Windscreen / Dash Stay Cracked (2015 FJ-09)

[keithu]

Sounds good, keep us updated.

[micah2074]

Well, mines not cracked but i'm a bit bummed out now. I thought i had come up with a super simple fix. I have never noticed the upper tubes.

[koth442]

14 hours ago, micah2074 said:

Well, mines not cracked but i'm a bit bummed out now. I thought i had come up with a super simple fix. I have never noticed the upper tubes.

Happens to the best of us.

[keithu]

15 hours ago, micah2074 said:

Well, mines not cracked but i'm a bit bummed out now. I thought i had come up with a super simple fix. I have never noticed the upper tubes.

The all thread through the lower tube is almost certainly a good idea for anyone who has large aux lights and the Adventuretech bracket, which I do. So although it doesn't fix the original problem, it's still a valuable tip.

[2and3cylinders]

Well, I had an idea to reinforce the upper fairing stay / bracket tube, unfortunately I had a brain cramp,  As you see in these photos I had already replaced the screen adjustment locking mechanism with a bicycle quick-release axle, including a tube spacer between the stay side fins so when the axle flip-lock clamps the two side fins don't bend inward.

I reinforced the upper fairing stay tubes on each side of the side fins with plumber's epoxy putty, essentially creating reinforcing "bosses".  Where I screwed up was I forgot to temporarily install the left and right screen sliding brackets and slide them down to their lowest position, creating a slot in the epoxy putty before the outer bosses hardened.  BIG mistake!  I then had to whittle down the epoxy with a ultrasonic multi-tool with a scraper blade and a razor knife.  It was tough, took a lot of time and patience, and a GREAT deal of care.  It turns out the epoxy bosses essentially had to be cut away on the top all the way down to the top of the lower stay tubes and a bit front and rear.  Jeez!  I will uses some high modulus and medium-high viscosity epoxy to coat the epoxy bosses where I cut them and their interface line with the outsides of stay side fins, then paint it all black, touching up the scratched steel side fins.

I then had an epiphany that maybe I could fabricate some brackets that connected the lower stay cross tubes with the stay side fins.  So with the 3/8" all-threaded rod run through lower tubes I used thick cardboard to create a template for the two reinforcing Z-brackets.  I cut some 3/16" thick x 7/8" wide aluminum bar a bit longer than needed, drilled a hole for the 3/8" end, bent that end, then bent the other end, nutted it in position and used the QD axle run through the tube to scribe an arc on the bracket for the axle hole. I then center punched and drilled the axle hole.  I had to play with my bends just a little but amazingly everything lined up!  I then fabed the other sides bracket using the first as a check template.  I may leave them unpainted but may smooth and radius the corners of the end cuts.  Note the sliding screen brackets are shown in their upper and lower positions.

I think the epoxy bosses, which connect to each other below the side fins, will help reinforce as well as change the natural harmonic frequency of the tube and side fins, and the Z-brackets should impart some significant supplemental support to the upper cross tubes / side fins.  To address the fore-aft rocking of the screen inherent in all 15 ~ 17 FJ-09 I've checked, I've been using 1/2" thick x 2" wide 90 durometer neoprene closed-cell foam wrapped in vinyl and folded in half that serve as damping / support blocks between the back of the plastic screen piece and the plastic shrouds in front of the instrument pod.

I think my Z-brackets will definitely help but it may possibly be at least in part sort of like trying to pull yourself off the ground with your boot straps.

I know the upper tubes had some hairline cracks but had not split- fractured, and maybe even the lower tubes also have some hairline. I cleaned the paint well but did not remove it, so the bond of the epoxy will only be as good as the paint's adhesion to the steel.  It does seem all to be adhered to the steel pretty well, though with dynamic loads and vibration, we'll see...

I evaluated removing and welding steel gussets and weldments to reinforce both the lower and upper tubes, and may do so to a new stay if my in-place fix is a fail...  😔

It's unfortunate that Yamaha designed and manufactured such a lousy screen support / adjustment assembly!

[keithu]

Interesting, thank you for the update. Although I wonder how much good the z-bracket does with the all-thread already through the lower stay.

[2and3cylinders]

The Z brackets support the upper part of the stay and cross tube and thus take the load off them and transfers it down to the lower tube which is reinforced with the through rod. Structurally it should impart a significant reduction in stress to the upper stay cross tube.

[micah2074]

On 3/6/2020 at 8:06 PM, 2and3cylinders said:

Well, I had an idea to reinforce the upper fairing stay / bracket tube, unfortunately I had a brain cramp,  As you see in these photos I had already replaced the screen adjustment locking mechanism with a bicycle quick-release axle, including a tube spacer between the stay side fins so when the axle flip-lock clamps the two side fins don't bend inward.

