RaYzerman19
Go Wings!
During this summer, my OEM top box decided to start cracking (I thought) at the front lower corners of the retaining lip along the front lower of the box that slips into the mounting plate. It may not have started here, I don't know.... you'll see as we go through the pictures. This top box has the recall, i.e., aluminum plate adhered to the bottom of the box via 2-way tape. I had first noticed some minor stress cracking when I was at NERDS.... I was aware it was getting a little worse after that as time went on, and I was going to use some plastic epoxy and rivet a metal plate across there... at least that WAS the plan.
First, the cracks covered with duct tape (thanks to IceStationZebra) to hold it together for my last ride when I saw the cracks had really gotten bad on the way home from the EOM trip. I have used my little pry bar to open up the cracks so you can see how thin this material is and how far they extended.
Bill and Mike were telling me there seemed to be excessive up/down movement at the rear of the box, so I found that the actual base was also cracked. Although you can't see it very well, I pried on the recall plate to expose the area around the latch, and it was all cracked too.
This is a shot of the recall plate, stuck on pretty darn good with 2-way tape.
I stuck the blade end of my pry bar in all around to cut the adhesive and it took a lot of effort to get the darned plate off. Again you can't see the cracks that well, but one big one extends from the left side (as viewed), across and around the rear of the latch and headed towards the other side.... curled a bit around my NERDS sticker if you can see it.
In this last picture, I laid the plate down on the bottom of the box and took a picture to show the brown areas where the 2-way tape was not adhering. I don't know if it was stuck on properly in the first place, but I'm guessing not.
So, only speculation on my part, but the cracks around the latch (hidden by the plate when installed) may have started first. My logic, the cracks in front may not have appeared if the latch area had not flexed... dunno. I also don't know if somebody may have leaned on the top of the trunk hard enough to crack the latch area, but kind of unlikely as it shouldn't crack if weight is applied from the top. Or, if my pillion (who does not lean on the backrest) may have accidentally leaned back with some force, but I doubt it. So, more likely from upward forces at the rear, or vibration from hitting bumps (I have been on some rough roads this summer). It certainly didn't help that the 2-way adhesive on the recall plate wasn't 100% adhered around the latch, IMHO.
These boxes are a bit on the top heavy side, and I do have a cargo net where I keep my FrogToggs and maybe a jacket liner or two in the lid of the box. Have I ever overloaded the box... guilty. I've had 15+ lbs in it, I'm sure. At first, I thought the rear subframe may have failed, but it is in great shape.
Someone suggested I take it to my Yammy dealer to see if they will replace it... it is 5 years old.... I have one being generously donated to me, but if it ever fails, I'd go get a Givi as they are lower profile and wider to keep your stuff at a lower center of gravity.
First, the cracks covered with duct tape (thanks to IceStationZebra) to hold it together for my last ride when I saw the cracks had really gotten bad on the way home from the EOM trip. I have used my little pry bar to open up the cracks so you can see how thin this material is and how far they extended.
Bill and Mike were telling me there seemed to be excessive up/down movement at the rear of the box, so I found that the actual base was also cracked. Although you can't see it very well, I pried on the recall plate to expose the area around the latch, and it was all cracked too.
This is a shot of the recall plate, stuck on pretty darn good with 2-way tape.
I stuck the blade end of my pry bar in all around to cut the adhesive and it took a lot of effort to get the darned plate off. Again you can't see the cracks that well, but one big one extends from the left side (as viewed), across and around the rear of the latch and headed towards the other side.... curled a bit around my NERDS sticker if you can see it.
In this last picture, I laid the plate down on the bottom of the box and took a picture to show the brown areas where the 2-way tape was not adhering. I don't know if it was stuck on properly in the first place, but I'm guessing not.
So, only speculation on my part, but the cracks around the latch (hidden by the plate when installed) may have started first. My logic, the cracks in front may not have appeared if the latch area had not flexed... dunno. I also don't know if somebody may have leaned on the top of the trunk hard enough to crack the latch area, but kind of unlikely as it shouldn't crack if weight is applied from the top. Or, if my pillion (who does not lean on the backrest) may have accidentally leaned back with some force, but I doubt it. So, more likely from upward forces at the rear, or vibration from hitting bumps (I have been on some rough roads this summer). It certainly didn't help that the 2-way adhesive on the recall plate wasn't 100% adhered around the latch, IMHO.
These boxes are a bit on the top heavy side, and I do have a cargo net where I keep my FrogToggs and maybe a jacket liner or two in the lid of the box. Have I ever overloaded the box... guilty. I've had 15+ lbs in it, I'm sure. At first, I thought the rear subframe may have failed, but it is in great shape.
Someone suggested I take it to my Yammy dealer to see if they will replace it... it is 5 years old.... I have one being generously donated to me, but if it ever fails, I'd go get a Givi as they are lower profile and wider to keep your stuff at a lower center of gravity.
