TE/TC The best radiator guards/braces yet!

OK so I don't really know if how much this helps without real data (science)...... but this is a habit I have had for many years

I've got 7602s on both of my bikes. Like them a lot. You can feel the quality and strength.
By contrast, my buddy had the Devols on his KDX 220 and they seemed flimsy. He ended up having to take them off because he was over-heating.

Clay I hope you produce some for the Beta XTrainer!

Yep, plus the front guards were press right up against the fins on the core, thus reducing airflow quite a bit. He hasn't had a single lost drop of fluid or any overheats since he took them off.

Sorry have to disagree, without wrap around protection they are just a stick guard and please explain how the Front mounted 'Spigot Guard' would have prevented the damage below (image from Trail Tech Ad), which has clearly been damaged in a downward/forward manner? Come on we are not all mugs ....did the camera man do that? Certainly has the bling factor though if that's your bag. From an engineering point of view a wrap around guard incorporating rod cross bracing front and back such as the 7602 pictured provides the greatest strength with the least restriction to air flow no matter what brand it is, the pressed flat bracing style's pictured in some posts have far less strength and much higher flow restriction (overcome with a excellent Trail Tech Fan of-course) but are much cheaper to produce and easier to fit. Other examples of solid cross rod wrap around designs that come to mind are Unabiker and Force. The Force guards also generally have a support at the rear angled across to the frame on perimeter frame bikes such as TM, Honda etc. On conventional down tube frames such as Beta etc this angled brace has a pad to bear on the tank. All helps in that oh f@&k moment!

Yup sorry Kelly but I agree. Without cross bracing not worth it for me. I got force on both mine n rads still straight after years of abuse. Both have 2 cross braces behind rad. One guard has bit of damage but rad still fine. Force, b&b, Unabiker basically any with proper support for side impact/crush.

In saying that the force guards on bros 500exc(newer style-perimeter style cage look similar to TT ones but with bracing) have both been damaged n bent/crushed both rads in insignificant get offs! Shit design IMO

I would have to agree with Campbell here and running "Clay's 7602 guards" on this one. Having the option of running the stock louvers or not, the brush/branch/puncture guards or not. A full perimeter frame is always going to be better and way stronger.

I don't see a spigot protector on the shifter side radiator? On any of these "Trail Tech" pictures? This type damage shown and labeled "Without Spigot Protection". Would not have anything to do with running a front spigot guard like this set has on the opposing side in the 2 stroke pictures unless it was rolling backwards down a hill and hit a tree or something. Or it was smashed with a hammer from the rear. Or a channel lock maybe? For the sake of a picture.

Where is the spigot protector on the left side picture below? I don't see it. The spigot in the picture that is damaged comes out of the rear of the tank not the bottom.



Or, If that shifter sides radiator got pushed back so far, as to do that kind of damage from the front of the 4 stroke bikes cylinder. On the left side, as shown. I would imagine the headpipe would be crushed so far in and flattened that you would be walking the bike out of the brush anyway. Along with the other severe damage it had to have suffered.

It's obvious that this damage would have only occurred from the rear of the bike forward.

Not from riding the bike forward and the damage occurring from the front pushing the spigot rearward.

So how would this happen?

The spigot on that side does come out of the bottom of the tank on my FE 501, Not off the rear of the tank.

So whatever this below picture is? I don't know for sure? Clearly a stupid advertising example I guess.





Here is the left side of the FE 501 and it shows that the spigot comes out of the bottom. So a guard could help or just inflict damage. ? Who knows? It comes off the bottom of the right side as well.





There doesn't seem to be a spigot guard on that side in any of these sets of pictures? Am I missing something here? It appears to be on the "Trail Tech" radiator guard only on the water pump side on the 2 stroke above. Where the design of the chamber pipe does leave an opening that could essentially poke a branch or obstruction from a blunt object at the right sides hose spigot. which could essentially happen on the 4 strokes as well. I can see that but that would likely snap it off not crush it from the rear forward. WTH am I missing here?

On my FE501- 4 Stroke on the other hand. My headpipe would have to be severely crushed if it ever reached the water spigot on the right side radiator. On my FMF headpipe as it doesn't drop down like the stock one does so much. As this type spigot guard would be directly behind the headpipe a few inches or more and it would probably inflict the radiator damage itself if the pipe got crunched in that badly. Or it would just bend or tear the guard off the actual radiator mounts because there is no radiator frame.

they fold like a cheap Chinese license plate.

that's funny.....but politically incorrect (that's what makes it funny) but truth is our made in USA license plates fold like Chinese License plates too.... OK back to the thread.

UNABIKER are tough sum bitches.... a bunch of the top Pros in gncc use them.... 2 piece so they wrap around and mount easy....

Clay, "1 in a million type event" ... shit I wish I had your kind of luck. On the design side of things have you considered vertical ventilation slots as opposed to diagonal, the reason for mentioning this is minimalising that "1 in a million type event". Over here our bush is almost all hardwood, and its just that - hard, and a stick small enough to pass through those ventilation slots is plenty strong enough to take out a core tube. Properly spaced vertical slots minimise the chance of this happening as does having a healthy forward set from the radiator, which you have nailed nicely by the way. I know ripping fins can also damage the core tubes, but is less likely to be a 'game over event', particularly for the well prepared.

As you might have gathered Iv'e had quite a few "1 in a million type event's" over the years.

Cheers
Campbell

Kelly, not doubting the strength at all just the effectiveness of the design. I am sure the guard will survive a heavy side impact but the whole side of the radiator and both tanks are far more vulnerable than other designs, being effectively protected by the plastic shroud alone. The number of scenario's that could cause severe damage to the radiator is higher with this design than a full wrap in my opinion.

Hey Campbell,
Being a G450 rider myself we don't have many choices for radiator protection unless we pay out the ying yang and stack them up to protect our mid radiators section especially from damage and that "1 in a million type event".

I've had, made, installed, purchased and taken off everyone of them for all matter of various reasons. Mostly from debris getting behind it that can't be hosed off and it gets stuck behind and just collects.

Since the radiator is also one piece the fender will just rub on center radiator protectors if stacked. Nearly requiring rear fender screw shimming and or slotting the fenders holes a bit for added clearance by pushing the fender forward, its clearance is so close.

I know the frustration first hand as you do.

This had to be done on my G450X to run the factory fender support/headlight mask when converting to the KTM Trees on my bike. I don't think I'll ever mount another center guard on the G450X's radiator. They all had issues.

So I have to keep one of these complete units, ready to go just laying around on the shelf just in case.
Cost me about as much as a set of good KTM/Husky guards.

I pack leaves and twigs in mine to support them during a get off.

All BS aside, my statement isn't too far off from the truth. I have the 7602 guards on my 501 with stock louvers and I get so much shit trapped in there, espesially in the fall that my fan runs more than it should. I usually stop mid day to clean it out but my gawd, it's been an issue really. I noticed since I started running the 216AA it's gotten worse. Maybe the wider tire throws more trail trash? On my new 300 I ordered the hard parts aluminum guards this time. Got a 30% off deal so they were under $100 shipped. We'll see how it goes with those.