Blaster Killed In Action!

[Blaner]

Well, today I went out to do a "funduro" 30km extreme loop and a 20km family section. I was going to do it all, (50km) to make a meal of the day as it was a way out of town.

Very nice ride, rocky mountainous terrain, lots of steep loose climbs and steep decents. About 2km in, a young guy on a 2 wheeler came short and knocked his head. He had bit his tounge on impact and later we found out he was concussed. So after stopping to help, my brother and I carried on...

Around the 10km mark, I hit a small water diversion bump on a climb (one of many) and BAM! I just checked a wheel popping out the side. I stopped within 5m as I didnt have too much speed.

The pics say it all. Clean fracture through the left, lower A Arm. as well as a bent shock.

The reason? when I first got my 450 kit, this particular arm had a slight bend, I had it straightened by an engineering shop but obviously this was a weak spot. It finally gave up and snapped clean on the point where the bend was.

This cost me a shock as well...

Needless to say, I was now stuck on a narrow mountain pass for an hour waiting for the marshall to sweep the track and finally got loaded up onto a Land Cruiser and completed the rest of the course in Airconditioned comfort

CARNAGE!

 

[blasterdemon7]

Wow! You f**ked that up son. That seems a little odd place for it to break.

 

[blasty 95]

Thats sucks man......................

 

[York Racing]

So what your saying about the bend is that you had the gull wing bend taken out to make a straight arm?

 

[Blaner]

So what your saying about the bend is that you had the gull wing bend taken out to make a straight arm?

No, this left arm had taken a knock by the guy I bought them from. And when compared with the right hand one, the ball joint sat a few mm higher than the right one. The knock had put a small kink in the tube. I had that fixed and matched to the right hand side one.

This obviously caused a weak spot as I think they heated it to get it to bend.

 

[York Racing]

Yeah the lowers are always the weaker. If they were square tubing like the uppers they would just about be bulletproof.

 

[brandoz28]

That sucks blaner! !!!! You'll have it back up and running in no time

 

[Awk08]

damn good thing that didn't happen at speed !!!!!!

 

[Blaner]

damn good thing that didn't happen at speed !!!!!!

telling me, it would have been a long tumble down the cliff! guess its always good to look at the positives

 

[Awk08]

BTW ....thats not killed, only wounded !!! LOL

 

[brandoz28]

I would agree....i expected to see much worse! You'll get it going again in no time I'm sure

 

[Blaner]

ya just gets pricey...new shock..new arm...arrrg.

 

[York Racing]

The shock will be the worst part.

 

[Blaner]

the concerning part is the actual thickness of these pipes. they are extremely thin. I suppose it is for weight saving and all, but i would have made them thicker (2mm) it i were a Jap!

 

[Larry's Shee]

Always look for the positive side, could have been way worse. More damage to you and the bike had it been at speed X(

 

[Blaaster]

No, this left arm had taken a knock by the guy I bought them from. And when compared with the right hand one, the ball joint sat a few mm higher than the right one. The knock had put a small kink in the tube. I had that fixed and matched to the right hand side one.

This obviously caused a weak spot as I think they heated it to get it to bend.

Did it show signs of being heated, I can't think of any reason that heating to straighten would cause a weak spot. Unless it was overheated.

Straightening without heating would cause more stress to the metal, possibly crystallisation, causing cracking.

 

[Blaner]

Did it show signs of being heated, I can't think of any reason that heating to straighten would cause a weak spot. Unless it was overheated.

Straightening without heating would cause more stress to the metal, possibly crystallisation, causing cracking.

didnt notice anything, perhaps they didnt heat it then?

 

[noid]

No, this left arm had taken a knock by the guy I bought them from. And when compared with the right hand one, the ball joint sat a few mm higher than the right one. The knock had put a small kink in the tube. I had that fixed and matched to the right hand side one.

This obviously caused a weak spot as I think they heated it to get it to bend.

This could very well be the case, when you heat metal it becomes brittle, you have to heat treat it by dipping it immediately in water (while its still cherry red), then you have to reheat to a blueish color and then cool it again with oil. This will keep the metal flexible, and strong.

 

[Blaaster]

This could very well be the case, when you heat metal it becomes brittle, you have to heat treat it by dipping it immediately in water (while its still cherry red), then you have to reheat to a blueish color and then cool it again with oil. This will keep the metal flexible, and strong.

This process is hardening and tempering, like you do to the cutting edge of cold chisels. It makes it strong,but certainly does not make it flexible.

Heated, then naturually cooled steel is pliable, and will flex.

Working steel cold can destroy the grain structure and cause it to fracture.

 

[slickerthanyou]

Damn blaner, well that is a perfect project for you! You made that sweet ass swinger, surely an widdle a-arm is not that big of a challenge! I will keep an eye out for ya in the mean time for a set of 450's on the cheap!