wtf?!? damper broke off?

mag00n · 04-20-2007, 5:20 PM

so i was going out to ride today and i as i was pulling out of the garage when i went to turn the bike it felt like the wheel was locked so rocked it a few times and it felt weird so i jerked (not very hard) and the fcking aluminum piece just snapped? This is supposedly a ver nice and expensive sprint/WLR damper. Does this usually happen over time? Anyone know where i can get another mount?

It broke RIGHT where it bolts to the tree. It is NOT broken in this picture...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ionpics010.jpg

also i just took it off is it safe to ride as-is without it?

SamoanzRR · 04-20-2007, 5:56 PM

should be safe, it mostly helps at higher speeds to keep the wobble out of the bars....

spdjunkey · 04-20-2007, 6:03 PM

Wow that sucks. Hope it is not common in those. I have the same damper. If you find anything out please post it, so I can replace mine before it breaks on me. Thanks.

bignibb · 04-20-2007, 7:57 PM

I'm not a fan of those type of dampers, I prefer either scotts or gpr, I have the scotts.

rbrack · 04-20-2007, 8:03 PM

My friend had a 98 ZX9R with a sprint damper using the same mount. Setting it down after a wheelie it broke in the exact same place. Had it welded and train tracks broke it again. S**tcan it and get one that mounts differently.

*Fastrr* · 04-21-2007, 1:39 AM

Looking at the design of the aluminum clamp i can see why it broke. To answer your question yes aluminum can fatigue and brake/crack. The bracket , in my eyes, looks to be poorly designed.. it is able to flex too much so that is what probably caused the aluminum to fatigue and brake. If you get it welded expect the same thing to happen again. Unless your welder adds a gusset from the round clamp part to the flatter portion of the clamp. I'd say just have a machine shop design a new bracket that is more beefy. If weight of the new part is a concern then stratigicly drilled holes will lighten it up some. Machine the new part from 6061T6 or 7075 aluminum alloy. If you use 7075 then it will need to be anodized or painted to prevent corrossion. Still another option is to use the broken part as a guide/template to machine the same dimensions out of 6-4 Titanium. Titanium won't break and takes to flexing better than aluminum does, plus it will only weight maybe one or two ounces more than the aluminum bracket. Titanium doesn't need corrosion protection, but you can have it anodized if you want a cool looking rainbow effect, or if you want it to be black.

Atreyu · 04-21-2007, 1:51 AM

screw that, I use a GPR and love and have never had any problems, just get one that mounts direct

Sime · 04-21-2007, 3:22 AM

Talk to the company to claim on warranty. I see what Fastrr is saying, that that part shouldn't break like that.

mag00n · 04-21-2007, 11:55 AM

my biggest concern is actually why did it feel like the wheel was locked? And what couldve possibly happened if this happened while i was riding on the road :-/

*Fastrr* · 04-21-2007, 11:12 PM

magoon, if your damper is rebuildable, perhaps you should send the whole thing back to the manufacturer. But then mfg's don't always tell you when something was designed poorly. I say get rid of it and buy an Ohlins or a GPR. You don't need to kill yourself on your bike because of that piece of crap.

Robert3RR · 04-22-2007, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mag00n

my biggest concern is actually why did it feel like the wheel was locked? And what couldve possibly happened if this happened while i was riding on the road :-/

Yeah..good thing it didn't happen while riding heh...

That'd suck..

get Scotts or Ohlins...I got scotts and no problems...

DarkStarCBR · 04-23-2007, 6:51 AM

Was it done up too tight?

Dampers need to be a bit floppy as the turning of the steering moves it in multiple axis. If it totally rigid pressure will be put on the mounting brackets causing them to weaken ane eventually brake.