potential rad hose damage

[jestal]

My FJR is way way apart doing some farkles and other maintenance. I happened to notice dissassembling the radiator and such that battery ground strap connector at the lower right front corner of the engine block is digging into the radiator hose rather severely. The ground connector is simply not clocked correctly on my bike so that it is sticking forward and away from the block and, as a result, is digging into the radiator hose in that location. The rad hose is protected with a reinforcing sleeve at that point so the only damage is to the sleeve....but....given a few more thousand miles and the hose itself might have been punctured given the protective sleeve has a hole in it already.

If you have your fairing lowers off on the right side check for this. You can see it behind the radiator. Just follow the battery negative ground cable down to the connection to the block.

All I had to do to correct is to loosen the ground cable connector bolt and reindex the connector so that it is not aimed at the radiator hose.

 

[Toecutter]

Wow, that sure is testimony to the skill of the assembly workers. I'll check mine first chance I get. Thanks!

 

[radman]

Checkin tonight-Franks all nekkid too.

 

[C&C]

You can actually see the ground connection through the right lower slit in the fairing with a flashlight. Mine was okay but thanks for the headsup. My model is 2004 so it might be year sensitive or lazy guy on the line sensitive. It's a quick check so do it.

 

[Toecutter]

It's a quick check so do it.

I would if my bike wasn't 10 miles away. What's all yalls' excuse?

 

[Geezer]

I'm tele-commuting today and I took a break, went down to the garage, and put the shop light next to the fairing. Yep. the connector on the end of the ground wire is indexed poorly and pressed lightly against the radiator hose. I can see a little wear on the hose but nothing to cause concern yet. I was able to work a 10mm deep socket with a 6 inch extension up between the hoses from below the fairing and move the wire to the outside about 30 degrees. No need to remove the fairing just for this. Probably saved me from a roadside repair some day.

Next time I take that lower fairing off I'll double check the bolt but I think it is OK as is.

Thanks Jestal for the heads up.

 

[Toynut]

Just another reason not to put off carrying a small role of duct tape in your tool bag!

Thanks for the heads up, Jestal!

 

[donaldb]

It's a quick check so do it.

I would if my bike wasn't 10 miles away. What's all yalls' excuse?

Mine is being held hostage w/a $510.50 ransom at my local stealership---sheeeezzz

 

[Constant Mesh]

On my '04 the battery grounding conductor is sandwiched between a bare lug/ear projecting from the right front of the crankcase and a large coolant hose. The conductor's taped bolted termination at the crankcase does not touch the coolant hose. The hose's protective jacket has a constant, low pressure contact point with the insulated conductor a few inches above the conductor's termination.

Should I try to relocate the conductor so that it makes no contact with the coolant hose?

 

[ionbeam]

Mine is being held hostage w/a $510.50 ransom at my local stealership---sheeeezzz

My FJR is being held hostage by salt, sand and inclement weather.

(What was your dealer’s estimate when you dropped off your bike?)

My ground connector is indexed OK which is a good thing because my radiator hose has no protector around it.

 

[Geezer]

Mine is an '05 and it does not have a protector around the hose where the ground wire was rubbing. Maybe that protector varies with different years.

 

[ionbeam]

Mine is an '05 and it does not have a protector

Hmmm, I have a '04. Wonder what makes the difference?

 

[jestal]

The protector sleeve looks just like the radiator hose so unless you can see the end of it you will think it is the hose itself...I did until I realized it was a protector sleeve that runs the length of the hose itself.

If the connector is not digging into the hose there is no reason to worry I would think. Mine was definitely digging in.

 

[longnokr]

Nice catch jestal! Mine was neatly positioned for certain demise.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Just checked my '04...protector sleeve IS on the hose. Ground cable resting gently against the protector. Ground terminal indexed so as not to contact the hose...not by much, but a miss is still as good as a mile. And as everyone else already said, thanks for the heads-up Jestal! That kinda thing could easily lead to disaster! Perhaps this should be added to one of the stickies as a potential problem area??? Could easily save someone from crashing in their own coolant...or at least a roadside breakdown issue.

For that matter, maybe we should start a poll to see how many have visible damage to the hose protector. Not that I want to instigate a recall by Yami, but it does seem that the potential for disaster is pretty high.

Anybody??

 

[TWILKIN650]

Radman, if you or anyone else with the fairing off would take a picture of either a ground connection with good or bad clearance to the hose those of us who are peering in through the slits in our fairings would know what to look for. Thanks!

 

[ionbeam]

I know this isn't as good as a picture but here are a couple of excerpts from the FSM that shows the general topography and the players. It's tough to peek through the faring to see the ground lug because there are a bunch of hoses running through the area of interest. From image 1, use the frame bolt as a reference to orient your view. The bolt is easy to locate through the fairing.

 

[radman]

You really won't see it through the fairing slot-the hose is positioned so as to prevent seeing the mount. Pretty much impossible without either the front lower or right side plastic off.

 

[ionbeam]

It can be seen. Use a big f'n light, assume the doggie position and spend a few minutes. I had to move the batt drain hose and some other unidentified hose out of the way to open up the field of view. Now that I have seen the bugger I can find it again easily. I needed to know where it is because that ground connection is suspect #1 in a little electrical problem I'm having.