Body parts shrinking?

[mudpack]

No, not mine....the KDX200's! (wise guys)
I had the tank off for about two weeks, diagnosing a problem....when I attempted to bolt the radiator shrouds back on the tank/frame, the holes in the shrouds for the tank bolts were 3/8" too close together...on BOTH SIDES! I had to take a rat-tail file and elongate all four holes in order to make the shrouds fit.
Either the tank grew or the shrounds shrunk in that two weeks. Neither one makes much sense. Any thoughts????

 

[ellandoh]

Global warming

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

Were all the parts acclimated to the same temperature for 24 hours at least? YES? Something is tweaked/bent.

 

[mudpack]

All parts were in the shop the whole time; same temp, same lighting, same humidity, same music, same everything. Don't know how anything could have been tweaked sitting on the workbench.....when they came off the bike, the components fit fine. Two weeks later, going back together, they did not. I'm puzzled.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

I know the temperature in my garage has changed 20 degrees in the last 2 weeks! The tank is not down all the way, or you have some funny friends? I would not have altered the mounting holes. Its not maiers plastics is it?

 

[mudpack]

I know the temperature in my garage has changed 20 degrees in the last 2 weeks! The tank is not down all the way, or you have some funny friends? I would not have altered the mounting holes. Its not maiers plastics is it?

Without altering the mountingholes, the shrouds would not have been able to be bolted on. Stock tank, stock shrouds.... :coocoo:
The problem is that the two brass nuts in the tank are now further apart than the stock holes in the radiator shroud that bolts to them; bolting the shrouds to the lower radiator mounting point is not the problem. ( The tank is bolted into the frame as it should be. )
Temps in my shop also vary about 15 degrees, but all the parts are kept in the shop together, so they are all at the same temp as all the other parts/bike.
Only two explanations: either the tank grew, or the shrouds shrunk....buy why?!

 

[dirt bike dave]

Back in the day, I had a similar problem on my '91 KDX250 and had to elongate the holes.

My guess is the shrouds shrunk.

Why? Hard to say. Just guessing here, perhaps when they were brand new they were installed 'warm' and pliable by Kawasaki, and under tension the whole time. As soon as they were freed up to shrink, they did.

Maybe Kawi found they could save a few grams of plastic per bike, lol.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

The shrouds was the oem ones? I know the thicker Maier ugly plastics move a lot more than oem. Its plastic, it grows and shrinks. But the heat usually makes them bigger, when it shrinks is always the bigger issue!

 

[Ol'89r]

My guess is the shrouds shrunk.

Why? Hard to say. Just guessing here, perhaps when they were brand new they were installed 'warm' and pliable by Kawasaki, and under tension the whole time. As soon as they were freed up to shrink, they did.
.

I've seen this happen to bikes that have been sitting a long time with the shrouds removed. Don't know why but it does happen. Global cooling maybe? ;)

 

[Dirtjunkie85]

Global warming

Damn Global warming is ruining everything nowadays! :aj:

 

[Okiewan]

Oh never mind. I thought this was about getting older.

 

[mudpack]

I suppose I'll have to blame it on George Bush.

 

[Ol'89r]

Oh never mind. I thought this was about getting older.

Wrong body parts. ;) :laugh:

 

[dirt bike dave]

Lol. The first time I clicked on this thread, I feared it was going to be about tipping over in a cold mountain creek.

 

[sr5bidder]

ever see a plastic gas can in the back of a truck when it gets warm? (i know my 2 1/2 gallon holds 3 g's now!) Maybe your vent is not venting and your tank expanded.

 

[mudpack]

ever see a plastic gas can in the back of a truck when it gets warm? (i know my 2 1/2 gallon holds 3 g's now!) Maybe your vent is not venting and your tank expanded.

Could be; the KDX has a one-way valve in the vent hose that does not let fluids out........
The tank DID fit awfully tightly between the frame rails when I put it back on......... :coocoo:

 

[dirt bike dave]

You know, maybe it was the tank growing. On the KDX250 I had (the one where the shroud holes had to be elongated), I measured the tank at 3.6 gallons, where Kawi says it was only 3.2 or 3.3.

 

[helio lucas]

Oh never mind. I thought this was about getting older.

damn, that was funny :laugh: :laugh:

BUT, i wondering why ol´89r get it before i do?!?!?!? :think:

 

[sr5bidder]

Could be; the KDX has a one-way valve in the vent hose that does not let fluids out........
The tank DID fit awfully tightly between the frame rails when I put it back on......... :coocoo:

so do you agree or are you being an @$$?...it's always hard to tell with you

I know the vent is made to let air in as the fuel level drops

I just went out to the kdx that has been basking in the sun all day, put my ear up to the gas cap and unscrewed it and did not hear any hint of pressure (fuel valve in off position and 1/2 full tank)

 

[mudpack]

so do you agree or are you being an @$$?...it's always hard to tell with you

I know the vent is made to let air in as the fuel level drops

I just went out to the kdx that has been basking in the sun all day, put my ear up to the gas cap and unscrewed it and did not hear any hint of pressure (fuel valve in off position and 1/2 full tank)

No, I was agreeing; your suggestion was good and I'd have never thought of it.
The one-way valve in the vent line would have allowed pressure to build up in the tank. AND, we've been having record high temperatures here for a record number of days, so the temps in the shop probably have been higher than they've been since I moved here. This might be the explanation I was looking for.

:laugh: By the way, if I'm being sarcastic, there will be little doubt. :nod:

 

[sr5bidder]

oh ok I guess thats why winter projects are so popular ...the plastic will fit back on in the winter

hey the bright side is your tank will hold more fuel now!!

I suppose I should just drain my tank and save it for the weed eater, I have not riden since June 3rd ..too damn hot

 

[mudpack]

Too hot here, too, 'bidder. I did ride last Tuesday and did some trail clearing. This was at sunrise, when it was still under 90 degrees, when I took off. Was nearly 100 when I got back, though. Waiting for another "cool" morning....

 

[pesky nz]

Don't know if this will work or not but I suspect if you get out the hot air gun and heat up the shrouds until they are just about too hot to hold onto you will be able to stretch them enough to fit, heat from the back for cosmetic reasons. As a bonus if you heat up any white bend where the plastic has been strained in an oops you can get the whiteness to go away

 

[Joburble]

My bike did exactly the same as yours Mudpack. I never really thought about why, just gave them a bit of pressure and managed to flex them back on. But now I think about it, the next time they're off I think I will elongate the holes so there's no stress in the plastic. I haven't ridden my bike in months though :-( I have been too busy and it's been too cold. I also bought a V-Strom 1000 a while back so I've been riding that, but my KDX is beginning to call to me again. Now if only I can fit back into my riding gear after putting on my winter coat.

 

[Kx85Krazy]

Dumb answer on my part... but were they bassackwards? haha