GeoffCee
New member
With the color change half way across the bracket it looks like metal fatigue had set in before the break. Is that how you see it?
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- Thread starter CyncySpyder
- Start date
With the color change half way across the bracket it looks like metal fatigue had set in before the break. Is that how you see it?
View attachment 37789
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
WoW, sorry yours IS cracked, but at least now you know it. I'd keep a 4" hose clamp & screw driver in your trunk just in case it does break all the way.
IMHO & personally experiencing the break while ryding, I doubt this scenerio would happen. The shield itself will still be held on by the two pivot points on the sides. When mine broke, albeit at only 10mph, it just slammed back toward me & was resting on the two pivot points & the GPS thats mounted to the top of the dash, but it was no where near close enough to hit me. I realize most other RT ryders don't have a GPS mounted to the dash-top, but it would have still been resting on the top of the dash & the two pivot points. I'm not saying a catastrophic break at a high rate of speed/wind-turbulance couldn't break the 2 pivot points as well. Obviously, if that happend, may god help you
ray::thumbup:
:thumbup:
Yes, thats the way it looks to me as well. Besides the actual break that is all the way through, if you look closely at this picture, you can actually see ANOTHER CRACK that has formed higher up on the bracket, and like the original crack, its only half way thru the bracket :shocked:
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dabreitbach
New member
Heck. If you have one thats not cracked just get a stainless steel hose clamp on it and don't worry about it. That should solve any breakage potential. :2thumbs:
ThreeWheels
Active member
I suspect that a hose clamp wouldn't be good enough. The problem seems to be from the windshield shaking side to side and twisting this piece.
I'm not sure keeping the arm in compression would solve that.
Mine failed in exactly the same mode. First it broke close to the shield, and after i glued it together it failed again closer to the bike portion shortly afterwards.
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
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NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
The photos of the cracks do not appear to be caused by torsional stress. I suspect it is the mere repeated bouncing of the windshield up and down (or fore and aft) that fatigues the link and finally breaks it. It probably involves a metallurical problem, in addition to design strength issue.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
CRACKED WINDSHIELD BRACKET
Someone needs to report this to the N.H.S.A. so they can jump on BRP in a legal fashion.....That will deffinately get their attention.....Mike....:thumbup:
Someone needs to report this to the N.H.S.A. so they can jump on BRP in a legal fashion.....That will deffinately get their attention.....Mike....:thumbup:
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
So far, so good
Granted, its only been 4 days, but the hose clamp seems to be working well. I have full use of the shield, with no issues as of yet :thumbup:
Granted, its only been 4 days, but the hose clamp seems to be working well. I have full use of the shield, with no issues as of yet :thumbup:
Lamonster
SpyderLovers Founder
Do you run your shield up most of the time or what? I had the F4 shield on my old RT and it was wider but shorter and I always ran it all the way down. Just trying to figure out why this is happening to some and not others. I've never been a big fan of cast parts in stress areas.
NancysToy
Motorbike Professor
I was wondering about that, too. I almost always ride with my windshield down, and I haven't had a problem. I also wonder if differences in the play in the mounts is contributing. My 2010 windshield was very tight, and did not buffet or bounce a bit. My 2011 shakes like the wind. The percentage of rough road or freeway riding may also enter into it, I imagine. It would be nice to get some details to try to start pinning this down. It still seems to be a fairly isolated problem, but it would be quite startling if it happened.
Bob Denman
New member
Well I for one am hoping that ThreeWheels can get the part copied in stainless and then get more for the rest of us! :thumbup:
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
Here's my details, maybe others will chime in also
I ryde every day, all temps & weather conditions. So far, no ice or snow yet.
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In 8 months, we have almost 20,000 miles now.38 miles round trip M-F on highway doing 55-80? mph
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Usually take Teddy cruising around town 25-45 mph about 10-15 miles a day
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Never (OK, Rarely Ever) off-road, but a few local streets are brick & cobblestone, so pretty bumpy
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If its a dry ryde, the shield is positioned all the way down, then up by two bumps of the button
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If its a wet ryde, all the way down, then up by usually 4 or 5 bumps, putting it about 3/4 of the way up
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I NEVER ryde with it all the way up. Tried once & got backsplash on the back of my head
learned my lesson
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Like Scotty, my 2010 Spyder shield seemed to be tighter. The 11s pivot points seem a little loose
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I did however switch out the smaller 2011 shield for the larger 2010 shield. Seeing as I ryde all winter & in wet conditions, the larger 2010 shield provides much more adequate protection from the elements.
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The byke is always garaged overnight. I live in an urban area, so no long gravel or dirt roads to contend with, tho to be fair, the Cincinnati area is notorious for pot-holes
I ryde every day, all temps & weather conditions. So far, no ice or snow yet.
