New (to me) Dominator

TonyA · Apr 2, 2021

Voodooo said:
First time I seen or head of anyone breaking the mid pipe or battery box

Nope , not first time. I broke my cat X-pipe within 3000 miles . After the first 800 miles my bike was still new and I was revving the nuts off of it after that. I have resolved so far 14,000 miles more , keep the hangar bolt not tight. This is the one below where the x-pipe bolts to the bottom of the frame. I Keep this bolt able to spin with fingers , use a locking nut or jam nut - doulble nut the bolt so you don't lose the nuts. Good alignment of the pipes too , no bending stresses. Not first battery box cracking either . Its all documented on this forum . David C. can tell you much more . Best to know now while your bike is still new/nice , and maybe can prevent it. Maybe someday we can come to a consensus as to what is worth doing (fixes) or not. And start a 961 Do's and Dont's section and put it at the top that way newcomers can find it straight away.

Voodooo · Apr 2, 2021

TonyA said:
Nope , not first time. I broke my cat X-pipe within 3000 miles . After the first 800 miles my bike was still new and I was revving the nuts off of it after that. I have resolved so far 14,000 miles more , keep the hangar bolt not tight. This is the one below where the x-pipe bolts to the bottom of the frame. I Keep this bolt able to spin with fingers , use a locking nut or jam nut - doulble nut the bolt so you don't lose the nuts. Good alignment of the pipes too , no bending stresses. Not first battery box cracking either . Its all documented on this forum . David C. can tell you much more . Best to know now while your bike is still new/nice , and maybe can prevent it. Maybe someday we can come to a consensus as to what is worth doing (fixes) or not. And start a 961 Do's and Dont's section and put it at the top that way newcomers can find it straight away.

I have a X pipe without a center hanger. Interesting

TonyA · Apr 2, 2021

Voodooo said:
I have a X pipe without a center hanger. Interesting

So the 2017 and newer don’t have the frame mounting point above the x-pipe. ?

Voodooo · Apr 2, 2021

TonyA said:
So the 2017 and newer don’t have the frame mounting point above the x-pipe. ?

My 16 commando has the mid pipe frame mount as did the stock exhaust.
My Motad decat pipe has the mid mount.
I have a SBN X pipe (decat) and it does not have the mid mount.

Vernon240 · Apr 3, 2021

Thanks everyone, awesome responses! I’ll be onto Talon and see about a sprocket!

TonyA · Apr 3, 2021

Voodooo said:
My 16 commando has the mid pipe frame mount as did the stock exhaust.
My Motad decat pipe has the mid mount.
I have a SBN X pipe (decat) and it does not have the mid mount.

When Southbay was making those pipes they never used a x-pipe hanger I've heard. But your frames all have the mounting boss on at the bottom.

Voodooo · Apr 3, 2021

TonyA said:
When Southbay was making those pipes they never used a x-pipe hanger I've heard. But your frames all have the mounting boss on at the bottom.

Correct.

Vernon240 · Apr 10, 2021

Time to deal with the cracks and add reinforcements to this, blatantly copying ntst8 and hints fro BlightyBrit S/F

My longest crack was on the coil side:

but the battery side showed a crack as well...

but I did also notice a crack developing near one of the tank mounts on this bracket as well (noticed after looking at BlightyBrit's post) so will deal with that tomorrow.

Cleaned the paint of around the suspect areas, dusted off my mig welder and set to:

I cleaned the welds back as far as I dare and pretty happy with the results

Next up, templates for reinforcements

More as it happens...

Vernon240 · Apr 10, 2021

All laid out and ready to cut out....time to annoy the neighbours tomorrow

TonyA · Apr 10, 2021

Vernon240 said:
All laid out and ready to cut out....time to annoy the neighbours tomorrow

How will you cut those shapes ?

Stephen_Spencer · Apr 10, 2021

Exhaust centre rubber bush mount failed in the first year. Exhaust is perfectly rigid without it

!

TonyA · Apr 10, 2021

Stephen_Spencer said:
Exhaust centre rubber bush mount failed in the first year. Exhaust is perfectly rigid without it !

View attachment 79167

Did the frame mount break or the x-pipe ?

Voodooo · Apr 10, 2021

Vernon240 said:
Time to deal with the cracks and add reinforcements to this, blatantly copying ntst8 and hints fro BlightyBrit S/F

My longest crack was on the coil side:

but the battery side showed a crack as well...

but I did also notice a crack developing near one of the tank mounts on this bracket as well (noticed after looking at BlightyBrit's post) so will deal with that tomorrow.

Cleaned the paint of around the suspect areas, dusted off my mig welder and set to:

I cleaned the welds back as far as I dare and pretty happy with the results

Next up, templates for reinforcements

More as it happens...

What about the use of a lithium battery. Less weight. Less fatigue.

Fast Eddie · Apr 10, 2021

Vernon240 said:
All laid out and ready to cut out....time to annoy the neighbours tomorrow

Nice work, not just ‘fixing’ but strengthening the design.
Plus one on Voodoos comment too, a Li battery will reduce stresses.

Vernon240 · Apr 11, 2021

Fast Eddie said:
Nice work, not just ‘fixing’ but strengthening the design.
Plus one on Voodoos comment too, a Li battery will reduce stresses.

Ah, in the true spirit of ‘belt and braces’ as the battery needs replacing, I’m going to try lithium...first time I have tried them...reviews seem to range from ‘awesome’ to ‘never again’. If the cracks had not been apparent, I might have just gone Lithium and called it a day, but as they are there....and more so on the coil pack side, I think some flexing due to vibration is a component here. Adding and improving gives me options, should I want to go back as well. Once done, stripping this assembly (actually, blasting is probably the route I’ll go) will be a pain, so very keen on only doing this once! I have the lithium battery already....I’ll weigh them, but the difference seems remarkable!

Vernon240 · Apr 11, 2021

TonyA said:
How will you cut those shapes ?

I’ll use a thin cutting disc in an angle grinder. That will give me the pieces, but I leave a small margin around the edges. I’ll then fine tune with a flap wheel in the angle grinder, as it’s far less agressive. Finally, I’ll use a hand file. That gives me really nice edges, which I want if they will be exposed..and not welded. For example, those plates underneath, I’ll probably plug weld them in place, making them look a little like spot welds....so I want all the plate edges to be neat and nicely defined. I know it’s a lot of fuss for something that no one will ever see, but I know it’s there and I want it to look right.

TonyA · Apr 11, 2021

Vernon240 said:
I’ll use a thin cutting disc in an angle grinder. That will give me the pieces, but I leave a small margin around the edges. I’ll then fine tune with a flap wheel in the angle grinder, as it’s far less agressive. Finally, I’ll use a hand file. That gives me really nice edges, which I want if they will be exposed..and not welded. For example, those plates underneath, I’ll probably plug weld them in place, making them look a little like spot welds....so I want all the plate edges to be neat and nicely defined. I know it’s a lot of fuss for something that no one will ever see, but I know it’s there and I want it to look right.

You are doing great work ! I wish I was your neighbor !

Stephen_Spencer · Apr 12, 2021

TonyA said:
Did the frame mount break or the x-pipe ?

The pipe work mounting section, not the frame mount. I had the cats cut out and straight through pipe sections welded in by an exhaust professional; he also gutted the cans. Did a great job but the centre pipe mount failed (at the rubber mount - you can just see it on the image) some time later, which I understand is quite common. Had a good look at the stability/security of the pipes without this mount and decided that it was good to go. That was about 3 years ago - no problems since.

Vernon240 · Apr 12, 2021

Here are some of the parts when I first cut them out...pretty rough, but from here on in I refine and fine tune....

and it doesn't always go to plan..here I've abandoned one part and started again..

But I'll eventually get to where I want to be

so all may parts done!

Here I've tacked them in place..

to see how it fits on the bike

but total fail. The coil side is too big and the angle it is tacked on at means the tank won't fit! This is why you tack first!

The final parts were significant smaller, but fine tuned with many many tank on/off cycles! here I'm wedling the parts finally in place, doing shorte seams to keep heat distortion down

Here I have fixed the tank mount crack

This is how those smaller parts will fit:

Vernon240 · Apr 12, 2021

The two smaller parts in place:

Test on the bike..

and finally with the tank and making sure the mounting screws still fit

I wanted to keep the rear flush, as the battery and the coil mount right up against my new plates

Closer inspection seems to indicate reasonable weld penetration, but might run a couple of weld seams here and grind right back to flush.

Pretty much done!

New (to me) Dominator

TonyA

Voodooo

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TonyA

Voodooo

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Vernon240

TonyA

Voodooo

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Vernon240

Vernon240

TonyA

Stephen_Spencer

TonyA

Voodooo

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Fast Eddie

Vernon240

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TonyA

Stephen_Spencer

Vernon240

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