I reinforced the upper fairing stay tubes on each side of the side fins with plumber's epoxy putty, essentially creating reinforcing "bosses".  Where I screwed up was I forgot to temporarily install the left and right screen sliding brackets and slide them down to their lowest position, creating a slot in the epoxy putty before the outer bosses hardened.  BIG mistake!  I then had to whittle down the epoxy with a ultrasonic multi-tool with a scraper blade and a razor knife.  It was tough, took a lot of time and patience, and a GREAT deal of care.  It turns out the epoxy bosses essentially had to be cut away on the top all the way down to the top of the lower stay tubes and a bit front and rear.  Jeez!  I will uses some high modulus and medium-high viscosity epoxy to coat the epoxy bosses where I cut them and their interface line with the outsides of stay side fins, then paint it all black, touching up the scratched steel side fins.

I then had an epiphany that maybe I could fabricate some brackets that connected the lower stay cross tubes with the stay side fins.  So with the 3/8" all-threaded rod run through lower tubes I used thick cardboard to create a template for the two reinforcing Z-brackets.  I cut some 3/16" thick x 7/8" wide aluminum bar a bit longer than needed, drilled a hole for the 3/8" end, bent that end, then bent the other end, nutted it in position and used the QD axle run through the tube to scribe an arc on the bracket for the axle hole. I then center punched and drilled the axle hole.  I had to play with my bends just a little but amazingly everything lined up!  I then fabed the other sides bracket using the first as a check template.  I may leave them unpainted but may smooth and radius the corners of the end cuts.  Note the sliding screen brackets are shown in their upper and lower positions.

I think the epoxy bosses, which connect to each other below the side fins, will help reinforce as well as change the natural harmonic frequency of the tube and side fins, and the Z-brackets should impart some significant supplemental support to the upper cross tubes / side fins.  To address the fore-aft rocking of the screen inherent in all 15 ~ 17 FJ-09 I've checked, I've been using 1/2" thick x 2" wide 90 durometer neoprene closed-cell foam wrapped in vinyl and folded in half that serve as damping / support blocks between the back of the plastic screen piece and the plastic shrouds in front of the instrument pod.

I think my Z-brackets will definitely help but it may possibly be at least in part sort of like trying to pull yourself off the ground with your boot straps.

I know the upper tubes had some hairline cracks but had not split- fractured, and maybe even the lower tubes also have some hairline. I cleaned the paint well but did not remove it, so the bond of the epoxy will only be as good as the paint's adhesion to the steel.  It does seem all to be adhered to the steel pretty well, though with dynamic loads and vibration, we'll see...

I evaluated removing and welding steel gussets and weldments to reinforce both the lower and upper tubes, and may do so to a new stay if my in-place fix is a fail...  😔

It's unfortunate that Yamaha designed and manufactured such a lousy screen support / adjustment assembly!

This thread made me paranoid. I've done something similar. I'll post pics tomorrow.

[micah2074]

I have a piece is stainless all thread run through the bottom tube. The upper tube is tied into the lower with clamps and the aluminum pieces. It is more sturdy. I think the bracket gets over stressed because the windshield adjuster loosens up; usually on the left side. The bracket then twists a little from the wind pressure. Make sure you keep the adjusters tight. 

[keithu]

19 hours ago, micah2074 said:

I have a piece is stainless all thread run through the bottom tube. The upper tube is tied into the lower with clamps and the aluminum pieces. It is more sturdy. I think the bracket gets over stressed because the windshield adjuster loosens up; usually on the left side. The bracket then twists a little from the wind pressure. Make sure you keep the adjusters tight. 

I was thinking of doing something like this too.

[micah2074]

Eventually I’ll pull the flat aluminum pieces off and wrap them with some faux carbon fiber vinyl. 

[keithu]

I did something similar here. I already have allthread through the lower stay, so I used 1/2" loop clamps and some aluminum to tie the upper and lower stays together. No faux carbon fiber here, just black spray paint. 

[2and3cylinders]

FYI, When I adequately tension my QD bicycle axle screen adjuster clamp the screen is now rock solid with none of the fore-aft movement inherent in the oem adjuster assembly.  The angle of my bracing struts between the upper screen brackets and lower all-thread reinforced cross tube really transfer the loads off the upper cross tube.  I think by epoxy bosses also help up there too.

[piotrek]

Exactly 5 years later... the replacement stay broke again 😒. Not quite as bad as the first one, from what I can see (still on the bike). I might be able to fix it this time... hopefully. Going to tear into this tomorrow and decide what to do.

I will have to be more selective/careful with my off-pavement adventures methinks.

 

[piotrek]

The welds gave up and the upper tube tore at the spine. I will hand this to a welder and have all the welds fixed/beefed up.

...will also add a brace.