WARNING FOR ALL RT OWNERS * You may want to check this on your machine

[pegasus1300]

I don't know if it has made any difference, if I have just been lucky. or if I have an exceptionally good lift arm but in 8 years and 65,000+ miles I have never had any trouble with the arm. Since the only thing I can control in this equation is whether or not it is all the way up or down I will continue to raise or lower my windshield by just a hair until I quit riding it or it breaks.

[2dogs]

It's excellent advice and well worth doing but as you mentioned "you could see the arm absorbing all the flex" and that's where the problem lies in that the arm finally gives up on all that absorbing and tends to crack and eventually break. So it's worth checking the windscreen arm at least once a month and look for the tel tale signs of any cracking.

Safe Riding all

Luckily no crack yet. I recently bought some low temp welding rods the other day. The kind you use with just a single bottle torch. If I ever find a crack I think I'll try filling the arm in with that low temp welding rod material. It might work and then again it might not.

[Peter Aawen]

Luckily no crack yet. I recently bought some low temp welding rods the other day. The kind you use with just a single bottle torch. If I ever find a crack I think I'll try filling the arm in with that low temp welding rod material. It might work and then again it might not.

Will those lo-temp rods actually let you weld cheapie 'pot metal'?? Check with Blueknight911 - I believe Mike hadta substantially add better metal to the OE arm in order to fix it; but now that he has, it probably won't fail ever again! Not something I'd expect from just a welded OE arm tho! Have you seen a broken one of them? It ain't good looking metal!

There again, Ron's replacement billet arms are a strong & sexy piece of kit that come with a set of good, clear instructions & all the necessary bits to readily replace the dodgy arm with his billet version - cheap at twice the price!

[UtahPete]

I received one billet arm from Ron and will soon install it on my wife's windshield (she has the huge F4 and rides with it raised).

I'll carry her old one as a spare in case mine should fail.

[2dogs]

Will those lo-temp rods actually let you weld cheapie 'pot metal'?? Check with Blueknight911 - I believe Mike hadta substantially add better metal to the OE arm in order to fix it; but now that he has, it probably won't fail ever again! Not something I'd expect from just a welded OE arm tho! Have you seen a broken one of them? It ain't good looking metal!

There again, Ron's replacement billet arms are a strong & sexy piece of kit that come with a set of good, clear instructions & all the necessary bits to readily replace the dodgy arm with his billet version - cheap at twice the price!

I haven't had one in my hand to know what it's made of so I can't positively say I could fix it with low temp weld rod. I like BK's idea of adding a channel-type support and attempt to fix a cracked one that way. If it is only cracked it may work but if it's broken in half I think I'd opt for a total replacement arm.

[2dogs]

I received one billet arm from Ron and will soon install it on my wife's windshield (she has the huge F4 and rides with it raised).

I'll carry her old one as a spare in case mine should fail.

Think you could replace a broken one on the fly? I saw a photo here a while back of a broken one temporarily fixed with metal hose clamps.

[UtahPete]

Think you could replace a broken one on the fly? I saw a photo here a while back of a broken one temporarily fixed with metal hose clamps.

On a long tour, I take my full complement of Spyder tools. About the only thing I can't deal with is anything requiring a lift....but I'm working on that.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

On a long tour, I take my full complement of Spyder tools. About the only thing I can't deal with is anything requiring a lift....but I'm working on that.

Shop the JUNK yards for an Alumin. ( or steel ) scissor jack from a compact car / suv etc. ..... they can easily lift the Spyder, are small and lightweight.... I have a few and cut the ring end off and welded a 1/2 in nut on it .... I can use my drill or a small ratchet & socket .... they work great for any lifting .... I spent about $ 5.00 ea. ..... good luck .... Mike

[2dogs]

On a long tour, I take my full complement of Spyder tools. About the only thing I can't deal with is anything requiring a lift....but I'm working on that.

Do you pull a trailer with you on long trips?

https://www.google.com/search?q=12v+...client=gws-wiz

[UtahPete]

Do you pull a trailer with you on long trips?

https://www.google.com/search?q=12v+...client=gws-wiz

Good point. Yes, we have an RT-622. But I was thinking more along the lines of one of those exhaust inflated air bags. The lifts I have are much too bulky and heavy. But one of my scissor jacks like you show there might be enough to get me out of a tight spot. Thanks for the idea.

[UtahPete]

Shop the JUNK yards for an Alumin. ( or steel ) scissor jack from a compact car / suv etc. ..... they can easily lift the Spyder, are small and lightweight.... I have a few and cut the ring end off and welded a 1/2 in nut on it .... I can use my drill or a small ratchet & socket .... they work great for any lifting .... I spent about $ 5.00 ea. ..... good luck .... Mike

You the man!

[UtahPete]

Think you could replace a broken one on the fly? I saw a photo here a while back of a broken one temporarily fixed with metal hose clamps.

You know what? I'd also need drift punches, heat guns, a vice and a clean, tidy work space to do this. I won't be doing it alongside the road for sure!

I'm going to look up that thread for temporary fixes!

[trikermutha]

Just bring gorilla tape with you to hold the windshield in place. Not much you can do once it snaps like mine did on the Hwy.

I just propped it back upward and drove home. I was rather surprised it held in place and didn't blow backward at me again. So Gorrilla tape would be a quick temp fix or even some U Clamps with a plate on each side of the arm as a quick temp fix.

[Champagne]

I had to replace one on my 2012 RTL

[2dogs]

You know what? I'd also need drift punches, heat guns, a vice and a clean, tidy work space to do this. I won't be doing it alongside the road for sure!

I'm going to look up that thread for temporary fixes!

Learned a good lesson a long time ago, 1983. My wife and I were in a campground near the south rim of the Grand Canyon and met a fella who had his disabled 2 wheeler torn down trying to repair a damaged part. He was at a point where he couldn't reassemble his ride without the part he needed. He was stuck, and apparently the closest available part was in Vegas. Lesson, don't take your ride apart in the middle of forsaken nowhere, particularly if it is still moveable.