AltRider instruction sheet anomalies.....

[Firefight911]

Got my AltRider skid plate in and installed it today. Beautiful plate that mounts well, looks well, and looks as though it is going to protect great!!! Went out last week and put two dents in my oil filter while off road so had been relegated to street only duty until this arrived. ::010:: ::007::

During the install, I found the following instruction sheet errors that I wanted to pass on so others can hopefully benefit from. The install is very simple even with the errors but, hey, my OCD won't let me pass up fixing the errors I found.

Here they are;

Step 3 calls for using a 4mm allen when the correct size is a 5mm allen.

Step 7 calls for use of an M8x45 fastener and washer to be tightened with a 13mm socket. The supplied hardware was an M8x45 socket head that accepts a 6mm allen. This will also require a part listing update to replace M8x45 hexcap fastener (item 14) with the supplied M8x45 socket head screw.

Step 8 neglects to include the needed washers to the bolts before inserting.

Step 11 calls for use of an M8x45 hex cap fastener when the correct size fastener is the included M8x35 hex cap fastener.

Step 15 calls for using a 13mm socket to tighten the bolt installed in Step 7 (see above). Correct tool is a 6mm allen.

Step 16 indicates left bracket when right bracket is the depicted and correct bracket to tighten in this step.

That's it. Overall, a very easy install even with these minor instruction sheet errors. ::024::

::021::

Oh, one extra, the zip tie in the last picture holds the drain lines in place. Probably fine without it but I wanted to hold them in place as I felt the wind stream might catch them and push them back.

 

[stevepsd]

I can attest to how well the AltRider plate protects the motor...look at mine after a 'little' double black diamond trail in the Colorado Rockies this week!

The plate sacrificed itself without allowing any damage to the motor. I'll know the full extent when I return home Sunday.

-steve

 

[serhan]

Looks like the weld points cracked, how hard was it hit?

s.

 

[stevepsd]

Looks like the weld points cracked, how hard was it hit?

s.

It was more than one hit...I would say several dozen at a minimum, with a couple that were real, real severe. The plate did it's job! Wish the bike had a couple of inches more of ground clearance. Maybe Wasps extended shock links?

I just got back home a few hours ago, so after I give the bike a good bath (it's filthy - we did the dirt side of Cottonwood Pass outside Buena Vista, CO in sleet/hail yesterday) I am going to pull the plate and give it a good once-over and report back.

 

[3putt]

Wow, don't think I have ever seen such a failure, right through the length of the weld! That should be the last place to break. I have been thinking the H&B skidplate is overkill and overbilt plus heavy, but maybe not. Just depends on how you ride I guess.

Did you hit some baby heads or just throw up stuff?

 

[MortiisMachine]

Good heads up fire, very useful as I'll be fitting mine this week, thanks for the detailed info.

 

[Firefight911]

Wow, don't think I have ever seen such a failure, right through the length of the weld! That should be the last place to break. I have been thinking the H&B skidplate is overkill and overbilt plus heavy, but maybe not. Just depends on how you ride I guess.

Did you hit some baby heads or just throw up stuff?

One thing I noticed right away is that the AltRider plate's welds do not extend through the full thickness of the metal. The inside of the plate shows that the welds extend only half the thickness of the plate material itself. This, IMO, is the direct cause of the weld failure. The weld should, ideally, extend the full thickness of the plate material by way of a full thickness one sided weld or a second weld pass on the interior side of the plate opposite the exterior weld sites.

For my use, I don't anticipate it to be a problem but I will keep an eye out for this and request a fix via AltRider if I feel this is a weak point that affects the skid plate integrity.

 

[Northernstar]

This will be interesting - we ride pretty hard up here and I just recieved my set up ( ALT crash bars, skid plate & rear luggage carrier) Friday. If the skid plate needs to be welded on the back side to prevent cracks from developing, I can still have that done locally. However; ALt Rider may have purposely built & engineered the plate as such to absorb the blows and save the motor. ::020:: Would be great to hear from them on this! ::017::

 

[stevepsd]

This will be interesting - we ride pretty hard up here and I just recieved my set up ( ALT crash bars, skid plate & rear luggage carrier) Friday. If the skid plate needs to be welded on the back side to prevent cracks from developing, I can still have that done locally. However; ALt Rider may have purposely built & engineered the plate as such to absorb the blows and save the motor. ::020:: Would be great to hear from them on this! ::017::

I have been in contact with the Senior Design Engineeer at AltRider after my experience with their skidplate, which did it's job, and they are looking into welding the inside of the plate as well.

After spending several hours beating the skid-plate back to it's somewhat normal shape, I am going to have the inside seams Tig welded as well.

-steve

 

[Jeremy L]

Hey, guys,

First off, thank you to everyone who decided to purchase our skid plate (and other parts). We were excited to finally see AltRider parts installed on American bikes, and it’s been great to hear about those of you who are riding bikes outfitted in our products. We even posted Mellow’s video to our Facebook page – some good riding and we enjoyed watching it.

Steve helped us out a lot by sending us photos of his skid plate post-ride. The development team has studied the information he provided as well as the images, and we’re now looking at one or two possible changes. However, before we do anything we need to validate all options so if we do enact changes, we can be confident they were the best ones to make.

Concerning the instructions – thank you for alerting us to the errors. As you know, we had limited time with the bike when we first created the instructions, but thanks to your information we’ve been able to update them with more accurate information. You can find them on our website, and the updated version will be sent out with all outgoing crash bar orders.

You guys have been a great resource for us, and we appreciate your support. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to meet (or reconnect!) with some of you at this year’s International Motorcycle Shows – we’ll have to get together for a beverage one night.

 

[Firefight911]

Thanks for the response Jeremy! I was just about to post up the you guys had emailed me and already updated the instructions with my findings and I see you beat me to it!

Looking forward to your possible update information on the welds, etc. Easy enough thing to run down and have a new bead laid in if necessary.

 

[stevepsd]

Hey, guys,

Steve helped us out a lot by sending us photos of his skid plate post-ride. The development team has studied the information he provided as well as the images, and we’re now looking at one or two possible changes. However, before we do anything we need to validate all options so if we do enact changes, we can be confident they were the best ones to make.

You guys have been a great resource for us, and we appreciate your support. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to meet (or reconnect!) with some of you at this year’s International Motorcycle Shows – we’ll have to get together for a beverage one night.

I'll be at the Long Beach show for sure!

-steve

 

[Alan]

I have a question on the left front bracket. At the top attachment point the bracket was U-Shaped. It would not fit over the tap and instead I placed it to the outside of the bike. I don't understand why this was U-Shaped. Also the bolt that was recommended there was smaller than the hole in the tab. I'm not sure I installed this part right.

 

[jajpko]

I have a question on the left front bracket. At the top attachment point the bracket was U-Shaped. It would not fit over the tap and instead I placed it to the outside of the bike. I don't understand why this was U-Shaped. Also the bolt that was recommended there was smaller than the hole in the tab. I'm not sure I installed this part right.

The bracket does fit over the tang on the engine. You may have to use another bolt and nut. I did.. Go to the ALTrider site and watch the video for installation. The bracket may have gotten bent, but it will work.

 

[elizilla]

Jeremy, are you going to all the IMS shows? I look forward to seeing your display if you make it to Novi MI.

 

[AltRider]

Hey All,

Katherine we won’t be at the Novi show but will be attending various IMS shows throughout the year. Just returned from the Long beach show. I’ll keep you guys up to date on our whereabouts. You can also always check on our events page to see where we’ll be. http://www.altrider.com/event

Alan, we made the bracket U shaped in order to achieve more strength by grabbing both sides of the motor tab. Definitely would have been simpler and cheaper to have a single sided flange.

Thanks for the help Jim; we work hard to make the install videos. They may not be perfect but we hear from many they’re very helpful.


Thanks everyone for your support,


Joel

 

[tc9988]

so have Altrider changed the design of their bracket to enhance the weld strength

 

[elizilla]

Katherine we won’t be at the Novi show but will be attending various IMS shows throughout the year.

Grumble. I see you're going to Cleveland and Chicago. I have been to their shows in past years, but it's a long and boring trip in the cage. Detroit is usually the thinnest of the IMS shows - lots of vendors skip us.

I don't know if I will get to Cleveland or Chicago this year, but if I do I'll look you up.