Rear swing arm swap on '96 Thunderbird 900?

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dearborn

Well-Known Member
Anybody ever swap a '95 Thunderbird swing arm, the one with the eccentric adjusters and pinch bolts in place of the cheaper, cheesier, slotted style item as used on all Thunderbirds 1996-on? The early 1995 T-birds had a number of cool features that disappeared as time went on= the eccentric adjusted swing arm which maintained wheel alignment during chain adjustment, which, I believe, is box section aluminum, not steel, the removable cover which allowed sprag clutch access without removing the engine, polished alloy items replaced with cheap chrome, or worse yet, plastic, etc. . The bikes became somewhat "de-contented" over the years, (other than the 6 speed gearbox).
Does anyone know if these two are interchangeable? Brake mounting, axle, etc, interchange?
 
I would think that most things would be interchangeable as all the models back then were the same basic bike but with different bits bolted on the different models styles , im not sure on the smaller details but all of the main things should fit .
 
I'm thinking swingarm pivot spindle and corresponding bushings/bearings, etc, caliper mount, rear axle and spacers, etc, may be main possibly different items. Trying to cross reference part numbers on available Triumph web sites is a HUGE PIA!!!!
Some website parts lists show 1996 and even 1997! with the box section swing arm and eccentric adjusters!
I was Triumph dealer mechanic in '95/'96 when Thunderbirds first arrived in USA. Only the 1995s had this style swingarm, (and the access to the sprag clutch!) ALL 1996 USA models I ever saw had the slotted style, round section swingarm assy.
Does anyone out there have a 1995 Thunderbird, (or later!), Thunderbird triple with the box section swing arm? Is it aluminum? Or steel?
EBay sellers want quite a bit of $$$ for the assembly, often with no return policy. I'd like to be reasonably sure items will interchange before I drop the $$$.
 

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