Posts: 1288
Joined: 4/4/2015
Location: GBR
Trivial, I know, but for some reason it keeps coming back to me..
For as long as I can remember, manufacturers have assembled their bikes with the swing-arm pivot bolt inserted from the right, with the nut on the left.
I’ve noticed they’ve (noticed on Honda) started doing it the opposite way around.
Any ideas why? 
The above may be fact or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting. I am not sure, you have no chance.
Posts: 122
Joined: 7/8/2008
Location: Bensalem, PA USA
Looks like the new Honda way you do not need to remove the brake pedal to get the swingarm bolt out
Posts: 1288
Joined: 4/4/2015
Location: GBR
TheCRKid wrote:
Looks like the new Honda way you do not need to remove the brake pedal to get the swingarm bolt out
Good theory.
But do you need to remove the brake pedal to get a socket on it? (Honestly can’t tell from that photo.)
Late model CRF owners??
The above may be fact or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting. I am not sure, you have no chance.
Posts: 129
Joined: 5/18/2010
Location: Brick, NJ USA
My guess is you would have to ask some sort of structural engineer who built that frame. Almost the same as motor mount or linkage bolt directions. Might be something with the amount of torque / flex / that the frame and bolt work in conjunction with.
I see lots of rear wheels with axles in backwards and I'm sure maybe on some sort of engineering level it makes a difference, but to the normal rider it doesn't affect anything.
Posts: 313
Joined: 11/10/2020
Location: Bostwick, FL USA
TheCRKid wrote:
Looks like the new Honda way you do not need to remove the brake pedal to get the swingarm bolt out
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:
Good theory.
But do you need to remove the brake pedal to get a socket on it? (Honestly can’t tell from that photo.)
Late model CRF owners??
It looks like a small enough amount that just pushing the pedal down would create the clearance
Rent free...
Posts: 1288
Joined: 4/4/2015
Location: GBR
silver753 wrote:
My guess is you would have to ask some sort of structural engineer who built that frame. Almost the same as motor mount or linkage bolt directions. Might be something with the amount of torque / flex / that the frame and bolt work in conjunction with.
I see lots of rear wheels with axles in backwards and I'm sure maybe on some sort of engineering level it makes a difference, but to the normal rider it doesn't affect anything.
Yes I’ve seen documents regarding rear axle fitment in the past.
The theory is that with the rear axle nut on the right side, whilst tightening it up you’re pushing the wheel forward against the chain adjuster blocks.
Whereas with the nut on the left side whilst tightening it up you’ll be pulling the wheel rear wards effectively pulling the wheel out of true.
The above may be fact or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting. I am not sure, you have no chance.
Posts: 1511
Joined: 7/27/2016
Location: Snohomish, WA USA
TheCRKid wrote:
Looks like the new Honda way you do not need to remove the brake pedal to get the swingarm bolt out
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:
Good theory.
But do you need to remove the brake pedal to get a socket on it? (Honestly can’t tell from that photo.)
Late model CRF owners??hypermoto wrote:
It looks like a small enough amount that just pushing the pedal down would create the clearance
Yep, especially if the caliper was pushed on first to separate the pads.
Posts: 6410
Joined: 5/12/2012
Location: GBR
Posts: 9032
Joined: 7/6/2015
Location: Santa Clarita, CA USA
Ya this has messed with me too. Glad I'm not the only one.
2017 RMZ450
2005 YZ250-sold :,(
1998 YZ250
2005 KX250F
80% of the time it works every time
IG @hammerfamily_4 & @2HRacing
Thanks to : Factory Effex, N2Dirt, Acerbis, DT1, Fasthouse, Matix, FMF, ASV, 100% & Mika Metals
Posts: 3027
Joined: 10/1/2006
Location: AZ, USA
Vital riders who can feel the handling ruining effect of a skid plate and a 1ft/lb difference in triple clamp torque can also feel the massive improvement of the swingarm nut being on the brake side.
Powerband in every gear !
Posts: 14
Joined: 8/4/2015
Location: AUS
If you put the axle in back to front , catching the bolt in ruts and such can also start to undo the nut
Posts: 9032
Joined: 7/6/2015
Location: Santa Clarita, CA USA
lil717 wrote:
If you put the axle in back to front , catching the bolt in ruts and such can also start to undo the nut
I didn’t even think about that!
2017 RMZ450
2005 YZ250-sold :,(
1998 YZ250
2005 KX250F
80% of the time it works every time
IG @hammerfamily_4 & @2HRacing
Thanks to : Factory Effex, N2Dirt, Acerbis, DT1, Fasthouse, Matix, FMF, ASV, 100% & Mika Metals
Posts: 47
Joined: 3/16/2020
Location: AUS
My brother worked at Nakatomi Plaza in the swing arm frame assembly section, being a left handed he always installed the nut on the shifter side.
A while back he was promoted to the Electric MX bike division installing power bands, he was replaced by a short busty Nigerian woman who is right handed, she now puts the nuts on the brake side.
Now you know why you didn't really want to know the answer.
Posts: 3936
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
They've run artifical intelligence on all public mx tracks and realized more left hand turns. The weight bias from swapping swing arm bolt, actually drops 1 sec a lap over the competition
Posts: 313
Joined: 11/10/2020
Location: Bostwick, FL USA
Posts: 5715
Joined: 7/29/2015
Location: Plano, TX USA
The head of the bolt should always be where more pressure/force is expected. You are much more likely to shear off a nut then the actual bolt head. The threaded area of a bolt is significantly weaker then the smooth shaft and head.
This sound like a Hustler article. lol
Posts: 1288
Joined: 4/4/2015
Location: GBR
FGR01 wrote:
Vital riders who can feel the handling ruining effect of a skid plate and a 1ft/lb difference in triple clamp torque can also feel the massive improvement of the swingarm nut being on the brake side.
Half of the riders couldn’t tell you if they’ve got a rear wheel puncture! 😆
The above may be fact or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting. I am not sure, you have no chance.
Posts: 98
Joined: 3/2/2013
Location: Kent, WA USA
New Hondas are assembled in the southern hemisphere, therefore the axle goes in the opposite direction...
Posts: 3348
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
Thisusernameisavailable wrote:
Yes I’ve seen documents regarding rear axle fitment in the past.
The theory is that with the rear axle nut on the right side, whilst tightening it up you’re pushing the wheel forward against the chain adjuster blocks.
Whereas with the nut on the left side whilst tightening it up you’ll be pulling the wheel rear wards effectively pulling the wheel out of true.
You must have missed the update where it goes into detail on how all those factors change by just moving your tools 180 degrees in the axis.
Posts: 3348
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
Edited Date/Time:
TXDirt wrote:
The head of the bolt should always be where more pressure/force is expected. You are much more likely to shear off a nut then the actual bolt head. The threaded area of a bolt is significantly weaker then the smooth shaft and head.
This sound like a Hustler article. lol
When I imagine your post being read by Charlize theron, I keep breaking axle nuts
Posts: 208
Joined: 1/25/2014
Location: Sheridan, WY USA
silver753 wrote:
My guess is you would have to ask some sort of structural engineer who built that frame. Almost the same as motor mount or linkage bolt directions. Might be something with the amount of torque / flex / that the frame and bolt work in conjunction with.
I see lots of rear wheels with axles in backwards and I'm sure maybe on some sort of engineering level it makes a difference, but to the normal rider it doesn't affect anything.
Installing the Axle in backwards will require the triangle stand that comes with the bike to be inserted from the right (wrong) side of the bike...Most stands I've seen will not go in the threaded end...The hole is smaller ..But who uses the triangle stand that much...
Don't be a Pussy...
