The Alu-Rack / Alu-Box System from SW-MOTECH

[twistedthrottle]

Hi all.

I just put together a short pictorial description of the top rack system from SW-MOTECH for the Super Tenere as a private message for one of the guys and thought I should share the knowledge with the rest of you. It is brief and to the point which I think makes it invaluable.


SW-MOTECH Alu-Rack Toprack with the optional adapter plates accepts cases from several different manufacturers including:

• Trax
• Universal Soft Luggage Carrier
• Coocase
• Hepco & Becker
• Krauser K-Wing
• Shad
• Givi (Monolock and Monokey).

The Alu-Rack without an adapter plate.

A TraX Adapter Plate installed.

A TraX Alu-Box installed

Tha adapter plate is secured by 3 quarter turn fasteners that are removed with a falthead screwdriver. The case slides onto the 4 bobbins on the adapter plate and is locked into place with a key that also locks the lid of the case. If you decide to get side cases as well, all locks can be keyed the same. See the Alu-Rack HERE and the Trax Cases HERE

.....and now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[cadcamkenny]

Please help me out here. I am working with Jennifer at twisted throttle.
I have this rack and the trax top box.
I did not receive the black plastic adapter between the rack and the case.
This causes a clearance issue between the case and the grab bars on the bike.
I had to use washers to shim the pillars to gain clearance.
The long bolts supplied with the rack have both snapped off and I had to use a screw extractor to remove the broken bolts. This happened after less than 2000 miles and the case was empty when the bolts broke.
I am working with Jennifer to get replacement parts and there is some confusion as it appears the rack has been revised.
I would really like to get the revised pillars/bolts/rack to solve this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[twistedthrottle]

Please help me out here. I am working with Jennifer at twisted throttle.
I have this rack and the trax top box.
I did not receive the black plastic adapter between the rack and the case.
This causes a clearance issue between the case and the grab bars on the bike.
I had to use washers to shim the pillars to gain clearance.
The long bolts supplied with the rack have both snapped off and I had to use a screw extractor to remove the broken bolts. This happened after less than 2000 miles and the case was empty when the bolts broke.
I am working with Jennifer to get replacement parts and there is some confusion as it appears the rack has been revised.
I would really like to get the revised pillars/bolts/rack to solve this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Kenny.

I will speak with Jen and see what can be done.

Kevin

 

[twistedthrottle]

I did not receive the black plastic adapter between the rack and the case.

This is a confusing application item.... The adapter you speak of is only for use with ALU-RACKS. What you purchased was a Steel Toprack. The ALU-RACK is more expensive to produce and requires a more expensive adapter hardware set-up. We have worked extensively with SW-MOTECH to create the Steel Toprack line. It is cheaper, cleaner looking, offers a larger mounting surface with bungee appropriate spots and has more mounting options including Rotopax fuel and water bottles.

The long bolts supplied with the rack have both snapped off and I had to use a screw extractor to remove the broken bolts. This happened after less than 2000 miles and the case was empty when the bolts broke.

Nationally and internationally hundreds of these racks have been sold. None have had failures similar to yours. This indicates one of two things. You received hardware not up to the job or the bolts were over-torqued. I cannot determine which is the case here. I know from personal experience that it is not hard to over-torque things. I learned the hard way that the last little jerk on a wrench can exponentially increase the torque that I so masterfully applied to a bolt. I learned this after doing it more than once which had made me a master screw-extractor-guy. For the sake of those reading this post I am adding the torque specifications suggested by SW-MOTECH for all bolts in the common size ranges of thier hardware:

| Bolt Size |​	| Newton Meters Nm |​	| Foot Pounds lb·ft |​
M6​	9.6 Nm​	7 lb·ft​
M8​	23 Nm​	17 lb·ft​
M10​	46 Nm​	34 lb·ft​

I am working with Jennifer to get replacement parts and there is some confusion as it appears the rack has been revised.
I would really like to get the revised pillars/bolts/rack to solve this problem.

I spoke at length with Jen. She understands your concerns and has spoken with our Customer Service Manager and Senior Buyer who in turn had several conversations with one of the 3 founders of SW-MOTECH in Germany. This guy is the SW im SW-MOTECH. They all took the time to determine the correct items to send you to solve your problem. Unfortunately, we do not have the proper hardware on-hand. We also do not have any toprack kits to break to make sure you get the right components. The upgraded hardware to increase the functionality of your Steel Toprack are on their way from Germany now.

I am sorry for the failure. I can promise you Jen has done a whole lot of extra work to guarantee that you get the right hardware to both get the rack on the bike and be certain you can have use of the grab rails.

Kevin

 

[cadcamkenny]

Thank you Kevin, I really appreciate the extra customer service that Twisted throttle is providing here.
I have a micro adjusting torque wrench and did properly torque the bolts. I was looking into replacement bolts but this is very special hardware not available at my local hardware store or even on line sourcing.
I was forced to use washers under the pillars and the top box mounts to gain the approx 0.2" clearance to mount the trax top box. I believe that this is what caused a flexing opportunity on the bolts as they both failed in the same exact location where the washers were.

 

[Rasher]

I have found a problem with this kit:-

Obviously nobody at SW-Motech bothers to test the bikes with the kit fitted and two people on board :exclaim:

The top box sits very close to the passenger seat, and the top box angles forward, this means the passenger ends up sat right on the front edge of their seat (and sometimes slipping down onto the rider seat) and also pushes the rider forward so they are crushed up against the tank.

The boxes themselves are pretty decent, locks a bit cheapo feeling , but the rest of the mounting system is pretty good, but this issue is pretty poor and shows a lack of development.

If they had not angled the box forward it would have given an extra inch or more of room, they obviosuly wanted the Alu-Rack and Box to follow the upward sweeping lines of the bike - which is great to look at, but I bought the bike to ride, if I wanted something to look at I would have bought something pretty like an MV or Ducati.

I am now having to get some brackets made to move the whole lot back about 2 inches as the bike is really uncomfortable when going any distance two-up - which is what I bought it for, if that does not work I will be looking for another top box, I really was expecting more from SW.

We are not large either, I am about 80kg (Spread over 6'1) and the Mrs about 65kg (Spread over 5'11) I don't think you would get two half competent pie eaters on board with the top box fitted.

 

[cadcamkenny]

With the SW steel rack, I experienced a problem where the pillars holding the rack to the bike are too short and the Trax box will hit the grab bars. The solution was to put washers under the pillars and the box mounting grommets to gain the clearance. you can see the clearance achieved here in these pics. This creates a flexing point that will break the extra long bolts holding the rack to the bike when riding with the top box (even empty) on bumpy gravel roads. I'm not willing to remove the grab bars just so I can mount this box. Twisted Throttle has been very helpful and stands behind the products they sell. Unfortunately for me the replacement parts are back ordered for 2 months rendering the $565 steel rack, black trax box, and adapters unusable on my Super Tenere.

Unbelievably (Because I don't know when to stop touching a hot stove) I decided to buy a SW rack for my '98 KLR650 to mount the (sitting idle) Trax box on there. , Another $100+ for that rack and adapters and guess what? Similar clearance issues!!! The rack needs to be shimmed up with washers to gain clearance to mount the Trax top box. My model KLR has been manufactured virtually unchanged for 20yrs... No excuse for that to have a fitment issue. I emailed SW Motech through their web site with this feed back and have not heard back.

Sorry to vent here guys... my frustration is obvious. ::009::