Oil cooler stone guard

Mr Gazza · 14-04-2021, 07:32 PM

A quite long winded project has just come to conclusion.
It started by worrying about the state of my 21 year old oil cooler and it's vulnerability to damage. I've carefully cleaned it up and painted it once, but it doesn't really stay nice very long in the blast of road muck from the front wheel. The tiny delicate fins on the matrix are quite bent over the years from many tiny impacts and I can't make it look nice anymore. Most I have seen are in no better shape and there is the constant fear of a puncture going un-noticed on a long run and losing oil pressure and/or all the oil, never mind just the replacement cost of the cooler assuming the damage was noticed in time and confined to the cooler.
So to both add a bit of bling and protect the aging cooler I came up with an idea to make a stainless mesh screen of some sort. One thing led to another and in my search for stainless mesh I discovered a company that provides bespoke industrial screens or filters in stainless with any gauge mesh. The first quote was for £68 each for two, which I thought was a bit much, but the more I was to order the better the price per unit gets.. You're ahead of me aren't you? Yes I went and ordered too many!!

So the upshot is that these will be for sale to members soon once I've found out how much they are to post... You can put your own design on.

jerry · 14-04-2021, 08:08 PM

I will have one for sure or 2 maybe as i have too many dukes

Mr Gazza · 15-04-2021, 07:28 PM

Bless you Jezza, you're a man of style and taste..

Edit; The cooler guards now include replacement screws to ensure they have enough length to hold properly, as we have found that sometimes the original screws are barely long enough in the first place. Screws are A2-70 stainless steel.
Guards inclusive of screws and postage are now £31.
If you want more than one however, the postage stays the same, so a slight saving with a multi buy. If I can deliver by hand at a club meet up somewhere I will of course and save the postage.

Dacs has already taken two away and will be fitting those to the later type coolers with the rounded ends that replaced the boxy ones, so looking forward to seeing how they look on those.

Fitting probably needs no explanation; they just fit under the alloy cup washers of the oil cooler mounts.
Unfortunately, they will not fit in the lower position as on the SS models, as the handing of the brackets is reversed on the lower mount oil coolers. I could supply spare brackets to reverse the handing of the guard if required if you have TIG skills and equipment.
By rights they should fit the Hypermotards I believe? As they use the same valve cover bracket and cooler.
Not sure how long that cooler was fitted, probably till about 2006? Maybe someone could help with that please?

They are stainless throughout with "5 mesh" woven screen. (5 wires per inch) The frame is 4mm wire, the mesh is welded on the back on every wire and is very neat indeed.. Clever stuff.
The brackets are laser cut and CNC folded. A friend TIGed those on for me using a jig I made. They fit well and should deflect a hefty blow from road debris as well as looking shiny.

Really hoping to sell all these as I seem to be financially embarrassed by the project!!

Mr Gazza · 15-04-2021, 07:42 PM

What partly inspired the project was the idea to emulate the racing numbers and sometimes makers names, stencilled onto the radiator grills of vintage racers particularly those lovely early Alfas. It probably worked better on the large car grills as the mesh makes for rather large "pixels" as it were, but I'm still pleased with my efforts and it looks much nicer than the tatty cooler matrix.

You could probably spray the whole thing black and make it disappear while still protecting the cooler and tidying it up at the same time.. Looking forward to seeing how folk decorate them.

Luddite · 15-04-2021, 07:48 PM

Top quality, Mr G - very "Blower Bentley"!

If I still had my M900, I'd definitely have one.

350TSS · 15-04-2021, 08:08 PM

I just looked up (brand leader) Evotech oil cooler guards (and after a fairly cursory search could see none actually advertised for M900 M900Sie or 900SS /Sie) and they are about the same price as yours but they are powder-coated aluminium, so lighter than your design BUT not as mechanically or aesthetically robust and the larger holes are hexagonal pressings so the grit that bends the foil fins in the oil cooler is only marginally impeded. Nice project - nicely executed

crust · 15-04-2021, 10:33 PM

I'll take one for my M900, please.

pm the details and I'll dosh you up.

Wrider · 16-04-2021, 04:06 AM

Would they fit an S4R? Or could you give me the measurements of the brackets and I’ll check?

16-04-2021, 04:54 AM

,hey Gaz, top job mate, what’s the measurement between the mounting lugs?, I am thinking one would look smart on the S2R,

slob · 16-04-2021, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrider

Would they fit an S4R? Or could you give me the measurements of the brackets and I’ll check?

Will be a very poor fit as the S4R has a curved oil cooler

Mr Gazza · 16-04-2021, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slob

Will be a very poor fit as the S4R has a curved oil cooler

Thanks Rob, I had a feeling the liquid cooled ones had a different oil cooler.

dacs · 16-04-2021, 02:10 PM

Mr Gazza made me promise to take a photo for the forum, so here is one of the two guards in my possession, fitted to the M1000 -

note the added blind of the ends of the oil lines, courtesy of 10 minutes in the steaming nickel vats of Gazza's Norfolk Bling Emporium, or shed as we call them here in Norfolk.
Here is the other one I got, this will go on the 750. Note the optional extra "Norfolk" fitting kit -

I will let the forum know how they stand up to flying sugar beet.

Mr Gazza · 16-04-2021, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dacs

Mr Gazza made me promise to take a photo for the forum, so here is one of the two guards in my possession, fitted to the M1000 -

Many thanks for posting that dacs. Pleased to see they look okay and cover the matrix on that type too. Quite a different appearance though. The guards seem to need a black background to set the shiny off?
The end covers on my cooler were scruffy and didn't really paint very well, so I very carefully covered them with aluminium foil tape of the type supplied with foil backed insulation sheets to continue the vapour barrier on the joins of the sheets. (Available from reputable builders merchants.) We used to use this to cover model planes to get a metal finish, then lightly score in panel lines and rivets, but it's a black art to get it on wrinkle free. The beauty is that it polishes up like ali. because it is ali!

Thanks for all your orders guys... It's off the post office with a pannier full of cooler guards tomorrow..

SteveP · 22-04-2021, 07:54 PM

I would like one please, PM me the relevant details, thank you, Steve.

slob · 16-04-2021, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Thanks Rob, I had a feeling the liquid cooled ones had a different oil cooler.

S4 challenge and S4R have a curved (KTM) oil cooler, S4RS has a triangular one much like 749/999.

You should be good to go with all the air-cooled models

14-04-2021, 07:32 PM	#1
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,983	Oil cooler stone guard A quite long winded project has just come to conclusion. It started by worrying about the state of my 21 year old oil cooler and it's vulnerability to damage. I've carefully cleaned it up and painted it once, but it doesn't really stay nice very long in the blast of road muck from the front wheel. The tiny delicate fins on the matrix are quite bent over the years from many tiny impacts and I can't make it look nice anymore. Most I have seen are in no better shape and there is the constant fear of a puncture going un-noticed on a long run and losing oil pressure and/or all the oil, never mind just the replacement cost of the cooler assuming the damage was noticed in time and confined to the cooler. So to both add a bit of bling and protect the aging cooler I came up with an idea to make a stainless mesh screen of some sort. One thing led to another and in my search for stainless mesh I discovered a company that provides bespoke industrial screens or filters in stainless with any gauge mesh. The first quote was for £68 each for two, which I thought was a bit much, but the more I was to order the better the price per unit gets.. You're ahead of me aren't you? Yes I went and ordered too many!! So the upshot is that these will be for sale to members soon once I've found out how much they are to post... You can put your own design on. __________________

14-04-2021, 08:08 PM	#2
jerry Old Git Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cricklade Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,909	I will have one for sure or 2 maybe as i have too many dukes __________________ MONSTERMAN

