Recommendations on installing tunnel reinforcement/protectors

[steveg_nh]

Hi All,

I will be replacing two cracked heat exchangers under the footrests, and in an effort to stiffen things up to hopefully avoid this from happening again, I bought he Yamaha tunnel reinforcement kit. SMA-8HG58-MT-00. These things are massive and thick. Very strong, much more so than I thought they would be.

Technically they say they are for 2011 and up, but many said they work fine on the 06-10 Apex/Attaks as well. The right side certainly does slip right in. No issues.

On my left side I have the clicker suspension dial (not used anymore), but that is causing a small issue. I read in another thread (didn't want to hijack it) that the insert plate for the CK dial requires a bit of modification to make the tunnel protector fit in better.

I'm not sure how to best do this, and how to trim it. Should it fit entirely inside the opening of the tunnel protector? It can't overlap at all and be a bit raised? Here's some pics of the protectors and how it sits in on the left side right now. Seems fine. Of course it's a bit raised because of the plate, but it's pretty flat and doesn't seem to be an issue. I'm not looking for trouble!

The only thing I did notice is two of the rivet holes for the heat exchangers line up with the holes in these plates. So the last rivet for the hx will be through this plate, through the footrest then the hx. The only downside of these is if you do need to pull them again, rivets will be hidden behind these, so they will need to be drilled out and removed to replace the hx.

Open to ideas, suggestions, etc. Thanks!

 

[steiner]

If you are not using the RA anymore then just remove the assembly and replace it with a block off plate made of a piece of sheet aluminum. Make the plate the slightly larger than the front opening of the reinforcement. Rivet the plate under the reinforcement together onto the tunnel.

 

[thor452]

I agree you should remove the dial and make a plate. I think if I was doing it I would make the plate small enough to fit inside the space provided in the tunnel support brackets so they will fit flush or put the plate on the inside of the tunnel and make sure the rivets are inside of the hole in the tunnel support.. lots have removed the dial and put a plate in its place wit no ill effects.

 

[steveg_nh]

Thanks. Do you just buy aluminum stock at your local Home Depot or something, or something stronger? What thickness of mounting in front? I think having it fit inside the opening, vs under, is better. As you say the protector won't be raised up and will lay flat. If I put it on the inside, I'll see the hole. Don't think I'd like that.

Anyone that put these on note the fact that there will be a rivet hidden under the protector for the heat exchanger? I would consider leaving that out, but don't want to weaken the hx at all, as this is why I'm adding these in the first place. But replacing the hx would mean drilling these out on both sides, which is alot to get at one rivet.

 

[thor452]

with them in place you should never have to replace heat EX's again I would put the rivet in for sure. Besides you are the type to do it right I can tell from your posts so far so if it had to be replaced again you would go thru the work either way.

 

[thor452]

also on the alum it is not structural just use what ever you have that will look good.

 

[yamadoo]

Steve you are going to end up with a real nice solid sled. It has been fun reading how you found and addressed each issue. Thanks for helping him out guys---that's what makes this site great.

 

[steveg_nh]

Besides you are the type to do it right I can tell from your posts so far so if it had to be replaced again you would go thru the work either way.

Am I that transparent! Lol. I can't do anything half assed. It's my Dad in me. And I'm lucky enough to have the resources to be able to do it that way.

And sounds like an aluminum sheet is ok then, vs something 1/8" thick. Nice! We will see if I pull it out. I don't mind it but want the reinforcement plate solid and as flush as possible.

 

[steveg_nh]

Steve you are going to end up with a real nice solid sled. It has been fun reading how you found and addressed each issue. Thanks for helping him our guys---that's what makes this site great.

You aren't kidding! I joke with my buddy who says I just should have bought a brand new sled. I tell him the only problem with that is you can't get it in the house past the wife in pieces in tons of smaller boxes.

Wait until I get into replacing the belly pan! That will be a fun thread.

Seriously though this site is amazing. I learn so much through online forums. Huge resource. I used to have a Viper 700 triple so I was always on the 2 Stroke side of TY. I'm digging my first 4 stroke.

 

[gitrdun]

If I remember correctly, I took a fine toothed hacksaw blade to the RA dial plate at the front and the bottom to make it just fit into the cutout of the tunnel reinforcement. As far as existing rivets go, you can shift the reinforcement slightly to avoid some rivets, and a couple of rivets that you cannot avoid, you can drill them out and drill your own hole from the underside up through the tunnel reinforcement and attach with your black rivets. If you got the kit with rivets, you may have some rivets longer and some shorter so position them accordingly to the number of layers you are going through. You will also notice that the runningboard coolers and the reinforcement trim on the outside edge are riveted on haphazardly at best from the factory, meaning every second or third hole has a rivet in it, so if you took one out or put another one in in the next rivet hole, I doubt that it will change much. I did mine years ago and I have no hidden rivets and it is riveted snug to the footrest, the way it should be. No problems.

 

[steveg_nh]

So I'm at the decision point on the right side reinforcement. Thanks for your thoughts. I have the right hx replaced but left out all the rivets that would be under the reinforcer. One rivet lines up perfect.

The other two rivets that were used for the hx don't line up. So if I go up from the bottom and drill new holes through the reinforcer I'll have randomly placed holes with nothing in them. Would you use those new holes and the original ones in the reinforcer that don't line up?

If I leave them all out (the ones that don't line up) I would have 2 missing rivets. See pics. This all might sound confusing.

 

[steveg_nh]

Well decision made. I marked where the new holes in the reinforcement plate would be based on the holes in the hx that were the issue and I didn't care for how it would look asthetically from above (multiple holes close to each other) so I just put the two rivets into the hx where they belong which means the tunnel support plate will cover them. The middle rivet in question for the hx lines up with a predtilled hole in the reinforcement plate so it will go in from above the plate. On to the left side hx now. Pics will come once the tunnel supports are fully installed.

 

[gitrdun]

Sorry, I just got home. Here is mine. You actually don't even notice the unused holes until you focus on them.Or nicely fill the hole with a dab of black caulking.

 

[steveg_nh]

You're right looks fine. But I did it so it's done. . Can I get a close up pic of what you didnaround your RA clicker knob? Thanks

 

[gitrdun]

Not so easy to see the lines, but I believe I cut the front and bottom edge to just fit inside the reinforcement.