Bumot Topcase Rack Repair..........Cracked

[SkunkWorks]

While inspecting my bike before my Moto-Camping Trip to the Desert-Southwest, I noticed my Top-Case had a slight amount of movement in relation to the back of the bike.
More so than it should anyway.
Further inspection found that the Rack was slightly flexing near the mounting-bolts.

I disassembled it from the bike, and found the lower mount-plate had started to crack around the bolt-holes.





Now before I go any further, I just want to say that I am not insinuating that this is in any way a bad product............
Bumot makes one helluva durable Luggage System (you'll see what I mean when I post my Trip-Report thread from my SW-Desert Tour)

I'm not gonna lie............I do overload my top-case when I'm touring with this bike.
Space is always at a premium when I'm packing for a moto-camping trip, and I always end up using ALL of it that I have.
I also ride some pretty rugged stuff from time to time with my luggage on, so I cannot say anything bad about the quality of these Bumot products.

With that said, I now needed to figure out what I was going to do to fix it?
After searching around my Shed and Garage, I did not have any sheets of metal in the thickness I wanted to use.
I did have some wider flat-stock that was thick enough, so I figured I would just make my own panels.

I first had to cut out some cardboard templates.



Next I had to figure out the angles for my cuts.



I needed enough pieces to make two identical panels.







Next was to stitch them all together, so I broke out my Welder.

Feel free to flame me for my welds.................I'll be the first one to tell you that I can weld, but I'm not a welder.
I'm certainly a better "Grinder" than I am a "Welder"



After grinding. Just need a final trimming.

 

[SkunkWorks]

What I had planned to do was take two steel-panels, and use them to "Sandwich" the lower mount-plate between them to make a thicker, stronger mounting surface.

Before I assembled the plates, I took one of my cardboard templates and transferred the mounting-holes so I could use that as a guide to drill my new holes.

Once I got them trimmed and clamped into position, I then welded the front and back edges together.









What I ended up with is a nice solid mount-plate that is almost 3-times as thick as it was originally.

Then I just needed to drill the new mounting-holes.



A fresh coat of Satin-Black paint.



New mounting-holes...............Plenty of thickness! I seriously doubt that these will crack........



A short trip down to ACE Hardware for some new extra-thick Fender-Washers, and bolted it back on the bike.





I can confirm that it is extremely solid, and does not flex at all............even with a fully-loaded top case.
I'm extremely satisfied with my repair!

 

[SkunkWorks]

One final PSA......................

When using an Angle-Grinder (or any other power-tool for that matter) take extra care to NOT buzz through the back of your Glove by accident........

 

[RCinNC]

When that happens on one of my projects, I don't think of it as an injury; I think of it as a blood offering to the fabrication gods.

 

[shift_enter]

that looks great and very strong. two questions: 1. what do you put in the space below?
2. would you be interested in making another one?

 

[SkunkWorks]

that looks great and very strong. two questions: 1. what do you put in the space below?
2. would you be interested in making another one?

My "rear facing" GoPro usually lives in that space................and I did not make the Rack originally. It is a "Bumot" product. I simply reinforced the lower plate with some extra metal.

 

[fac191]

Saves

When that happens on one of my projects, I don't think of it as an injury; I think of it as a blood offering to the fabrication gods.

Saves on the Threadlock.