WJ 5 keeps cracking on dash

[WSL91]

I have a WJ 5 which has the adjustable headlight. On the dash right above the adjuster it keeps cracking across the dash. Once cracked the fairing makes even more noise with rattles. I've taken it off 2x and welded the crack, the second time adding more filler material. Just wondering if anyone else has the problem. If you push on the headlight the force is transmitted by way of the adjster to the dash right below where its cracking. I have some stainless screen wore I may embed in the weld next time or rivet some metal over it (don't wnat to do that). It looks like a design oversight where the dash shoud have been beefed up to withstand the force created by the headlight wind load.

[cywelchjr]

I have a WJ 5 which has the adjustable headlight. On the dash right above the adjuster it keeps cracking across the dash. Once cracked the fairing makes even more noise with rattles. I've taken it off 2x and welded the crack, the second time adding more filler material. Just wondering if anyone else has the problem. If you push on the headlight the force is transmitted by way of the adjster to the dash right below where its cracking. I have some stainless screen wore I may embed in the weld next time or rivet some metal over it (don't wnat to do that). It looks like a design oversight where the dash shoud have been beefed up to withstand the force created by the headlight wind load.

The WJ IV is almost identical in that area IIRC and mine has AFAIK around 90,000 miles on it with no cracks in that area (and yes, it too has that adjusting screw). It does do a lot of rattling, and I found that I wrap a small rubber band behind the knob to eliminate the rattle. I'm not sure that once you get a crack that you can ever get it strong enough with a repair to keep it from cracking again without reinforcement, the metal screen sounds like a good idea to me as that would keep it from moving apart.

[WSL91]

The WJ IV is almost identical in that area IIRC and mine has AFAIK around 90,000 miles on it with no cracks in that area (and yes, it too has that adjusting screw). It does do a lot of rattling, and I found that I wrap a small rubber band behind the knob to eliminate the rattle. I'm not sure that once you get a crack that you can ever get it strong enough with a repair to keep it from cracking again without reinforcement, the metal screen sounds like a good idea to me as that would keep it from moving apart.

May not have had anything to do with it but the PO bored a .75" hole there originally and ran the wires for the cycle sound through. When I bought it the fairing had so many rattles and squeaks and I ended up removing parts to try to locate the source. Thats when I found the big hole with cracks extending out. I sold the Cycle Sound as this is not my longhaul bike and the radio and speakers were junk. I cut a piece of ABS and welded it it up but it's not holding. Think I'll try the SS wire that came in the HF welding set. I'm trying not to add big patches as I try to keep it clean looking. I can embed the wire into the area and smooth it over.

I do have a WJ3 setting here too which could go on, I like them better anyway but I have lowers for the WJ5 and I think its my new cold weather bike as the motor does a great job of keeping the feet toasty when its cold. Need to install the lowers and test before deciding.

[skids]

You probably know this, but insulation rubber is needed at the mounting locations to reduce stress in the plastic. Also, when you mount the faring you shouldn't fasten it with torque, but instead use friction nuts and don't deform the faring to mate with the mounting bracket (use rubber shims to adjust gaps).

[WSL91]

You probably know this, but insulation rubber is needed at the mounting locations to reduce stress in the plastic. Also, when you mount the faring you shouldn't fasten it with torque, but instead use friction nuts and don't deform the faring to mate with the mounting bracket (use rubber shims to adjust gaps).

I've heard that on another board but the only reference I can find to that on the Vetter site is this picture. These are the guys who designed it. Are you suggesting something in addition to this? I personally think that 4 mounting holes is too few as that's a long way between mount locations and ABS flexes a lot. I've owned/operated 2 Vetters and I drilled 1 more set of holes in each. I'm not having issues at the mounting locations. I've seen several with lots of fiberglass around the front mounts. Disclaimer: I am not a mechanical engineer.
John

[WSL91]

OK, got these at the hardware store. The small ones are the same size as a 1/4" flat washer and are going under the flat washer on the top of the mount. The large ones are 1.25" dia and are going between the fairing and the steel mount. All are 1/16" thick. Fasteners are lightly torqued nylon lock nuts which I have run from the start. We'll run like this. Perhaps I was getting too much vibration into the fairing from the bike?

[skids]

If you lay the faring onto the bracket (with help) you may see that there is gap between the steel bracket and the plastic at one or more of the bolt hole locations. That is where I was saying that you don't want to induce stress in the plastic by not using rubber shims.

[skids]

If you lay the faring onto the bracket (with help) you may see that there is gap between the steel bracket and the plastic at one or more of the bolt hole locations. That is where I was saying that you don't want to induce stress in the plastic by not using rubber shims. Stress by forcing it to fit could cause cracks where you might not expect them.

[cywelchjr]

As has been mentioned by motoman, you do NOT want spacers under the bolts that are just under the bolts, you want a continuous rubber spacer that goes from front to back so there is no gap at any point to prevent any unsupported portion of the fairing causing extra stress. I don't use self locking nuts on mine, but don't crank them down really hard either and it's been fine for 30,000 miles that I've had it. I do have good sized washers under the heads of the mounting bolts (the nuts are under the mount not on top, and I do use a lock washer.)

As for the 3/4" hole, I'm guessing that's your problem. I've heard that WJ V lowers can be adapted to the WJ III but I've not seen how it's done myself, something to do with adding one more mounting hole either to the lower or the fairing IIRC, I don't remember which. I had thought they didn't interchange but someone on here that had both said that they could indeed be put on either one with minimal modification.