gdr ready

[Michael Silverstein]

I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't in it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight about 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts should last forever. Thanks, Mike A18 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.3/66 - Release Date: 8/8/2005

[Arden Kysely]

You can just go the easy route and buy better bolts. I'm a lightweight and don't do much two-up, but went with the Big Cee kit for peace of mind when I'm in the back of beyond with a load of camping gear. __Arden --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Silverstein" wrote:

> I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm > considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart

isn't in

> it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight

about

> 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a > passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the > ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts > should last forever. > > Thanks, Mike A18 > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.3/66 - Release Date:

8/8/2005

[Eric L. Green]

On Tue, 9 Aug 2005, Michael Silverstein wrote:

> I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm > considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't in > it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight about > 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a > passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the > ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts > should last forever.

Uhm, no, that's not light duty. I've heard of people snapping their subframe bolts with much less of a load. However, a simple hi-grade bolt replacement should suffice, the 'drill all the way thru the frame' upgrade, in my opinion, is overkill. This is literally a case of removing four bolts and replacing them with better bolts, requiring no tools other than a socket set and a set of metric allen sockets. (A torque wrench is a good thing too).

[ron criswell]

I'd replace them. There are stories of some who have had to zip tie / wire the thing back together in the boonies because they failed. And with you being 200 pounds plus passenger plus an occasional jump. Criswell

On Tuesday, August 9, 2005, at 08:17 AM, Michael Silverstein wrote: > I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm > considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't > in > it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight > about > 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a > passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the > ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts > should last forever. > > Thanks, Mike A18 > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.3/66 - Release Date: 8/8/2005 > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > >

[Michael Silverstein]

Thanks to all who replied. Replacing the bolts shouldn't be as time consuming as drilling out the holes and sounds like it should be good enough. Mike A18 ...........................

> From: Ron Criswell [mailto:roncriswell@...] > > I'd replace them. There are stories of some who have had to zip tie / > wire the thing back together in the boonies because they failed. And > with you being 200 pounds plus passenger plus an occasional jump.

...........................

> [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Eric L. Green > Uhm, no, that's not light duty. I've heard of people snapping their > subframe bolts with much less of a load. However, a simple > hi-grade bolt > replacement should suffice, the 'drill all the way thru the frame' > upgrade, in my opinion, is overkill. This is literally a case > of removing > four bolts and replacing them with better bolts, requiring no > tools other > than a socket set and a set of metric allen sockets. (A > torque wrench is a > good thing too). >

-- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.3/66 - Release Date: 8/8/2005

[Tengai Mark Van Horn]

On an all-interstate hwy trip on my Tengai to Daytona from PA five years ago, I had one bolt vibrate out and the other one sheered off. The tension from the lower bolts and the carb boot are the only things that kept my subframe from dropping onto the rear tire. I managed to back out the sheered bolt and replaced all bolts with grade 12.9 and blue Loctite. On my other KLRs which see more duty, I have the BigCee 'drill through the frame' kit. Mark At 11:17 AM -0400 8/9/05, Michael Silverstein wrote:

>I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm >considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't in >it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight about >200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a >passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the >ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts >should last forever.

[pete88chester]

Replacing the sub-frame attaching bolts with higher-grade bolts does help in that the higher-grade bolt is less likely to shear. The problem is that it does not address the primary design flaw. With the stock design, particularly on the upper bolts, the threaded part on the main frame is flush with the edge where the sub-frame bolt goes through. This means that the bending & shear forces at that point act on the bolt at the reduced diameter of the tread area of the bolt. Also since the bending force is acting at the root of the thread it is concentrated over a smaller area & more likely to cause fracturing. Kawasaki could have elevated this problem if they had recessed the threaded part on the main frame & used bolts with a short unthreaded shank that would have bridged this connection of the main & sub-frame. In my opinion the best way to insure the problem is fixed is to use the Big Cee or Dual Star kit in which you drill the hole in the main frame completely through & run the plain shank high grade bolt completely through. It may be 4 times as expensive & be a little more work, but if your frame breaks in the middle of nowhere it is worth it. Pete Chester A16 --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Silverstein" wrote:

> Thanks to all who replied. Replacing the bolts shouldn't be as time > consuming as drilling out the holes and sounds like it should be

good

> enough. > > Mike A18 > > ........................... > > From: Ron Criswell [mailto:roncriswell@s...] > > > > I'd replace them. There are stories of some who have had to zip

tie /

> > wire the thing back together in the boonies because they failed.

And

> > with you being 200 pounds plus passenger plus an occasional jump. > ........................... > > [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Eric L. Green > > > Uhm, no, that's not light duty. I've heard of people snapping

their

> > subframe bolts with much less of a load. However, a simple > > hi-grade bolt > > replacement should suffice, the 'drill all the way thru the

frame'

> > upgrade, in my opinion, is overkill. This is literally a case > > of removing > > four bolts and replacing them with better bolts, requiring no > > tools other > > than a socket set and a set of metric allen sockets. (A > > torque wrench is a > > good thing too). > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.3/66 - Release Date:

8/8/2005

[dooden]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Silverstein" wrote:

> I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm > considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't in > it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight about > 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a > passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the > ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts > should last forever. > > Thanks, Mike A18

Maybe pull them out and make sure they are not bent, reapply Red Loc-Tight and torque to spec. What it cost me I replaced them, since I was ordering other things from the Late Jake at the same time. The idea or drilling out the frame to put laonger bolts seems to me... ummm overkill, but replacing the bolts with better grade was a simple thing to do, one at a time and lots of red loctight... Dooden A15 Green Ape

[Ramey]

The subframe of the KLR has a weakness in attachment. The upper bolts are the main prob. If they loosen at all the sub frame cuts them off to failure. A field fix is very diffulcult. I've done 3 drill through upgrades. Using the original threaded holes as a guide, drill on through to the other side. If a 5/16 bolt is used, it'll be fine. There could still be a bolt failure, with the frame drilled through a field fix is doable. Some use 3/8, or metric equiv., I think thats a bit much. 5/16 gives a little more slack for misalignment. Cost is about 6-9 bucks for a long bit and the bolt. Could use a short bit from both sides. never tried that. Zac -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Eric L. Green Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 8:42 AM To: Michael Silverstein Cc: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Subframe bolt failure rate

On Tue, 9 Aug 2005, Michael Silverstein wrote: > I replaced the doohickey as a precautionary measure and now I'm > considering replacing the subframe mounting bolts, but my heart isn't in > it. Do they fail often or only under extreme duress? I only weight about > 200lb but occasionally double that weight on short trips with a > passenger. I don't usually jump the bike higher than two feet off the > ground. Somebody please tell me that this is light duty and the bolts > should last forever. Uhm, no, that's not light duty. I've heard of people snapping their subframe bolts with much less of a load. However, a simple hi-grade bolt replacement should suffice, the 'drill all the way thru the frame' upgrade, in my opinion, is overkill. This is literally a case of removing four bolts and replacing them with better bolts, requiring no tools other than a socket set and a set of metric allen sockets. (A torque wrench is a good thing too). Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links

[Eric L. Green]

On Tue, 9 Aug 2005, Ramey wrote:

> The subframe of the KLR has a weakness in attachment. The upper bolts are > the main prob. If they loosen at all the sub frame cuts them off to failure.

Two words: Red Loc-tite. Between the Loc-tite and the fact that I upgraded my bolts to top-grade bolts, I'm not worried. -E