Reinforcement causing cracks?

Dirtybird

Ex*ta*ski
Location
St. Clair, MI
You don't even want to know what is going on with my ski right now. Anyway. Anyone else notice more cracks in their ski after reinforcement then before? Since you only reinforce the engine compartment area? Lets just say my Ski looks like she's gonna split in half eventually. :frown: Right behind the bulkhead area down the side of the ski. :bs2:
 

meatball

User Title Unavailable
Location
Maryland
If you reinforce improperly then it could cause stress cracks around the edges. The idea is to taper the strengths so the impact is gradually lessened. For example you would want the material to half itself immediately, you'd want a taper to transition.
 
Upper and lower?

On the upper past the bulk head, it is not as strong as up by the engine compartment. That is why the foam is there! I am reinforcing/laying up the entire upper of my Rd nose, from the outside, after grinding down all the gel coat! I will get some pictures. It is strong as hell now, just from grinding down some fractures, and reinforcing with carbon, Now comes 4 layers of 6oz s-glass, and 2 layers of some other goods.... im hoping this is the last time I ever have to reinforce!
 
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yamaslut

Guest
it's just where the bulkhead is located.... that's very common
it's not gonna break in half....
:banghead:
 
your top deck is going to weigh like 100lbs. I reinforced known to be trouble areas with 1708 and there is no way in hell that will crack.

:rolleyes:It will be about 5-7lbs heavier then stock.... I took off about 8lbs in Gel coat..... this is the only right way of doing it..... The material I am using is light and very strong... its only 6oz fabric..... Im not running foam, so I am probably still lighter then stock..... and stronger then a meat head! :biggthumpup:
 

beachedflunkey

wavejunkies
Location
Virginia Beach
I've had all sorts of stress cracks right there at the bulkhead in an hour glass pattern for a year and a half since my first month of riding. I found out last weekend I needed to refoam anyway so I've reinforced the rear just in case :skull2: Also discovered a hairline crack this winter on the bottom right in front of the intake grate and in line with the bulk head.
 

sjetrider

615 Freeriders are addicted to T1 madness.
That sucks. Would this SJ happen to be 2002 or newer?

I never heard of this happening until I started seeing it happen to newer SJ (mostly 2004-up).

I believe it was 99' and up these issues accurred for some reason. I have owned many RN SJ's and every one has been a 96' model, the only 99' or newer I have seen stripped didnt seem to look any different then the 96 to me.
 

beachedflunkey

wavejunkies
Location
Virginia Beach
Yeah it's an 05. I'd laid a strip of biax about 4" wide right there on the inside too. The crack might actually be directly behind it. Anyways, I got a nice 11"x10" patch on the bottom now :biggthumpup:
 

Dirtybird

Ex*ta*ski
Location
St. Clair, MI
This is on a 95 Kawi btw. So, it seems that it is very common. :frown: I guess I will just have to live with it. It sucks spending all this money on a nice looking ski and now this :frown:
 
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yamaslut

Guest
disregard what I said then... I know nothing about a stinkin kawi
:brap:
 
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