'09 Frame Sliders don't fit!?!

[DarbyR]

I bought some frame sliders for my 09 busa and the right one fit fine, but the left one which is longer had slack in it when i tightened the bolt all the way down. The left slider still had about a half inch of space and will slide up and down with the bolt tightened all the way. The package (Pro-Tek Chrome frame sliders) only came with the 2 bolts (same length) and the two sliders (the left one being longer).Anyone else have this problem? Thanks in advance.

 

[BiggDaddyBusa08]

Did you try swaping them from side to side? I had the same problem with my 08. I got the T REX sliders and didnt realize that they were different lengths until when I went to put the fairings on and scratched the paint on the right side becuz the mount was to short for that side.

 

[Dr E]

+1 on some of the sliders the variation is taken up inside with how far down they bored the opening. I had the same problem on the first set of Vortex and then the GSXR1000 sliders I put on my Bus. Worst case scenario see if your existing longer original bolt can transition out for the other ones. Just make sure you have enough threads to bite.

 

[RacerxTex]

Did you try swaping them from side to side? I had the same problem with my 08. I got the T REX sliders and didnt realize that they were different lengths until when I went to put the fairings on and scratched the paint on the right side becuz the mount was to short for that side.

+2 same thing with my wifes k8

 

[DarbyR]

im gonna try swapping them today and see if that works.

 

[Busa & X-Rider]

Did you try swaping them from side to side? I had the same problem with my 08. I got the T REX sliders and didnt realize that they were different lengths until when I went to put the fairings on and scratched the paint on the right side becuz the mount was to short for that side.

Are you happy with the T-Rex frame sliders?? How difficult was the install?? Any cutting required?? My Busa is an '08.. Thanks for any info...

 

[suzuki4life]

I hope you guys measure and don't take people's word on stuff like this fitting. If you are using the head mount bolt....does anyone realize the severe damage that could be caused if they sent you the wrong bolt?

 

[BiggDaddyBusa08]

Are you happy with the T-Rex frame sliders?? How difficult was the install?? Any cutting required?? My Busa is an '08.. Thanks for any info...

I am very happy with the T Rex sliders . It was alittle bit difficult but only due the fact your working in tight spaces and everything has to be adjusted in just the right spot so it wont be hitting anything like the exhaust or the fairings. NO cutting was required, it is a tight fit but no cutting.

 

[Cassius]

A bit long!

I installed them on my 08 two weeks ago. The hard part was taking the body panels off. The right side had to be off to change the filter, so I just combined both jobs.

The 08/09 sliders are different than those of the previous years. The threaded nuts (I guess they can be called that) are not welded to the end of that bar that join/secure both slider brackets. They are offset.

1st, I echo BigDaddy's comments above.

It was easy, but there were some discrepancies between the instructions and what really had to be done.

In no particular order of importance:
On the right side the engine mount is pinched by a bolt. The washer provided by T-rex cannot be used or else the bracket is not exactly aligned anymore.
The right side slider aluminum support is so close to the fairing edge, I grinded a groove .100" deep in order to provide additional room.
The hard plastic slider bores (both) were a few .001" too tight. I had to drill them in order for the bolt to slide in. It was really not much undersized but enough to be a problem.
The aluminum support bore on the left side was undersized at one end (drill bit wear at the factory?), by a few .001". I had to drill it as well.
The center bar is slightly curved forward (<.100") now that all is in place (unless it is an optical illusion).

Other comments:
Hand tighten all bolts, then adjust the bar location. Mine is about 1/4" behind the radiator (left side of the bike is closest it seems).
While both engine mounts were tightened to 35 ftlb, I only tightened the pinch bolt to 20 ftlb instead of 25lb. Call that a gut feeling when I was doing the work.
I debated using some Loctite, but did not at the end.
When looking the bar/threaded nut assembly from the side, it is tilted towards the engine at about 45 degree, then as said, the bar is slightly curved towards the front. I did not want the bar too close to the exhaust. Heat transfer is possible all the way to the brackets, which are close to some electric wires. Some adjustments are possible.

I read some comments about this set-up on various sites including this one. It appears that most people have nothing bad to say about it, including those who actually tested them by falling or dropping the bike. The theory remains that it is best to attach the sliders directly to the engine mounts. There is no added bending moment created by the bracket during impact. I just did not want to cut the fairing.

What I am afraid is that the bar that connects both sides is sure to take the brunt of the impact in case of a fall (my knowledge of Dynamics is a tad rusty, but shouldn't the force at the bar be twice that experienced at the point of impact?). OK it will distribute the forces around, to both sides, but the small screws that hold it are sure to snap, and the bar will deform (how much I don't know) because it is a slender body (my Structural theory is also rusty). There is the possibility that the radiator and fan assemblies could sustain some damage. Also the bending moment created by the bracket worries me. Could that damage the aluminum frame, and even possibly the anchor point in the engine?

