What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[2and3cylinders]

19 hours ago, Clegg78 said:

Here is my "sump up armor" upgraded   Been thinking about this since I crumpled a sump protector and my sump last fall.  (I ordered all these parts back in Sept 25th, 3 days after I broke the sump!)

 The ingredients:

• SW-Motec Sump Guard.
• 4"x6"  1/8" Hot Rolled 304 Stainless Plate
• 6x6" 1/8" EDPM Adhesive Rubber (Good at high temps and chemically tolerant from oil etc...)
• 4x M5x14mm Zinc Plated Alloy Steel screws (Stronger than stainless screws)
• 4x 5mm Nyloc Nuts, and 4x 5mm Stainless washers

I drilled the stainless plate first and kept the bolts as far back at the rear as is reasonable to keep clearance from the sump, and the front inset 10mm from the front.   I threaded them with a 5mm tap.   I Used the stainless plate as a guide to drill the SW-Motec sump guard.  I Counter sunk the bottom holes and (and slightly the stainless plate to give clearance for the neck of the threaded part of the bolt). 

Everything came together well.   it does add maybe 1-1.5# to the sump guard but this is the lowest point in the bike so I am not worried about that.   The plate covers the entire low point of the sump and extends a few inches in front right to the back edge of the sump guard. 

The EDPM is there to blunt a hit,  if you hit a rock hard or crush the SW Motec Supports (they are supposed to), the sump guard will come into contact with the sump... I would like to soften that blow as much as possible to avoid cracking the sump.  1/8" of EDPM should do nicely with that.

 

I get why you did it but for street only riding other than very occasionally a very slow traverse of a well groomed short gravel road, and given no curb hoping, is anything more than MAYBE some .25" thick aluminum or phenolic honeycomb adhered to the top surface of the skid plate really necessary?

I haven't removed mine since I drilled the oil plug drain hole, though maybe I should check the fasteners next I change the oil... 🙂

[Clegg78]

37 minutes ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I get why you did it but for street only riding other than very occasionally a very slow traverse of a well groomed short gravel road, and given no curb hoping, is anything more than MAYBE some .25" thick aluminum or phenolic honeycomb adhered to the top surface of the skid plate really necessary?

I haven't removed mine since I drilled the oil plug drain hole, though maybe I should check the fasteners next I change the oil... 🙂

... Maybe?  1/8" hot rolled stainless is cheaper, easier to work with, and more stable than the honeycomb.  Also it has better mechanical properties for spreading out an impact over a larger area.  I am using the method of failure from the rock hit last year, its clear how the rock damaged the plate, how the plate actually helped the rock stay in line and take out the sump.  This plate would do the opposite as the sump guard deforms.    Yeah you could add an aluminum plate.  But again, those are more expensive than the stainless plate (if you are using anything other than shit grade aluminum). 

I didn't do this because of what I normally encounter, I did this because I don't want to encounter the one perfect hit like I did already.    And I do ride a lot of dirt/gravel roads that have some interesting stuff on them. 

Also total time to do this was 1 hour start to finish with a drill press, and a tap.  Easy, simple, and I wont need to look at it again   

Edited May 19, 2021 by Clegg78

[1moreroad]

23 hours ago, roadrash83 said:

 I was able to get on the GT today and ride it for the first time in 2 months, since having surgery. The bike ran great, but I did stop at the T-shirt Company Dealer and put a $100 deposit down on a Pan America. It's the only way the local dealer will give test rides, so I have first right of refusal on the very first one the dealer gets. The GT is not going anywhere and I'm not stupid enough to buy any HD product  in it's first model year.

Glad you were able to get back on the bike. At the Memphis, TN, dealers if it doesn't say FLXH (or whatever letters) or the word Ultra, you wouldn't know it exists. 

No mention of the Pan America anywhere on their websites. One of the dealers advertised 1 Livewire right when it came out, but I can't find any reference to that now, either. 

[2and3cylinders]

8 hours ago, Clegg78 said:

... Maybe?  1/8" hot rolled stainless is cheaper, easier to work with, and more stable than the honeycomb.  Also it has better mechanical properties for spreading out an impact over a larger area.  I am using the method of failure from the rock hit last year, its clear how the rock damaged the plate, how the plate actually helped the rock stay in line and take out the sump.  This plate would do the opposite as the sump guard deforms.    Yeah you could add an aluminum plate.  But again, those are more expensive than the stainless plate (if you are using anything other than shit grade aluminum). 

I didn't do this because of what I normally encounter, I did this because I don't want to encounter the one perfect hit like I did already.    And I do ride a lot of dirt/gravel roads that have some interesting stuff on them. 

Also total time to do this was 1 hour start to finish with a drill press, and a tap.  Easy, simple, and I wont need to look at it again   

1/2 or even 3/8" aluminum honeycomb should distribute impact pretty well if the aluminum skins are doubled-up.

Just my opinion...

[riding_tall]

Had an OH NO not again .. WEW moment.  lucky it was at the very shallow angle that it looks like and it did not go through.

 

[2and3cylinders]

Did it go through

[Clegg78]

I took the bike in the first leg of a 7 day trip.  Did 20 mi on dirt/gravel in the mountains , one grade was 18% on gravel  in victor, co today. I am an old mining town geek and this is neat place. 

 

The Ohlins suspension was unreal good on the dirt and even better on the asphalt.  Effortless in all conditions.  I did spend a few hours and a few rides doing tuning of the suspension fully loaded and it paid off.   Quick short day today… but back to back 375-400mi days to get me to Monument Valley to see the full moon with some Navajo guides in the valley

Edited May 25, 2021 by Clegg78

[2and3cylinders]

Really cool 

But it looks dry

Temps day n nite, forecast?

[1moreroad]

13 hours ago, Clegg78 said:

I took the bike in the first leg of a 7 day trip.  Did 20 mi on dirt/gravel in the mountains , one grade was 18% on gravel  in victor, co today. I am an old mining town geek and this is neat place. 

I think this needs its own thread. Don't bury this in a 500+ page thread about mechanical work!

[draco_1967]

Colorado is such a great place to ride!

I finished up the chain replacement (I was out of town for a week), and buttoned things back up. Having the lift is so amazing! I won't have to crawl around on my garage floor doing maintenance again! I went for a short ride to pick up dinner, and the +2 teeth in the rear seems to make the front end lighter 😁

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, 1moreroad said:

I think this needs its own thread. Don't bury this in a 500+ page thread about mechanical work!

+1

[bowlin01]

Fitted my 'Summer' screen, of course that means it'll be wall to wall sunshine from now on! 🤣😂🤣

Edited May 26, 2021 by bowlin01

[petshark]

1 hour ago, bowlin01 said:

Fitted my 'Summer' screen, of course that means it'll be wall to wall sunshine from now on! 🤣😂🤣

Let's hope so 😎

Just a question; don't you get whistling and strange aerodynamics with the gps mounted above the screen?

[bowlin01]

1 minute ago, petshark said:

Let's hope so 😎

Just a question; don't you get whistling and strange aerodynamics with the gps mounted above the screen?

No, airflow is 'clean'.

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, bowlin01 said:

Fitted my 'Summer' screen, of course that means it'll be wall to wall sunshine from now on! 🤣😂🤣

Isnt

isn't your bike facing the wrong direction on your Limey street but the correct way if it were here in the US? LOL