Rear subframe crack fixes (Gen 1)

So I went out to the bike this morning all geared up & ready to go. Tossed today's paper into the Shad top box and...hmmm...that's not good.

The box was moving vertically quite a bit and with noises that were not nice. Hmmm

Popped off the seat and, voila, cracks. :angry2: Now I've got to drive the f***ing cage. *mutter mutter mutter*

So tonight I get to rip off the subframe and take it to get welded back together--no need to spend dough on a new one when a rewelded and reinforced one would be stronger anyway.

Has anyone got pics of a repaired subframe that I can look at? Should I leave the subframe on and take the bike whole to a welder so that he knows where he can reinforce it without interfering with the plastic, Garauld's rack, etc.?

FWIW, I overload the hell out of the top box and have it mounted well back from where it should be so that the backrest works for my wife. I can't blame MamaYama about this. But need to get it fixed.

Thanks!!!

Rancho

One recent thread here.

And here (which is linked in the thread ionbeam included)

And https://www.mattwatkins.org/ibr/archives/28 here (which is linked in the thread ionbeam included)

Click to expand...

Matt - how's the stock rear rack working out over the long haul? I'm still using my 3 point Garauld to support the Peli. Still thinking about a 5 point mount, butt not sure about the strength/longevity of the factory plastique.

jwhite518 said:

Matt - how's the stock rear rack working out over the long haul? I'm still using my 3 point Garauld to support the Peli. Still thinking about a 5 point mount, butt not sure about the strength/longevity of the factory plastique.

Click to expand...

Over two years, an IBR, SPANK.....probably 40,000 miles and it's fine.

Ignacio said:

And here (which is linked in the thread ionbeam included)

Click to expand...

Excellent!

Bad news is that apparently I'm going to have to buy a new (salvage) subframe based on the comments about repairing a broken one versus reinforcing an unbroken one. Quick Google says $600 new.

Dialing for dollars at the salvage yards, I guess.

I'll just take the top box off and hack something together until I can get this fixed. No way I'm going to be commuting in the car for any length of time.

Thanks guys!

Rancho

double_entendre said:

Ignacio said:

And here (which is linked in the thread ionbeam included)

Click to expand...

Excellent!

Bad news is that apparently I'm going to have to buy a new (salvage) subframe based on the comments about repairing a broken one versus reinforcing an unbroken one......

Click to expand...

Huh? Read more thoroughly. I know I didn't say anything like that...and don't think that's the way the other link went. He had his badly damaged subframe repaired.

Fixing and upgrading an existing one is a better and cheaper way to go.

double_entendre said:

Bad news is that apparently I'm going to have to buy a new (salvage) subframe based on the comments about repairing a broken one versus reinforcing an unbroken one. Quick Google says $600 new.
Dialing for dollars at the salvage yards, I guess.

Click to expand...

These guys had one that I didn't buy. I bet they still have it.

www.stevescyclesalvage.com

Ignacio said:

Huh? Read more thoroughly. I know I didn't say anything like that...and don't think that's the way the other link went. He had his badly damaged subframe repaired.
Fixing and upgrading an existing one is a better and cheaper way to go.

Click to expand...

Nope, I bought a new (used) one. And (speaking of reading comprehension) you yourself said in my thread that with damage as bad as I had, reinforcing a new one would be preferable to patching the busted one.

We haven't seen pix of double_entendre's frame, so don't know how bad it is. Butt - I'd say if it's only cracked you could probably have it fixed. If it's broken clean off like mine was, get a new one.

jwhite518 said:

Nope, I bought a new (used) one. And (speaking of reading comprehension) you yourself said in my thread that with damage as bad as I had, reinforcing a new one would be preferable to patching the busted one.

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My bad. I thought you ended up just fixing the existing one because the fabber was that good.

jwhite518 said:

Ignacio said:

Huh? Read more thoroughly. I know I didn't say anything like that...and don't think that's the way the other link went. He had his badly damaged subframe repaired.
Fixing and upgrading an existing one is a better and cheaper way to go.

Click to expand...

Nope, I bought a new (used) one. And (speaking of reading comprehension) you yourself said in my thread that with damage as bad as I had, reinforcing a new one would be preferable to patching the busted one.

