Help with some fabrication ideas for protective bits...

Ok not an SV question but this seems the best section as its a technical/ fabrication one.

I did this to my crash bars and the thick coat just chips away. Its actually v thick so difficult to smooth level with the adjacent unchipped areas (the more you sand down it still forms a lip), so I ended up not bothering too much and wacking some primer and paint on. (Im taking up the way it just cracked off with the manufactuer but thats another issue).



So, I was thinking about some protection for the protective bars

Im looking at getting some covers made up a little like this, i.e. made of ali with holes in it



Anyone know where I could get some made up to wrap around the bars at impact points, obviously need to be flexible to some how get it in and I need some method of attachement. I was also thinking about some ends for the handguards made of similar material but might make filtering mishaps a little more serious (a bit like blades on a chariot wheel ).

Originally Posted by Rich

So, I was thinking about some protection for the protective bars

Err, ok...

Some heavy duty heat shrink plastic should protect for most day to day scratches, but would look cack and not help in the event of a spill.

Originally Posted by Rich

Im looking at getting some covers made up a little like this, i.e. made of ali with holes in it

That's a cover to stop people touching hot stuff, rather than impact protection. I would say the heat shrink would work just as well but be a lot cheaper and easier to fit.

I know, but it may be a good way of stopping the continual damage to the bars from just sitting it down. I think the heat shrink could work in that you would juts strip it off each time it goes over. But i fancy ahving some made out of that nice holey metal.

[embee]

I've used shrink sleeving on some second hand crash bars I picked up cheap once. It is a good solution but of course it's limited to tubes with a free end you can slide it over, which a lot of crash bars don't have (welded to other tubes, brackets etc.)

A similar thing, I've used old washing machine drums as a source of perforated stainless for heat shields on hi-level trials type exhausts. Usually available from friendly scrap yards/council tips for a couple of quid. Easiest way of cutting the drums up is with a small angle grinder to get the relevant bits out. There's often only small areas of useful sheet though, once you work round the pressed ribs etc. Inspect before buying!

Simplest alternative would be silver hammerite, which hides a multitude of sins!

Originally Posted by embee

I've used shrink sleeving on some second hand crash bars I picked up cheap once. It is a good solution but of course it's limited to tubes with a free end you can slide it over, which a lot of crash bars don't have (welded to other tubes, brackets etc.

Good point.

How much do the crash bars cost? Maybe it's worth doing nothing except start saving for new ones?

My way of thinking here is that these crash bars are there to take some stick and so my solution is to come up with a semi-disposable cover to make them look cosmetically half decent as that (fingers crossed) will be most of the damage they get. Half a crash bar (if indeed that exists) is about £70. Not trivial just to keep things looking tidy and to prevent continual spraying to keep the rust away.

[BillyC]

Rich... if you owned a 4x4, you'd be claiming on the warranty when it got mud on the tyres!

It's a GS... if it doesn't get crap and scrapes all over it then you're not using it right!

Originally Posted by BillyC

Rich... if you owned a 4x4, you'd be claiming on the warranty when it got mud on the tyres!

It's a GS... if it doesn't get crap and scrapes all over it then you're not using it right!

Billy, once again your are a complete nob.

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by Rich

Billy, once again your are a complete nob.

Cheers mate

How about some pipe lagging and a bit of insulation tape?