Getting mad at Madstad

[keithu]

I installed a 26" Madstad screen a couple of months ago and so far it has been a love-hate relationship.

What do I love? The clean airflow. This really is an aerodynamically superior screen to the National Cycle V-Stream. It's not loud, and opening my helmet at 75mph to drink some coffee is no problem.

What do I hate? "Hate" is a strong word, but I've now had three significant problems with the mounting system:

1. The brackets were assembled backwards from the factory. Using photos in their instructions I was able to figure it out and re-assemble them correctly. It's a good thing I built all those Lego kits when I was a kid.

2. The knob adjusters consistently worked themselves loose. I finally fixed this by putting Locktite on the knob threads.

3. Today, 349 miles into a 354 mile ride this happened. The bottom two rubber mounting screws popped out of their holes in the screen bracket. I'm lucky the whole thing didn't come loose at 80mph and take my head off.

Maybe I didn't have them tight enough, I don't know. Their instructions were adamant about not over-tightening the rubber screws. I've added a couple of metal washers to the mount to prevent this, but if it happens again I'm shitcanning this whole thing. It seems like their mounting system just wasn't designed to handle the 26" screen.

[SKYFLIX]

Yeah, that's what it was. You didn't have them tight enough. I don't know why Madstad is so adamant about over tightening them. Make sure you tighten them enough to "crush" the rubber, so they won't pull through. I'm sorry to hear about your problems. I've had three different Madstads and I never had the brackets assembled backward. Somebody must have been having a bad day when they built yours. My adjustment knobs have worked loose on the Tracer, too. Like you, once I found where I wanted them to be, a little touch of blue threadlocker solved it. Also don't forget to tighten the lower nuts on each side, too. This will significantly stiffen up the assembly.

[2and3cylinders]

Holy shitola!  That probably gave you a sphincter clamping moment!  I'd make an irate call to Madsted but maybe you didn't tighten them enough; they can take a good bit.  They are called "well nuts", and either they are a bit too small or the hole in the bracket is over-size.  They come in a range of sizes, commonly from 4 mm thru 10 mm, a bag of 10 can be less than $10.  Sometimes you can plump them up by soaking them in Acetone.  Wrapping the well nut's OD with thin electrical tape may work.

Can you cut off the well nut so it only protrudes just through the screen and bracket, reach behind and place a hard rubber and then metal washer, then a Nyloc nut?

Rubber and/or fiber washers under the tightening kbobs should work too.

[keithu]

I do think the bracket holes are too big, which allowed the well nut to slip through. But the larger holes may be necessary for installation clearance. The washers I added between the bracket and well nuts have smaller holes so hopefully that solves the problem.

I don't want to make an angry call to Madstad. Stuff happens. I've had some irritations but I still believe this is a good product. I jut feel a little like field R&D right now. 🤪

[Soullancer]

Still waiting on my screen from madstad, send on may 28th....... 😔 

Send by ship instead of plans cause of covid. 

[Clem Fandango]

Apart from the incorrectly assembled bracket, all that sounds like user error to me.  

[HGP61]

I had a quick look at the rubber fittings on my Puig screen and it looks like these bolts are nowhere tight enough. mine are much more deformed at the end. (too dull today to take a decent picture of mine) End of the rubber mounting highlighted should be much more deformed and looks like they should be too easy to pull out..

[piotrek]

On 7/18/2020 at 11:14 PM, keithu said:

I do think the bracket holes are too big, which allowed the well nut to slip through.

Crank it tighter. I do check the well nuts occasionally and adjust as needed, but it is generally very secure.

The adjuster mechanism can be finicky, and the guide has to fall into the notched adjustment positions before you tighten the screen... or else it will loosen.

[SKYFLIX]

This is how tight I have mine. I've never had one pull through.

[2and3cylinders]

1 hour ago, SKYFLIX said:

This is how tight I have mine. I've never had one pull through.

Thatza spicy meatball!

[roadwarrior]

On 7/18/2020 at 4:14 PM, keithu said:

2. The knob adjusters consistently worked themselves loose. I finally fixed this by putting Locktite on the knob threads.

 

Sitting on the bike, my right hand side knob adjuster continually comes loose.  I don't want to Locktite it down because I do move the shield.

It's maddening...

[piotrek]

1 hour ago, roadwarrior said:

Sitting on the bike, my right hand side knob adjuster continually comes loose.  I don't want to Locktite it down because I do move the shield.

Would it be possible to install an internal tooth lock washer on there somewhere? These adjusters come apart by removing a circlip I think.

[tktplz]

15 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Sitting on the bike, my right hand side knob adjuster continually comes loose.  I don't want to Locktite it down because I do move the shield.

It's maddening...

Use liquid "White Out". We use it on copier screws we need to get loose again but that we need to stay tight until needed to get loose. Small bottle of white out will fit in the smallest tank bag or under the seat. 

[keithu]

11 months later here is the condition of the original Madstad mounting hardware. I replaced this garbage today with SS fasteners.

I still recommend the Madstad screens. But if you order one I recommend you invest in better hardware before install.

[piotrek]

6 hours ago, keithu said:

...I still recommend the Madstad screens. But if you order one I recommend you invest in better hardware before install.

Must be the coastal air, and/or a bad/incorrect batch of fasteners. Going on 3 years and fasteners on mine are clean.

Edited March 22, 2021 by piotrek