We haven't seen pix of double_entendre's frame, so don't know how bad it is. Butt - I'd say if it's only cracked you could probably have it fixed. If it's broken clean off like mine was, get a new one.

Click to expand...

LOL

Yay! I get 100% for reading comprehension. :yahoo:

Mom will be so proud. :biggrinsmiley:

I'll post some pics this evening and submit to the collective wisdom. I only glanced at it this morning and said to myself, "Self. That is not something you want to ride down the 405 this morning. Word."

JWhite, thanks for the pointer to Steve's. I'll give them a call. Mind if I ask what you paid for your used subframe?

Thanks!

Rancho

350 plus shipping. He was asking 4, we bargained.

Now that we know you can read, can you talk? Say this three times fast: Irish wristwatch. :lol:

jwhite518 said:

350 plus shipping. He was asking 4, we bargained.
Now that we know you can read, can you talk? Say this three times fast: Irish wristwatch. :lol:

Click to expand...

If I ever master that one I'm gonna make my wife very happy.

:lol:

Thanks for the insight on the pricing. I've called Steve's a few times, but keep getting a busy signal.

Rancho

Yeah, this ain't good. It's pretty definitively cracked all the way through. I'll probably hack something together--taking the top box off--so I can ride it to a fabricator for his opinion. My local Yammy dealer suggested a shop called Shirley Design in HB. Anyone heard anything good or bad about 'em?









Thoughts?

Rancho

Okies. Got the subframe back from the welder. IANAE, but it looks like he did a good job. Cost a smidge more than I wanted to pay ($125), but even so that beats buying a new or salvage subframe and reinforcing it after I bought it.

He welded back together the subframe, added a piece of aluminum to "close up" the box at the bottom and fabricated a couple of brackets that use the original bolt holes from the OEM grab rail that my Garauld rack doesn't use. I'm hopeful.

Piccies:

The bottom of the subframe:



And the brackets:



The hope on the brackets is that they triangulate the stress a bit and reduce the pressure on the <hackcough> crappy pot metal back end of the subframe. I need to buy some bolts for the installation, but that's easy.

Thanks again to y'all for the tips and pointers here and in PM. I really appreciate it. Once again FJRForum is da bomb.

:yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:

Rancho

double_entendre said:

And the brackets:

The hope on the brackets is that they triangulate the stress a bit and reduce the pressure on the <hackcough> crappy pot metal back end of the subframe. I need to buy some bolts for the installation, but that's easy.

Click to expand...

Most excellent. I am making similar brackets this weekend. Thanks for the pics. Here's hoping your subframe/Garauld setup lasts the life of the bike.

double_entendre said:

And the brackets:

<img src="https://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp80/double_entendreadv/DSC02212.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

The hope on the brackets is that they triangulate the stress a bit and reduce the pressure on the <hackcough> crappy pot metal back end of the subframe. I need to buy some bolts for the installation, but that's easy.

Click to expand...

Update please.

I'm wondering if adding gussets to the stock rear subframe and the garauld rack is the cure for the GenI rear subframe failures.

You've asked for updates on two different threads, so obviously this is a concern for you.

Keep in mind that nobody's cracked the subframe unless they removed the grab rails, unless I missed one somewhere. The grab rails are part of the structure of the rear rack, whether it's the stock rack or the Givi steel replacement. They are in tension to carry the load hanging out behind the bike. Also keep in mind that the entire load of a top case is behind the rear subframe's bulkhead, and without the bracing of the grab rails the rear bulkhead has no chance of carrying the load.

The corollary is apparently true, too. Those that have removed the grab rails have all suffered cracks or breaks in the rear subframe.

Not a design defect, but a result of modifying the structure without realizing that the modification is structural, if you see what I mean.

Why remove the grab rails? Well, if you remove the rear seat and the grab rails, you've got a lot of space for something, like an aux fuel cell, or whatever luggage you may want to put there. The rails narrow that space down a bit. Also, apparently that Garauld rack they're referring to required the grab rails be removed as it replaced the stock rack completely.

The cure for the subframe failures is to not remove part of the rear subframe, even if it doesn't look like it's part of the rear subframe.

"Keep in mind that nobody's cracked the subframe unless they removed the grab rails, unless I missed one somewhere."

You missed at least one. 2003, stock rack installed - broke into several little pieces.

Canadian FJR