A cheap solution/cheap top case!

[oldfast007]

I finally completed my hand made custom rack for the El-cheapo Sears top case!

Materials:

2 pcs of 3' x 1/2" steel tubing (Lowe's) $18.59

2 1/2" u-bolts (local hardware store) $4.00

1 can of black spray paint (V.I.P Auto Parts) $4.00?

Hand bent the steel (don't have a tubing bender, yet) borrowed Dad's wire feed welder, hammered, shaped and drilled the ends that mount to the bike.

Took a little effort to get the bends correct,and upon close inspection it wouldn't win any welding or fabrication awards, buts it works for me at minimal cost.

Viola, I think a pretty neat little rack, that I can mount pretty much anything to.

Also, if you have access to any flat screen TV mounting kit, they contain a wealth of great usable parts!!!

 

[bushboarder]

Took a little effort to get the bends correct,and upon close inspection it wouldn't win any welding or fabrication awards, buts it works for me at minimal cost.

Looks good to me. Nice job.

 

[Kazza]

Godo job! How many kilos do you think it will comfortably hold?

 

[Norbert]

Looks good.
And don't worry about your El-cheapo Sears topcase.
My Givis wouldn't win any awards either.

 

[discgolfdude]

what did you us for the plate in pic #4?

 

[FZ1inNH]

Nice job Eric!!! Can I borrow Dad's welder and you to do the welding?

 

[oldfast007]

Godo job! How many kilos do you think it will comfortably hold?

Thank you.

The anchor points are stronger than the rack I think, I would easily put up to 11 kgs in it with the case, more as just a rack, but time will tell.

 

[Boneman]

So....when do you go into production??

 

[oldfast007]

Nice job Eric!!! Can I borrow Dad's welder and you to do the welding?

Absolutely, just let me know what and when:thumbup:

 

[oldfast007]

what did you us for the plate in pic #4?

That is the plate that came with the case.

 

[oldfast007]

So....when do you go into production??

Ya know... if I can find a way to make a set of jigs for each part, I would make these for anybody. Not to make a killing but because I am sick to death of not having simple AFFORDABLE accessories for the FZ...I think there a several members on here who could fab these ten times better, I may just work on simple set of scale diagrams. I suck at how to write ups :tard:

On a side note, the rack will be getting a few gussets added for more strength.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Absolutely, just let me know what and when:thumbup:

I have a soft bag support bracket I made for Michele's FZ6R and it needs 5 welds to complete it... Any weekend in the very near future is fine! I can drag the parts up and visit!!! It's been too long anyway.

One day soon, I hope to have a welder here for at least light duty work! Thanks Eric!

 

[jrevans]

Looks great!

That looks great. What a good solution for mounting the case. If I didn't have the Yamaha tail rack and a Givi box, I'd consider doing something like that.

Your welds look find to me. Every time I try wire-feed welding thing stuff, I burn right through the metal....

I wonder if filling the tubes with expanding foam or silicon would add any structural strength to the assembly, or is it fine as is?

 

[oldfast007]

Re: Looks great!

That looks great. What a good solution for mounting the case. If I didn't have the Yamaha tail rack and a Givi box, I'd consider doing something like that.

Your welds look find to me. Every time I try wire-feed welding thing stuff, I burn right through the metal....

I wonder if filling the tubes with expanding foam or silicon would add any structural strength to the assembly, or is it fine as is?

Thank you, If your burning through, the temp is too high or your not moving along fast enough, its a tender balance between good penetration and burn through.

I'll be adding thin gauge steel gussets (triangular shape) to the rack for added stability without adding too much weight.

It did turn out quite a bit more rugged than I first anticipated though.

 

[oldfast007]

I have a soft bag support bracket I made for Michele's FZ6R and it needs 5 welds to complete it... Any weekend in the very near future is fine! I can drag the parts up and visit!!! It's been too long anyway.

One day soon, I hope to have a welder here for at least light duty work! Thanks Eric!

I'll shoot you a PM.

A nice little buzz box would be a great addition to the " Busted Knuckle Garage":thumbup:

 

[jrevans]

Re: Looks great!

Thank you, If your burning through, the temp is too high or your not moving along fast enough, its a tender balance between good penetration and burn through.

Yeah, I figured it is too much temp, or not moving fast enough, but my under $100 Harbor Freight wire-feed welder only has two settings for temp/power and is rather course for wire speed too.

Oh, also the fact that I suck at welding. I suppose I should get some scrap and try practicing some more.

 

[clunk]

If we could return back to your original post for a moment ...

Can you give me any details on how the upper/rear attachment is made to the grab handle area? Is that where the U-bolts played into the installation, and if so, how?

Thanks,

clunk

 

[oldfast007]

Sure, I'll take some assembled/disasembled pics, it will be mostly self explanitory...they are simply cut u-bolts that grab the underside of the rail.

 

[clunk]

So when you say "cut" u-bolts, do you mean they're cut to be essentially "j" bolts that go around the front and then contact/clamp to the bottom when tightened?

 

[oldfast007]

So when you say "cut" u-bolts, do you mean they're cut to be essentially "j" bolts that go around the front and then contact/clamp to the bottom when tightened?

yes, see attached photo's. The plastic/rubber parts are from a HD tv mounting kit to prevent further scratching.