Oil Cooler Brackets

[wildbill]

Well, those crappy pot metal brackets holding my oil cooler in place have finally snapped on me - does anyone know a source for better quality items? Thanks all...

[Paul Minnaert]

these don't look to be a big problem to make a few out off sheet steel?

 

Yours are the alu ones? newer ones are steel.

[wildbill]

these don't look to be a big problem to make a few out off sheet steel?

 

Yours are the alu ones? newer ones are steel.

 

Yes Paul mine are on the 2000 V11 the tennis ball green one - the best of al the V11s!

[Paul Minnaert]

Yes Paul mine are on the 2000 V11 the tennis ball green one - the best of al the V11s!

 

well the cooler brackets aren't the best :-)

[FuelCooler]

Harpers MotoGuzzi sells a set of stainless brackets that I have had for a year and 5000 miles. I think they were $65 or $70 US dollars.

 

 

Edit-

Sorry, the Harpers are $49.95 for the pair!

[wildbill]

well the cooler brackets aren't the best :-)

 

True! they suck! I checked Harper's and they are $50... stainless. I think i'll call tomorrow. Thanks all!

[todd haven]

Stock brackets in black-painted steel are available at about $15 each, IIRC.

In stock. Never seen a steel one break.

Prolly changed 50 of the aluminium type. Most before they broke, some after.

[Steve G.]

Stock brackets in black-painted steel are available at about $15 each, IIRC.

In stock. Never seen a steel one break.

Prolly changed 50 of the aluminium type. Most before they broke, some after.

 

Luckily for me, my original aluminium brackets broke while under warranty, and the local dealer had a bunch in stock, handing them out. The steel ones show no signs of failure.

I was 1/2 way between Winthrop and Grand Coullee Dam when I noticed my cooler flying around in the 80 mph wind, threatening to grind a hole into my front fender.

I was seriously not impressed!

Ciao, Steve

[wildbill]

Todd at MPH came thru with flying colors on the oil cooler brackets - GREAT customer service from those folks. But on a sour note, I bodged one of those cheesey hex screws that attaches the cooler to the bracket - the side with the rubber grommet/washer piece - I believe I had the correct size hex key too - but one pretty easy attempt at a turn chewed up the screw pretty well! Appears to be very soft metal.

What is the easiest way to deal with that? I'm not going to try to turn it any further. I'll have to order new fasteners for sure. Bodge!!!!!!!

[Guest ratchethack]

Bill, this may not be of any help, but mine were already frozen solid before I got to them with Loctite, as I did most of the rest of the bike when I got it. I figure when they have to come out, I'll be grinding flats on those broad button-head screw heads with a die grinder and either breaking them loose with a wrench, or breaking them off. . . At that point I'll be lookin' f'er a Plan B. . .

[wildbill]

Thanks Ratchet, I tell ya I'm no mechanic but I've never seen machines with so many frozen, cheesy fasteners. I love the Guzzis but it does get frustrating. I just took the centerstand off my EV; what should have been a 5 minute job became a 30 minute wrestlemania swearfest because one of the nuts was frozen solid to the pivot bolt. Friggin A, I finally got it off but it was almost a Herculean effort.

I do think it's worth the effort to go through as much of the bike as possible and remove and re-torque as many fasteners as you can reasonably access, and use a bit of anti-sieze paste with each.

[Steve G.]

Todd at MPH came thru with flying colors on the oil cooler brackets - GREAT customer service from those folks. But on a sour note, I bodged one of those cheesey hex screws that attaches the cooler to the bracket - the side with the rubber grommet/washer piece - I believe I had the correct size hex key too - but one pretty easy attempt at a turn chewed up the screw pretty well! Appears to be very soft metal.

What is the easiest way to deal with that? I'm not going to try to turn it any further. I'll have to order new fasteners for sure. Bodge!!!!!!!

 

 

Frickin' vise grips man, with attitude!!!

Ciao, Steve

[docc]

Aye, I had to use a breaker bar to get my custom steel dipstick out today. First time I'd ever seen the oil light flicker under acceleration. Down 600 mL. after 5000 miles.

 

Coated the 'stick's threads with copper antiseize . . .