2006 Subframe Crack

I am not the most mechanically inclined, but I assume that this is a subframe crack from what I found in searching?

Anyone in SoCal/Los Angeles that could help me out with this? Suggestions?

tia

Tim

Yep. That's a crack.

Repair involves replacing ($$$$)

or removing the bodywork and electronics and welding.

Man that sucks! How much weight do you think caused the failure? A good aluminum welder can fix that right up... maybe even reinforce it.

Here is a link to a fix to this and the process:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=117800

Hope this helps...

I don't think it was weight necessarily. I have the Premiere rack with a big givi that is on it all the time nearly. It definitely bounces and flexes, even if I've never really loaded it heavy. I was watching it in shadow the other day thinking about it. I also put it up on the centerstand every night because of where I park and always grab that sides rail. I think it's a cumulative effect at this point after 40k miles. I love the rack, but I think it puts too much stress on the subframe over time. Little too late of an insight.

Your best bet is to check out the thread that 'Silver posted up and become friends with a fab shop that does aluminum repairs. Some racks cantilever out back and put a lot of stress on the sub-frame, which IMO is built pretty light to begin with.

--G

You grab the rail to put it up on the center stand??

BZZZZZZZZZZTTT!!!! Thanks for playing, what do we have for our player's parting gift, Don?

Yes, that's right!!! His formerly attached top case!!!!! Snapped right off at the subframe bulkhead!!!

Kidding aside, there's a handle under the left side of the seat, directly over the centerstand, where you grab the bike. If you're using the grab rail, you are seriously stressing the back of the bike, as shown by it being cracked only on that side. Top case weight would have done both sides.

(Hey, my vid has nearly 3500 views! Holy cow! Go to Youtube and search FJR centerstand and watch the first hit.)

wfooshee said:

You grab the rail to put it up on the center stand??

BZZZZZZZZZZTTT!!!! Thanks for playing, what do we have for our player's parting gift, Don?

Yes, that's right!!! His formerly attached top case!!!!! Snapped right off at the subframe bulkhead!!!

Kidding aside, there's a handle under the left side of the seat, directly over the centerstand, where you grab the bike. If you're using the grab rail, you are seriously stressing the back of the bike, as shown by it being cracked only on that side. Top case weight would have done both sides.

(Hey, my vid has nearly 3500 views! Holy cow! Go to Youtube and search FJR centerstand and watch the first hit.)

Click to expand...

I'm guilty too. Lucky for me, the plastic rail broke first..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Premiere "rack" really just a large flat plate that extends a cantilever load rear-ward? It doesn't actually use the bolts of the forward grab handles, like the Givi? Isn't that the rack?

sorry, but from an engineering point, that idea is just so wrong on so many levels.

Cantilever more weight, further aft, higher, without spreading the load, etc...

Nope, no surprise.

Again Topanga, sorry to hear.

So bad centerstand technique, wow that's really weak.

I am hoping someone from SoCal comes along here, I have no idea where to start in regards to welders.

Checkswrecks said:

...sorry, but from an engineering point, that idea is just so wrong on so many levels.

Cantilever more weight, further aft, higher, without spreading the load, etc...Nope, no surprise.

Again Topanga, sorry to hear.

Click to expand...

I, too, am sorry to hear of your issues. I'm not judging your centerstand technique, as I did it incorrectly for awhile as well.

I do want to let people know that ChecksWrecks is completely "spot on" correct. The part of the frame at the rear behind the junction of the upper and lower aluminum frames is just cantilevering past that point.

Anything you put back there behind that frame junction is making the frame bend like a diving board. If your life depended on that diving board not breaking, would you rather have one of our petite FJR riding ladies at the end of the diving board...or one of the imfamous El Robustos at the end of that diving board? (visuals aside)

It is not just bouncing around on bumpy roads...it is the weight back there that is the primary component. Bumpiness with little weight will not exceed the capacity of the bike's frame.

Many have successfully used top boxes on their bikes...and that is fine if you follow the recommendations. However, anything over that recommendation is eating into the safety factor built into the design of that frame component.

Obviously it's not going to break at 1 pound over the limit...but it will break eventually...and you found the limit...either from over loading or lift technique...doesn't matter to the aluminum what caused it. (though you might want to take a good look at the video)

Obviously, with all the weight back there...the dynamic loading effects from overloading plus bumpy roads will cause failure earlier because of the magnification of the load (like someone jumping up and down on the end of the diving board...instead of just standing there)

...that, combined with possible lower capacity due to aluminum metal fatigue (think: bending a paper clip back and forth...it may not break on the first bend...but it will eventually from repeated stressing even though you did not increase the load) may have caused failure.

Sorry about the long, seemingly pompous answer...your bike's frame is broken and you want it fixed...my answer has nothing to help you with that...however if you (or someone else reading this) understands better how the rear frame of the bike works...then maybe it will benefit someone somehow.

This may help you:-

Places for aluminum welding, near Topanga Canyon, Calabasas, CA

Mike's Portable Welding - 6 reviews - Place page

www.mikesportableweldingla.com - 21311 Lopez Street - (818) 713-0359

Aero-Cert Specialties - 1 review - Place page

www.aerocertwelding.com - 10061 Canoga Avenue - (818) 882-6606

A-S Precision Machining, Inc. - Place page

asprecision.com - 14708 Arminta Street - (818) 997-0295

K & J Welding and Machine Shop - Place page

www.kandjwelding.com - 4565 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles - (323) 932-6383

Marsh Weld-Craft - Place page

www.marshweldcraft.com - 5007 West Rosecrans Avenue, Hawthorne - (310) 676-2391

Quantum Welding - 2 reviews - Place page

maps.google.com - 434 North Moss Street, Burbank - (818) 339-2554

Venice Iron Works - 1 review - Place page

maps.google.com - 941 West Hyde Park Blvd, Inglewood - (310) 671-5940

This may be better -- link

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=aluminum+welding,+topanga+canyon,+ca+area&cp=41&pf=p&sclient=psy&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=aluminum+welding,+topanga+canyon,+ca+area&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=9e109416ad216412

^^^^^^^^Now there's a helpful post.

Indeed thanks for the links Rogdeb. I'll start in on that soon.

So the consensus is that having it welded is an acceptable solution that will hold up? Geezuss a replacement subframe is nearly 700 bucks looks like!

I have never taken a bike apart in my life (I know lame). Ugh, this should be interesting.

topanga said:

So the consensus is that having it welded is an acceptable solution that will hold up? Geezuss a replacement subframe is nearly 700 bucks looks like!

Click to expand...

Yes. I had mine beefed up while it was off.....here...and when I bought a new FJR I actually swapped subframes with the old improved one.

If you don't take off and have welded...there's supposedly a risk of frying a component on the bike.

no welding while subframe is on the bike...massive current may do something to your wiring.

That would be worse than a subframe crack...

Bring it down to the tech day in Torrance next weekend, I am sure you will be able to get lots of helpful advice...

R

Checkswrecks said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Premiere "rack" really just a large flat plate that extends a cantilever load rear-ward? It doesn't actually use the bolts of the forward grab handles, like the Givi? Isn't that the rack?

sorry, but from an engineering point, that idea is just so wrong on so many levels.

Cantilever more weight, further aft, higher, without spreading the load, etc...

Nope, no surprise.

Again Topanga, sorry to hear.

Click to expand...

It actually does use the bolts of the grab handles, because the grab handles aren't removed. The rack is just an adapter plate that sits on the stock rack, without changing the structure of the stock rack. The grab handles still reach forward and carry a load under tension, but they are nowhere near as strong as the Givi rack, which replaces the plastic stock rack and handles with steel tubes.

As far as cantilever goes, any load on the rack is cantilevered behind the subframe, which is why the grab rails are part of that structure.

Fairlaner said:

Bring it down to the tech day in Torrance next weekend, I am sure you will be able to get lots of helpful advice...

R

Click to expand...

He doesn't need "advice"...he needs a GOOD aluminum welder...and $$$ to pay for this.