Swingarm bearing cups were...
Swingarm bearing cups were also turned in-house.
Final grinding and finishing...
Final grinding and finishing of the bearing insets was done on a vacuum table to catch metal grindings, making for a clean workplace.
Once all the welding was finished,...
Once all the welding was finished, the frame, swingarm, and assorted tabs were laid out on the inspection table, awaiting component fitment.
Before it leaves the factory,...
Before it leaves the factory, every frame Rolling Thunder makes gets a motor, primary, and transmission installed to ensure proper fit.
...followed by installing...
...followed by installing the swingarm and cross-shaft.
The oil-tank clearance was...
The oil-tank clearance was checked next...
Next, the swingarm bearings...
Next, the swingarm bearings were installed...
...before checking swingarm...
...before checking swingarm offset with a ruler.
Following the installation...
Following the installation of the rear wheel, alignment was measured with a laser level pointed toward the rear tire.
The group consensus is that it's going to work. Spencer Racine, Sam Pileggi, and Skeeter Todd look on as machinist Todd takes measurements. Every angle and dimension was checked before the frame got the thumbs-up. Stay tuned for upcoming issues of HOT BIKE for the complete ground-up Hot Bagger build.