making new side covers

[evildopey]

has anyone been bored enough to make side covers out of aluminum? just curious cause me and my fiancee are debating on doing just that .... if you have did you do it yourself or have a shop make them for you? how do they look compared to the plastic ones that come stock?

[bwringer]

I've often wondered how hard it would be to make new side covers from plastic or fiberglass. You'd have to have an old sidecover to use as a mold, or carve a buck from foam, but it shouldn't be rocket science. You could even use carbon fiber, and there are some vacuum bag techniques that produce lovely surface finishes.

Creating the outer countours would be straightforward, but you'd need to also recreate the mounting posts on the inside, and probably bond them to the shell.

Almost anything is possible in hand-beaten aluminum, and polished aluminum side covers would be gorgeous, but I'm sure the cost to have them made would also be breathtaking. The shapes might need to be a little different and more organic than the original molded plastic. Maybe you could take a metalworking class and use this as your project...

If someone can get this down to a science, there are many who would pay handsomely for new sidecovers.

Of course, there are also plenty of ratbikes running around with aluminum plate sidecovers. A flat or contoured metal plate might look pretty cool.

[evildopey]

yea i still have the side covers but the little plastic tab holders are broken luck me the right side has the lock on it and i had to ziptie the left side on ... so i need to replace them and forming plastic isnt all that fun to replace the broken clip holders

[Planecrazy]

I've always thought that molding new stems shouldn't be that hard ... My idea would be to use clay (or play doh) to create a mold from one of the stems you still have on the side cover. Once you have the mold ready you mix up some JB Weld (or equivalent "Steel Plastic" epoxy) and pour it into the mold.

Once the new stem is cured, remove the clay and cut the new stem base down until it fits the inner contour of the side cover. Then use more epoxy (this time fast setting 4-minute stuff) to attach it to the side cover and you're done.

The most challenging part of the entire process will be to get the length of the new stem right, so that the cover fits properly. The easiest way to accomplish this is to borrow a side cover from someone who has the same bike you have, and use the good one to make replacement stems for the bad one, but even if you don't have this short cut available it shouldn't be too hard to get it close. If your cover still has at least one good stem you could use clay stuck to the inside cover to determine the correct length by pressing the cover into place and when it looks like it's sitting right measure the thickness of the clay you compressed...

I've never had need to try this as my stems are all still there, but I have used quick setting epoxy to reattach some of those stems without ever having the repair fail. It seems like molding new stems and attaching them the same way is just an extension of something that I know already works...

By the way, when I reattach broken stems I ALWAYS drill a few small holes through the fins where I'll be applying the epoxy ... this ensures that the epoxy isn't just sticking to the stem, but also anchors right through the holes and becomes part of the stem. Sometimes I'll also drill a few VERY shallow holes into the side cover to provide better anchoring as well, but you have to be VERY careful not to drill through!

Good Luck!

[Billy Ricks]

Steve's idea is a pretty good one. I've thought about using some toilet anchors to fix the problem as well. Cut them off the desired length and glue them to the cover. Then build up some stick type epoxy over the bolt to get the right shape.

[runewolf]

Last year I saw a 1979 GS750 with diamond plate aluminum side covers. Said it cost him about $80 and some frustration (ruined 2 before he got the pattern/welds right) but it was very interesting. I thought about trying my hand at vacuum molding and making some out of fiberglass, add a toplayer of graphite and you've got some high $$ custom sidecovers \\/

[jpaul]

The problem with making new posts with plastic is that you're using the same material that failed in the first place. I still have the old side covers to my 1100, with at least one post broken off on each one. What I want to try is to take a screw of the right length and diameter, along with a fender washer and nut. Bend the fender washer to approximately the shape of the side cover, and attach it with epoxy or polyurethane adhesive. Attach the nut to the fender washer with adhesive, then screw the screw into the nut with some adhesive on the threads. Shape the head of the screw to fit the rubber grommet with a Dremel. The metal screw will stand up to the vibration which is the probable cause of the initail failure better than plastic, and the fender washer will allow a greater area to be bonded, which will give a stronger assembly.

Steve, your idea of drilling the small holes through the posts and filling with epoxy is an excellent one. The problem with gluing the posts back onto the side covers is that you are creating a butt joint, which is the weakest geometry for an adhesive assembly.

[Road_Clam]

yea i still have the side covers but the little plastic tab holders are broken luck me the right side has the lock on it and i had to ziptie the left side on ... so i need to replace them and forming plastic isnt all that fun to replace the broken clip holders

If you click on my resto link, take a good look at my side panels, you will see 2 large phillips screws. These screws thread through a rubber grommet in the side panel, which threads into custom made "standoffs" that are screwed to my frame. I can't post pics right now, but check back in a day, and I will post up some detailed pics about how I went about the mod. All my side panel mount tabs broke off (it's a VERY common issue on GS's). I used some hardware from a Kawasaki GPZ1100 , and drilled and tapped the standoffs from 3/4" bar stock to 5mm. They work awesome and it wasn't a ton of work.
Rich

[Planecrazy]

The problem with making new posts with plastic is that you're using the same material that failed in the first place ... Steve, your idea of drilling the small holes through the posts and filling with epoxy is an excellent one. The problem with gluing the posts back onto the side covers is that you are creating a butt joint, which is the weakest geometry for an adhesive assembly.

