Bent Radiator

[jaypro55]

Last year when I purchased my bike, the right radiator was dinged in a little. Not too bad, and nothing leaked, just caused the white radiator fins in the front to SLIGHTLY rub on the fender when turning. Well yesterday a stroke of bad luck caused me to bend it in even more.

I was coming into town, down a steep hill at a red light. As I turned on the flatroad, somehow the bike slid out and fell over in the back of my truck! The right radiator shroud hit my bed rail and needless to say I was fearing the worst when I went back to look at it. Luckily no scratches or anything on the truck. The bike had one problem. The radiator had bent in a little further.

I was immediately concerned with leaks but fortunately there were none. I took the bike home and got a full inspection. That was the only part that actually took impact. It was bent pretty bad to where when the radiator fins were in, the fender rubbed hard. So I decided that, it would need replaced if I didn't bend it out anyway, and if it did break when I was bending it I was going to need to replace it anyway. I had a friend hold it tightly into the frame, and with a small crowbar I was able to bend it out almost all the way. It looks better than it did before this most recent escapade.

I took about a nice 2 hour ride on my friend's practice track riding hard. I noticed no leaks or anything so I was very happy. I just wanted to ask...as long as no coolant leaks or anything I should be fine right?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ol'89r]

Originally posted by jaypro55
I just wanted to ask...as long as no coolant leaks or anything I should be fine right?
[/B]

Right. :thumb:

Check the fins also. If you hold the radiator up to a light, you should be able to see light through all of the fins. If any of the fins are bent over, take a pair of fine pointed needle nose pliers and one by one, straighten each fin.

Just my $ .02

Ol'89r

 

[Green Horn]

Make sure you check to see that the fins are not bent up. This is very important since your rads/ engine need to keep cool. Like 89r mentioned you can use needle nose pliers to straighten them out. If they're really tweaked + lots of them bent then you can even send the radiator to a shop and have it repaired.

 

[jaypro55]

Yeah there are some fins that are tweaked pretty decently. My friend and were thinking of taking a flathead screwdriver to straighten them out. Didn't know if those would be better than needle-noses or not. I was intrigued to find out yesterday that I didn't have a boil-over and have anything come out the overflow tube. And I rode at race speed (for me that is LOL) in pretty hot conditions, so it seems like everything should be fine. I may go home and clean her up and mess with it. Thanks for the advice guys.