-
In 8 months, we have almost 20,000 miles now.38 miles round trip M-F on highway doing 55-80? mph
-
Usually take Teddy cruising around town 25-45 mph about 10-15 miles a day
-
Never (OK, Rarely Ever) off-road, but a few local streets are brick & cobblestone, so pretty bumpy
-
If its a dry ryde, the shield is positioned all the way down, then up by two bumps of the button
-
If its a wet ryde, all the way down, then up by usually 4 or 5 bumps, putting it about 3/4 of the way up
-
I NEVER ryde with it all the way up. Tried once & got backsplash on the back of my head
learned my lesson-
Like Scotty, my 2010 Spyder shield seemed to be tighter. The 11s pivot points seem a little loose
-
I did however switch out the smaller 2011 shield for the larger 2010 shield. Seeing as I ryde all winter & in wet conditions, the larger 2010 shield provides much more adequate protection from the elements.
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The byke is always garaged overnight. I live in an urban area, so no long gravel or dirt roads to contend with, tho to be fair, the Cincinnati area is notorious for pot-holes
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pierrelogic
New member
Well....I wouldn't say never. Cow-path road comes to mind this past October. I think I was right behind ya. :roflblack:
Just kidding Dave, just kidding. Sorry to hear about this situation.
ThreeWheels
Active member
To be honest, mine broke at speed and al that happened was, I got a little more wind on me. The windsheild drops down and thens lays back against the upper wind deflectors. Granted, that's an undesireable situation, but I'm not convinced it's a safety issue.
After the glued arm broke the second time, I put some cardboard protectors over the wind deflectors and rode that way for a week until I got the unit replaced.
I just wish I had more confidence that the replacement unit is more robust than the original. Unfortunately, I don't.
MarkLawson
RT-S PE#0031
Can't say that I agree. Surly a windshield bracket failure could potentially pose a safety risk to the rider. One bracket failing could cause additional stress for the remaining brackets which they were not intended to withstand. With the center bracket failing, should we assume the other two are better designed? Maybe, but maybe not. They may be as poorly designed as the center.
Lamonster
SpyderLovers Founder
The center bracket is fixed in the sense that it is attached to the motor. The other two brackets are not locked in so they will have a little more give and that may be why they are not failing. Either way they should not be breaking and I'm sure BRP is aware of the problem.
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
:dontknow:Apples & Oranges:dontknow:
The other two pivot points that hold the shield on are NOTHING like the dog-bone center support that moves up & down.
Not saying that they could NOT give way themselves with the additional stress if the dog-bone mechanism broke at speed,
but they are nothing like the center support.
The other two pivot points that hold the shield on are NOTHING like the dog-bone center support that moves up & down.
Not saying that they could NOT give way themselves with the additional stress if the dog-bone mechanism broke at speed,
but they are nothing like the center support.
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
Attachments
CyncySpyder
Teddys favorite human
Here's an update for those that are interested
BRP is not allowing the dealerships to order or replace only the cast alluminum dog-bone shaped mechanism that is failing, instead, requiring dealers to order & replace the entire assembly including the motor that raises & lowers the shield. After talking with the Service Manager, we're both thinking that BRP will change there stance on this subject as they start having to replace more & more of these units under Warranty, it just doesn't seem cost effecient to replace a perfectly good motor when its not the problem.
BRP did cover the replacement under Warranty, but sadly, the replacement part looks exactly the same as our previous defective part, minus the visible crack, so we'll see how long this one lasts for us. I do have to admit tho, now that we have the new one installed, the wind-shield seems to be rock solid now. Before, we would have a little play if you rocked the shield from left to right, not a lot, but you could wiggle it back & forth. Now, its not moving at all except with the push of the button.
On a side note, a fellow RT ryder stopped by the shop while I was waiting on Teds Red Sled & we got to talking about this dog-bone issue, which he was totally unaware of. I asked him if he had checked his & he had not, so we walked out to his byke & I showed him where to look & sure enough, his has a crack in it as well, right in the same spot that ours cracked.
BRP is not allowing the dealerships to order or replace only the cast alluminum dog-bone shaped mechanism that is failing, instead, requiring dealers to order & replace the entire assembly including the motor that raises & lowers the shield. After talking with the Service Manager, we're both thinking that BRP will change there stance on this subject as they start having to replace more & more of these units under Warranty, it just doesn't seem cost effecient to replace a perfectly good motor when its not the problem.
BRP did cover the replacement under Warranty, but sadly, the replacement part looks exactly the same as our previous defective part, minus the visible crack, so we'll see how long this one lasts for us. I do have to admit tho, now that we have the new one installed, the wind-shield seems to be rock solid now. Before, we would have a little play if you rocked the shield from left to right, not a lot, but you could wiggle it back & forth. Now, its not moving at all except with the push of the button.
On a side note, a fellow RT ryder stopped by the shop while I was waiting on Teds Red Sled & we got to talking about this dog-bone issue, which he was totally unaware of. I asked him if he had checked his & he had not, so we walked out to his byke & I showed him where to look & sure enough, his has a crack in it as well, right in the same spot that ours cracked.