Here's the thing, John Paul ... the part of the stems that typically fails is the contact point where the four finned post connects to the side panel. The only reason it fails is because Suzuki tried to save money by using very weak thin "ribs." My fix eliminates that weak spot entirely, because my drill holes in the side cover are on a very slight angle (creating a cross between a butt joint and a hooked anchor) AND because I'm covering the entire area surrounding the post with epoxy and building it up and into the stem (and anchoring it through the fins with drill holes the epoxy flows through).

While you are correct in that even a hybrid butt joint is a weak joint, the fact is the fix is many times stronger (and more resistant to vibration) than the original design ever was. I have repaired stems dating back to 1989 that have never failed and I doubt they ever will. By contrast, your idea seems over-engineered and more difficult to implement. I have no doubt it works, but why reinvent what was 99% right in the first place?

Regards,

[jpaul]

Here's the thing, John Paul ... the part of the stems that typically fails is the contact point where the four finned post connects to the side panel. The only reason it fails is because Suzuki tried to save money by using very weak thin "ribs." My fix eliminates that weak spot entirely, because my drill holes in the side cover are on a very slight angle (creating a cross between a butt joint and a hooked anchor) AND because I'm covering the entire area surrounding the post with epoxy and building it up and into the stem (and anchoring it through the fins with drill holes the epoxy flows through).

While you are correct in that even a hybrid butt joint is a weak joint, the fact is the fix is many times stronger (and more resistant to vibration) than the original design ever was. I have repaired stems dating back to 1989 that have never failed and I doubt they ever will. By contrast, your idea seems over-engineered and more difficult to implement. I have no doubt it works, but why reinvent what was 99% right in the first place?

You're probably right about my approach being over-engineered, which is why I haven't actually done it yet. That and the fact that the bike doesn't run, so doesn't really need side covers. The more I thought about it after posting, the more I liked your idea. It has the elegance of simplicity, which I like. I may still try my idea on the one post where I no longer have the plastic post, but where there is material to work with, your approach appeals to my lazy side. I fixed one post by using super glue and baking soda, building up the area around the post similar to what you did. The mixture hardens instantly, and it lasted over 15 years, but it was way more trouble than it was worth. At the time, it's main appeal was that it was free, which was the only budget I had to work with at the time.

[PanheadJosh74]

if you make them out of alloy or mild steel and have a shop press loovers into them they would look real nice

[evildopey]

if you make them out of alloy or mild steel and have a shop press loovers into them they would look real nice

yea i was originally thinking the diamond plated aluminum but then realized how much more expensive it would cost also i have friends that weld and was thinking of doing it myself just go out buy a 3'x3' sheet of aluminum and bend them the way i want them to look and maybe getting something diamond scribbed into the covers <have acsess to a diamond scribe> then just polish them up all nice and slick

[NOS]

I made some aluminum diamond plate covers on my KZ550 about a year ago. I made a template out of cardboard to fit over the area I wanted it to cover and transfered it to the plate. after cutting it out I just shaped it by bending (lightly!!) until the plate fit the contours correctly. I held the plates on the bike in the place I wanted them and marked on the back of the plate through the "mounting hole" where to drill. Next I placed bolts in the original "mounting holes" that the side covers popped into. (pointing outward) I put the plates onto the bolts and using washers as spacers figured out how much bolt I wanted exposed outside the plates. Then I used chrome "cap nuts" to hold the plates on.
Not sure if that is what you're looking for, but it worked for me.\\/
here is a pic

[evildopey]

I made some aluminum diamond plate covers on my KZ550 about a year ago. I made a template out of cardboard to fit over the area I wanted it to cover and transfered it to the plate. after cutting it out I just shaped it by bending (lightly!!) until the plate fit the contours correctly. I held the plates on the bike in the place I wanted them and marked on the back of the plate through the "mounting hole" where to drill. Next I placed bolts in the original "mounting holes" that the side covers popped into. (pointing outward) I put the plates onto the bolts and using washers as spacers figured out how much bolt I wanted exposed outside the plates. Then I used chrome "cap nuts" to hold the plates on.
Not sure if that is what you're looking for, but it worked for me.\\/
here is a pic

thanks yea that helps me out alot never thought about the whole cardboard idea i was just gonna use the old covers as the template but the cardboard idea seems better since i wont have to deal with the bulges and wierd shape of the original side covers

[Road_Clam]

Here's the thing, John Paul ... the part of the stems that typically fails is the contact point where the four finned post connects to the side panel. The only reason it fails is because Suzuki tried to save money by using very weak thin "ribs." My fix eliminates that weak spot entirely, because my drill holes in the side cover are on a very slight angle (creating a cross between a butt joint and a hooked anchor) AND because I'm covering the entire area surrounding the post with epoxy and building it up and into the stem (and anchoring it through the fins with drill holes the epoxy flows through).

While you are correct in that even a hybrid butt joint is a weak joint, the fact is the fix is many times stronger (and more resistant to vibration) than the original design ever was. I have repaired stems dating back to 1989 that have never failed and I doubt they ever will. By contrast, your idea seems over-engineered and more difficult to implement. I have no doubt it works, but why reinvent what was 99% right in the first place?

Regards,

Also 20+ year old rubber gromments play a BIG factor in why the posts snap off. The rubber gromments become very hard, and simply don't flex to allow the "dart" of the posts to expand and seat. A fresh new Suzuki grommet is WAY more flixible than a 20 year old crusty hard grommet.