the slop.
As if that's not all, they don't provide mounting bolts and nuts to mount the provided brake arm to the brake caliper. That's simply an inconvenience, but as a business owner myself, I can't understand why they wouldn't provide 2 bolts and a nut, ratherthen having every single one of their customers research what will fit.
In closing, I post this in hopes that evil Swingarms will take 20 minutes to type up instructions, and take a trip to the hardware store to include all necessary hardware for the install.
Jorgen Gilbertson
  
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LeonidasZX14
Pro
Posts: 1277
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posted April 21, 2011 04:12 PM
Gilb,
First of all thanks for the post but I want to throw in my two cents. My Mcintosh came with the spacer just like the Evil and it also came with no hardware to mount the brake hanger. I found it strange as well. The chromoly arms are flexible as far as the tire mounting issue. My Mac has about 1/2 inch on each side when I mount the wheel too. Only tightening it to 100 ft pounds takes out the gap. I actually find it helpful to mount the rear wheel this way because it gives you much more clearance until it is torqued down. I don't remember mine coming with directions either.
____________
09' ZX14
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Shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted April 21, 2011 04:16 PM
 Edited By: Shane661 on 22 Apr 2011 00:17
I had to remove a bearing from my oem arm to use in the Adams, if I recall...pretty sure I didn't get instructions on that, either?? But was no big deal...
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted April 21, 2011 04:22 PM
hehe lol
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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smokinZX14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
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posted April 21, 2011 04:31 PM
quote:
hehe lol
He He He He He VMAX !!!!!
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Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted April 21, 2011 04:40 PM
Sounds like every other swingarm company....
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted April 21, 2011 04:52 PM
quote:
quote:
hehe lol
He He He He He VMAX !!!!!
you know it bro
vmax guys don't have these issues.. hehe
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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smokinZX14
Needs a life
Posts: 10197
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posted April 21, 2011 04:53 PM
My Mac arm fit like a glove and it came with all the parts to install ..Very easy to install... There was no gap when i installed the tire .. All the brake hanger parts were there , no need to go to home depo ..
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Smokin Performance Cycles..
Tampa Bay , FL .. Brocks Performance Dealer ..
Gen 2 ZX14R Best ET 8.43 , Best MPH 164.95
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted April 21, 2011 04:57 PM
Edited By: 1badzx12r on 22 Apr 2011 01:00
my evil arm was as bad or worst than jorgens .. i had to reem and clean powder coating to get bushings to fit into the arm ..
but i didn't get pissed until that chain adjuster bolt broke backing it out ...and evil no warranty their work ..
but the arm has been on the bike now for 2 years and has work flawless with no issues
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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01smokes
Needs a job
Posts: 2243
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posted April 21, 2011 05:06 PM
quote:
my evil arm was as bad or worst than jorgens .. i had to reem and clean powder coating to get bushings to fit into the arm ..
but i didn't get pissed until that chain adjuster bolt broke backing it out ...and evil no warranty their work ..
but the arm has been on the bike now for 2 years and has work flawless with no issues
+1 same damn thing happened to me as well i also had to clean out the powder coating for the booza arm
____________
PayPal, vigilart22@yahoo.com
Email, artvgl@yahoo.com
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gilberjj
Needs a job
Friend of Fast
Posts: 3196
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posted April 21, 2011 05:31 PM
Sounds like I need to STFU.... That or go into the swingarm business and provide simple but good service. Call me crazy, but I expect more...
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted April 21, 2011 05:38 PM
quote:
Sounds like I need to STFU.... That or go into the swingarm business and provide simple but good service. Call me crazy, but I expect more...
I'm with you on that one.
I wouldnt be suprised from someone like evil with it being a cheaper arm, but a company like Adams or a mac arm I would have thought they would step it up in that department.
Maybe brocks will start selling arms so he can set the customer service level.
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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Bently
Needs a life
2012 14r In Blue and no Mods!
Posts: 5428
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posted April 21, 2011 06:01 PM
I have no complaints from my evil arm and mine came with a sheet of paper telling me where to use the spacer they sent and I got my arm before you so maybe it got left out of your box somehow.
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted April 21, 2011 06:41 PM
quote:
Maybe brocks will start selling arms so he can set the customer service level.
i wasn't happy with my smeg fit ..
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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madnessracing
Pro
Vmax and Busa Beater
Posts: 1140
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posted April 21, 2011 07:17 PM
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
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Shorty's Performance
Team Madness Racing
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Bently
Needs a life
2012 14r In Blue and no Mods!