15-04-2021, 07:28 PM	#3
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,983	Bless you Jezza, you're a man of style and taste.. Edit; The cooler guards now include replacement screws to ensure they have enough length to hold properly, as we have found that sometimes the original screws are barely long enough in the first place. Screws are A2-70 stainless steel. Guards inclusive of screws and postage are now £31. If you want more than one however, the postage stays the same, so a slight saving with a multi buy. If I can deliver by hand at a club meet up somewhere I will of course and save the postage. Dacs has already taken two away and will be fitting those to the later type coolers with the rounded ends that replaced the boxy ones, so looking forward to seeing how they look on those. Fitting probably needs no explanation; they just fit under the alloy cup washers of the oil cooler mounts. Unfortunately, they will not fit in the lower position as on the SS models, as the handing of the brackets is reversed on the lower mount oil coolers. I could supply spare brackets to reverse the handing of the guard if required if you have TIG skills and equipment. By rights they should fit the Hypermotards I believe? As they use the same valve cover bracket and cooler. Not sure how long that cooler was fitted, probably till about 2006? Maybe someone could help with that please? They are stainless throughout with "5 mesh" woven screen. (5 wires per inch) The frame is 4mm wire, the mesh is welded on the back on every wire and is very neat indeed.. Clever stuff. The brackets are laser cut and CNC folded. A friend TIGed those on for me using a jig I made. They fit well and should deflect a hefty blow from road debris as well as looking shiny. Really hoping to sell all these as I seem to be financially embarrassed by the project!! __________________ Last edited by Mr Gazza; 26-10-2024 at 05:37 PM..

15-04-2021, 07:42 PM	#4
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,983	What partly inspired the project was the idea to emulate the racing numbers and sometimes makers names, stencilled onto the radiator grills of vintage racers particularly those lovely early Alfas. It probably worked better on the large car grills as the mesh makes for rather large "pixels" as it were, but I'm still pleased with my efforts and it looks much nicer than the tatty cooler matrix. You could probably spray the whole thing black and make it disappear while still protecting the cooler and tidying it up at the same time.. Looking forward to seeing how folk decorate them. __________________

16-04-2021, 04:54 AM	#9
Moco1961 Guest Posts: n/a	S2r 1000 ,hey Gaz, top job mate, what’s the measurement between the mounting lugs?, I am thinking one would look smart on the S2R,

15-04-2021, 07:48 PM	#5
Luddite Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Southampton Bike: M1100evo Posts: 2,465	Top quality, Mr G - very "Blower Bentley"! If I still had my M900, I'd definitely have one.

15-04-2021, 08:08 PM	#6
350TSS Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Shipbourne Bike: M900 Posts: 1,422	I just looked up (brand leader) Evotech oil cooler guards (and after a fairly cursory search could see none actually advertised for M900 M900Sie or 900SS /Sie) and they are about the same price as yours but they are powder-coated aluminium, so lighter than your design BUT not as mechanically or aesthetically robust and the larger holes are hexagonal pressings so the grit that bends the foil fins in the oil cooler is only marginally impeded. Nice project - nicely executed

15-04-2021, 10:33 PM	#7
crust rattles when he walks Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: in the comfy chair,moved furniture around Bike: M900 Posts: 1,065	I'll take one for my M900, please. pm the details and I'll dosh you up.

16-04-2021, 04:06 AM	#8
Wrider Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Telford Bike: S4r Posts: 175	Would they fit an S4R? Or could you give me the measurements of the brackets and I’ll check?

16-04-2021, 02:10 PM	#12
dacs Registered User Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Aylsham Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 200	Mr Gazza made me promise to take a photo for the forum, so here is one of the two guards in my possession, fitted to the M1000 - note the added blind of the ends of the oil lines, courtesy of 10 minutes in the steaming nickel vats of Gazza's Norfolk Bling Emporium, or shed as we call them here in Norfolk. Here is the other one I got, this will go on the 750. Note the optional extra "Norfolk" fitting kit - I will let the forum know how they stand up to flying sugar beet. __________________ NFN

22-04-2021, 07:54 PM	#14
SteveP Registered User Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: IPSWICH Bike: S2r Posts: 29	Oil cooler guards I would like one please, PM me the relevant details, thank you, Steve.