| Author | Message | ||
     Hooper |
Finally got my '06 Uly back from the shop last week after a month of service repairing the aftermath of my clobbering a deer. Pretty much everything was in good shape until I filled up the tank and noticed a vapor-thin layer of fuel weeping down the frame behind the right frame puck, where my knee normally goes. I thought I overfilled it, or perhaps the crash cracked a seal somewhere. I rode on, and the leak eventually stopped. Today, I filled the tank all the way up and instantly noticed the seepage starting. Back home, I pulled the air box assembly off and found a hairline crack on the top of the frame - I couldn't tell how far the crack went around the inside of the frame. If you draw an imaginary line down from between the "U" and the "E" on the "Buell" name on the airbox, that's where it is. It's far enough back from the front fork (which took the impact of the deer strike) that it surprised me. The frame was not touched during the crash, except for the left frame puck, which was scuffed. I can only imagine that the impact of the crash and perhaps the bike going down on the pavement may have created it. I siphoned a gallon out of the tank and the leak stopped (the fuel level dropped below the crack). Can this be repaired, welded, or sealed, or am I in for a new frame? Structurally, does a hairline crack mean a SERIOUS structural emergency? God knows I can't ride around and only have a maximum of 3.6 gallons in the tank! That would make long-distance touring a little more tedious.    | ||
| Bigdaddy |
A new frame is where you're heading. I wouldn't ride it at all if I were in your position. A frame failure at speed has no good endings. Please be careful and good luck. G2 | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Frame replacement = total if you are filing with insurance. Out of pocket? Yikes! | ||
| Hooper |
That's the interesting thing - the insurance guy originally recommended a new frame. I went to the shop to review the appraisal before the work began, and the dealer and I both agreed that there was nothing wrong with the frame (little did we know), and would take that off the list to replace. Believe it or not, the insurance appraisal didn't total the bike, even with recommending that the frame needed to be replaced. Needless to say, this is a massive, massive bummer, especially as the weather gets so nice. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Then I'd have the frame added back to the list and get it replaced. This is the crack that you KNOW about. What about the one you can't see yet? | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
"This is the crack that you KNOW about. What about the one you can't see yet?" Very good point! | ||
| Etennuly |
Yeah, get back with your insurance adjuster. Things sometimes show up after the repair in these instances. The aluminum can be welded, but as your fuel tank it cannot as it will burn out the liner material that keeps the fuel from eating at the aluminum. Sealing it might help the leak, but not the structure. Structural repair adhesives might work but could be an issue a short time later as flexing, and fuel chemicals, could cause it to loosen up. All repairs have too great a chance to fail. | ||
| Court |
Your insurance company would FAR PREFER to replace that frame than your tibula. Back to the dealer. | ||
| Echo15 |
About 10 yrs ago there was a mountain bike (graphite frame) that was known for "sudden catastrophic structural failure" at the downtube. Need I say more? | ||
| Ratbuell |
New frame. Don't cut corners, especially *that* one. | ||
| M_singer |
I wouldn't even for a second consider repairing a crack in a frame that carries fuel! | ||
| Blake |
Replacing the frame is the smart way to go. There is no adhesive that on its own would restore the frame's strength. Howeer, if you drilled the ends of the crack to prevent further propagation, then applied a good form-fitting doubler via a good structural adhesive, you might be okay. Better to have the frame replaced. | ||
| Blake |
Can you post a photo of the area that shows the entire surrounding area, not just the crack. I'm not sure what I am looking at. | ||
| Sub65chris |
It is very dificut to repair craks in structural parts. On huey and cobra helicopters the tailbooms get cracks at the vertical fin that holds the tail rotor up and in place. it becames a huge operation removing and replacing about 10 sq feet of aluminum skin and removing and replacing about 1500 rivits. for one small crack. the strange thing is that I think my buell shakes more than the helicopters. good luck replace it! | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
They will not repair a frame and insure it, or pay for it, they will total it, really the only option to cover their own arse. Most insurance companies will replace structural parts even if there is just a scratch on it. | ||
| 911_racer |
That just plain sucks. makes me worry even more about ridding my Uly around the world in about 1 1/2 years. | ||
| Neurorider |
911, don't sweat it too bad. He did hit a deer! There are lots of posts about Uly wrecks and how durable the bike is...just everything eventually has a limit. From what I've seen the bike is really quite tough in a crash! doc | ||
| Hooper |
Just don't try to run over a yak at 55mph in Mongolia. Blake - I'll get a better photo of the affected area a little later so you can see where the crack is. | ||
| Froggy |
911, the Ulys are next to indestructible. I had over a dozen wrecks, the last one was the one that did mine in. It wasn’t even that bad of a wreck, I think it just got nickel and dimed to death by the insurance adjuster. | ||
| Hughlysses |
If that did happen to me in outer Mongolia, I wouldn't hesitate to drill the ends of the crack, JB Weld it, and keep riding. | ||
| Paul56 |
+1 what Blake said about repairing if necessary. Drill the ends of the crack to prevent/retard propagation. If you don't find a gas tolerant structural adhesive you could try a product called ProSeal. Its used to seal "wet-winged" aircraft; those without seperate fuel tanks or bladders to carry fuel. The stuff is impervious to fuel and viciously adherent. | ||
| Fubar |
If the insurance is paying, why in the world would would you not replace the frame? Safety does need to come first. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
please keep us informed...... | ||
| Blake |
"JB Weld it" Epoxy, which is what "JB Weld" is, will server no good in this case unless it is used to bond a proper metal doubler/patch to the affected area. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Blake- I wasn't seriously suggesting JB Weld for repair of the bike in question, just that if I was stuck in the middle of nowhere (literally) with a cracked frame, I'd fix it with whatever I had on hand. The metal doubler would be an easy addition to make it a reasonably "proper" repair though. | ||
| Blake |
Hugh, I gotcha. | ||
| Hooper |
Well, I'm going to go get a new frame. The dealer service guy, who I trust, also agreed with many of you. I've got the insurance backing, so why not? You wish they could just finish it in a day - 8 hours of work should do it - but it always ends up with the bike being away for weeks. What's up with that?!?! Here's the real question: should I bring the old frame home with me and make a bar stool out of it? An herb planter for my deck? Hang it from the ceiling with lights on it and the f'ing deer antlers that got me into this situation in the first place? A Buell fuel-in-frame frame is a work of art...maybe I'll put it on my living room wall. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Yeah! just hang it on the wall like a picture. | ||
| Fubar |
An Accident Montage...awesome. The wife will love it. |