Any comments, any additional experiences? Anyone less rusty than I with engineering principles? OK may be I should not over analyze, but I don't want the cure to be worse than the disease.

Thx for reading this long post!

 

[DarbyR]

i swapped the left and right sliders and the left one still didnt fit. i calle dthe company and they are sending me a new bolt that is an 80 mm long bolt instead of the 100mm.
So i went to napa and bought one instead of waiting and it was the right length. i had previously found on the forum where the bolts were to be tightened to 78 ft/lbs. and had torqued them to that. i hope i didnt screw anything up, cuz Cassius is saying 35 ft/lbs on these. so i retorqued them to 35. I would like to confirm 35 ft/lbs on the bolts?

 

[Cassius]

Darby,

This is what T-rex's instructions state. I'll scan them if you want. Let me know.

I can tell you that 72 ftlb would be too much for such a bolt, in theory. The rear wheel axle of the Busa requires 72.5 ftlb. It is large (36mm nut). The Kawi KLR 650 has a plain rod type axle (as opposed to tube type axle of the Busa - different torque rating for same diameter, tube vs rod). The KLR nut is 21mm I think, or may be 24mm. The torque rating is 69ftlb.

Whether you damaged something is hard to know, but see my conclusion below. The bolt is made from high tensile steel, while the engine block is aluminum.

I design ignition system parts for industrial engines for a living. This is what happens when an industrial spark plug is over-torqued (a plug body is a tube not a rod. I have seen people torque spark plugs at torque values designed for rods, not tubes): the tube is stretched into the plastic zone. Internal seals which are crimped onto the ceramic inside, are stretched as well, and can seal no more. Now there is gap between the ceramic core and the seals. The cast iron head, the female threads, is rarely damaged, because the latter are harder, but also, and this is key, because the engine head diffuses the stress throughout a large volume.

In the case of the engine block, I can only speculate. The aluminum is softer than the bolt which is hardened steel, but the stress (stress lines) created by loading the bolt is diffused throughout a large volume as well. The block is a large mass. The bolt should suffer but the material is much harder, so it probably stretched little, so it is Goliath against Goliath in this case. My conclusion is that the female thread in the block should be OK.

To be sure, try to find a go-no go gauge to borrow in order to be make sure that the # of TPI, whatever it is for a M36, are within specs. If not, the gauge will not engage fully. DO NOT USE A TAP!!!! Also a visual inspection must be performed; if no cracks are visible with a jewel's loupe (a couple bucks at Harbor Freight), you can be assured that no damage was done.

If the thread is damaged, but no cracks are present, you might be able to machine an oversize thread in there (I am sure there is enough meat in the head). If cracks are present, this is could be a critical issue as they could spread over time.

 

[Cassius]

Darby,

This is what T-rex's instructions state. I'll scan them if you want. Let me know.

I can tell you that 72 ftlb would be too much for such a bolt, in theory. The rear wheel axle of the Busa requires 72.5 ftlb. It is large (36mm nut). The Kawi KLR 650 has a plain rod type axle (as opposed to tube type axle of the Busa - different torque rating for same diameter, tube vs rod). The KLR nut is 21mm I think, or may be 24mm. The torque rating is 69ftlb.

Whether you damaged something is hard to know, but see my conclusion below. The bolt is made from high tensile steel, while the engine block is aluminum.

I design ignition system parts for industrial engines for a living. This is what happens when an industrial spark plug is over-torqued (a plug body is a tube not a rod. I have seen people torque spark plugs at torque values designed for rods, not tubes): the tube is stretched into the plastic zone. Internal seals which are crimped onto the ceramic inside, are stretched as well, and can seal no more. Now there is gap between the ceramic core and the seals. The cast iron head, the female threads, is rarely damaged, because the latter are harder, but also, and this is key, because the engine head diffuses the stress throughout a large volume.

In the case of the engine block, I can only speculate. The aluminum is softer than the bolt which is hardened steel, but the stress (stress lines) created by loading the bolt is diffused throughout a large volume as well. The block is a large mass. The bolt should suffer but the material is much harder, so it probably stretched little, so it is Goliath against Goliath in this case. My conclusion is that the female thread in the block should be OK.

To be sure, try to find a go-no go gauge to borrow in order to be make sure that the # of TPI, whatever it is for a M36, are within specs. If not, the gauge will not engage fully. DO NOT USE A TAP!!!! Also a visual inspection must be performed; if no cracks are visible with a jewel's loupe (a couple bucks at Harbor Freight), you can be assured that no damage was done.

If the thread is damaged, but no cracks are present, you might be able to machine an oversize thread in there (I am sure there is enough meat in the head). If cracks are present, this is could be a critical issue as they could spread over time.

 

[Cassius]

Sorry for the 2x post, I doubled clicked!