Posts: 5428
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posted April 21, 2011 07:20 PM
quote:
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
Yup I got a very nice arm that went right on with no issues. not one thing was fuggedd up with my evil arm.
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quick6
Expert Class
Posts: 257
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posted April 21, 2011 08:01 PM
just received my evil arm today(12-16) will be putting it on tomorrow, we will see how it goes.
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2006 zx14, fully dressed and sliding(Charlie Sheen)
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kawasakijockey
Pro
Posts: 1876
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posted April 22, 2011 05:44 AM
quote:
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
I hope they saturate the market,at least long enough to force the others to drive their prices down. They have gotten rediculously expensive over the years.
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Get on the shortbus boys 'cause its time to get schooled.
2007 ZX-14
1.38 60ft
9.03 @ 149mph
8.95 @153 small shot n2o
8.68 @160mph 5lbs boost
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gilberjj
Needs a job
Friend of Fast
Posts: 3196
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posted April 22, 2011 08:51 AM
quote:
quote:
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
I hope they saturate the market,at least long enough to force the others to drive their prices down. They have gotten rediculously expensive over the years.
The quality and build I'd the arm is very good, but I think they are still overpriced. Let's not kid ourselves. It's still just steel tubing. Adams, velocity, macintosh, and Trac are all out of their minds.
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1badzx12r
Needs a life
Posts: 8321
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posted April 22, 2011 08:59 AM
quote:
quote:
quote:
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
I hope they saturate the market,at least long enough to force the others to drive their prices down. They have gotten rediculously expensive over the years.
The quality and build I'd the arm is very good, but I think they are still overpriced. Let's not kid ourselves. It's still just steel tubing. Adams, velocity, macintosh, and Trac are all out of their minds.
correction .. the people that buy them are out of their minds
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI
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KillaKAW4LIFE
Expert Class
Posts: 348
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posted April 22, 2011 10:00 AM
quote:
quote:
quote:
quote:
You get what you paid for!! Theyre killing the swingarm market with their prices but I dont think theyre gonna be long enough if they keep selling fugged up arms!
I hope they saturate the market,at least long enough to force the others to drive their prices down. They have gotten rediculously expensive over the years.
The quality and build I'd the arm is very good, but I think they are still overpriced. Let's not kid ourselves. It's still just steel tubing. Adams, velocity, macintosh, and Trac are all out of their minds.
correction .. the people that buy them are out of their minds
I agree. And that goes for all motorcycle aftermarket parts. Heads, rods, exhaust, cams, swingarm, etc all cost $1000 each. Yet I can buy a full stroker kit for a car that includes all bearings, rods, piston, gaskets, and crank for $1500 ish.. bike business gouges us all. There is no reason that stuff should be that high.
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quick6
Expert Class
Posts: 257
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posted April 23, 2011 04:15 PM
well installed the evil arm last night, no instructions but pretty straight foward. smooth install. took the bike to the track today, it was warm, around 80-85 degrees. went my best time ever on hp. 1.28 60ft., 3.59 330ft, 5.55@125.42 mph. very pleased, going back tomorrow with the nos.
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2006 zx14, fully dressed and sliding(Charlie Sheen)
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted April 23, 2011 05:20 PM
That's a killer 60ft quick! How long do you have it set at?
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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quick6
Expert Class
Posts: 257
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posted April 23, 2011 05:25 PM
Edited By: quick6 on 24 Apr 2011 01:27
it is at 71 inches right now. i think max is 73. ive also added a vance&hines sidewinder and an adams 2 inch oil pan.
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2006 zx14, fully dressed and sliding(Charlie Sheen)
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jarhead
Expert Class
Posts: 418
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posted April 23, 2011 05:57 PM
One thing I might add, some feel it is easy and straight forward others find it more difficult. The difference is not the arm it is the installer. Smokin wrenches constantly, I would expect the install to go smooth for him but for someone who is just getting into bikes and does not have a mechanical background something like this presents it own set of problems. It would take no time at all for any of these companies to print up a decent set of directions, instead they just assume that we have done this before. I can install a digi-kill airshifter and dry kit with my eyes closed now since I have done several of them over the years, however, the first one I did was a nightmare that took over eight hours to install. And in muzzys defense the directions were not bad. A guy only has to fall on his face a few times with this stuff before he says screw it and finds a hobby that actually has customer service.
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