Weak Spots...

[TREDZ71]

I'm looking to tear down my '04 450R and will be gusseting and powdercoating the frame.

Does anyone know the weak spots on the '04's?

I've seen Walsh's website and their gusset kit...but are there any other websites that outline these weak spots?

Thanks in advance.

[rowlrag]

I've seen the Walsh too, I think thats IMO the best I've seen. http://www.wrcracing.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=50

[Pappy]

ill proably get ripped for this....

how does walsh make a claim that the 450r is least likely of the production quads to need gusseting:huh i had 11 450r frames in here a few weeks back and found cracks on almost every one of them!

and im not biased, i think all the new quad frames SUCK!

[TREDZ71]

yah pappy...i must agree on that. i owned a z400 for 2 years and had nothing but problems with the frame. every race weekend i ran into someone with a frame problem....being honda, yammie, suzuki....you name it.

i guess the only thing to do is gusset and HOPE nothing happens.

by the way....i found that bare offers a gusset kit as well. i may just go with them...

thanks for the feedback everyone.

[Pappy]

the Bare kit is not too bad, and alot less then the Walsh kit. I do not like the Bare gusset that has thier name laser cut into it, 1 i dont need to advertise for anyone, and 2 i dont feel a gusset is needed where that one happens to go.(atleast as big as they made it)

[TREDZ71]

it's funny that you say that...i had one put on my z400, but repalced that peice with one i made.

unless they wanna give it to me for a discount or for free...then i would leave it...haha.

[honduh440]

yeah all the frames crack easily but if u put em threw the same punishment the honda would last the longest for sure

[Pappy]

they sent one for a YFZ for me to check out and it did not have that logo on any of the gussets so maybe they have changed the design. matt and them are good guys but that one gusset was my only complaint. im sure they will make a non logo unit if you want.

we gusset in 10 areas i believe not counting the area near the upper motor mount. so far so good, but IMO its a matter of time wether you gusset or not. i expected more from yamaha and honda. i know alot of the frames ive had to fix have been running quality suspension since damn near day 1 and most are good riders so the breakage is not limited to some goof over shooting a jump on blown stock shocks:p

[Pappy]

Originally posted by honduh440
yeah all the frames crack easily but if u put em threw the same punishment the honda would last the longest for sure

i have seen far more cracks and frame breakage with the honda frames as compared to the yfz frames. and i get a pretty equal mix of them thru here. some of these R frames were 05's and had the second part of last season on them, far less racing then what one would expect to find such problems.

[TREDZ71]

pappy....i pm'd ya.

Are the frames on the 450's any weaker than the original stock 250r frames?

[Pappy]

im no metal expert, but it seems to me the number 1 spot the newer frames (yfz or R ) like to break is where they introduced that cast upper main tube. it takes the force of the rear shock and it heads straight to where that part meets the upper motor mount. el cracko:p

i gave everyone a heads up on the yfz a few months after it was released and i was called every name but a white man:D i have been told ..."well the frames crack because of people running bad suspension"....my reply...."i get 15 year old 250r frames in here that are running on the stock shocks, and cracks are few and far between"

i know the old 250r will crack just like anything put thru this abuse, but ive seen newer frames crack within a race or two so something sure has changed. maybe the rider level has increased so much that even with aftermarket suspension one can now bust a stock frame up in 1/2 a season:blah:

ive also seen every possible combination of aftermarket parts arrive with cracks also wether it be a frame or swing arm, its just the nature of the beast. but what mainly cranks my goat is the fact they want pro riders on production machines, claiming it will level the expenses. how does replacing a frame 3 times a seaon save the average rider any money? a crack ok, 2 cracks..ok frame broke damn near in half? i aint buying it.

[FHKracingZ]

Pappy is right, for being a old guy he sure does know his chit :D .. Nick , the Bare Performance gusset kit is good but the top gusset makes the frame to rigid and will crack after a while... Just search around or print out the picture of the walsh gusset kit and take it to a machine shop and have them make the pieces , i know alot of people do that...

[speedfreaksguy]

I had a couple of good sized cracks in my 04 frame by the end of the first season. I took the Walsh pictures and made my own gussets and pro-peg mounts. I have beat on it for over a year now without any more problems. I just tore it down again and only found two hairline cracks where the steering stem mounts up near the top. My 250R frame had to be welded every month, thats why I sold it to buy the 450. Of course the 250R frame was almost 20 years old.
I see all kinds of frames come through my shop and even the aftermarket frames develop cracks. My advice is if you plan on racing MX or freestyle jumping you should gusset your frame as soon as possible.

[ESR250R]

my 250r frame only had one crack in it within the 16 years it was used for. hey pappy, i have asked a few people and noone seems to know... in the pro production class can you gusset the stock chassis or is that considering modifying it?

[goldrims04]

iam not sure about this but didnt honda have a recall on the 04 450r frames for cracking this is what i heard hope this isnt true.

[Pappy]

i do not know the answer to the pro am question...anyone?


honda was taking care of a few frames that cracked, but i know of many that were told to "beat it" from thier dealer.

old:mad: :blah: