OEM Belly Pan Fitment Issue

[Iarn]

I bought a OEM Suzuki belly pan which a member here generously sold to me for my 2004 GS. I foolishly assumed it would fit due to OEM.

Last night, upon the mock up attempt before getting it painted, I noticed that fitment is an issue... it won't fit. The oil cooler is obstructing installation.

The lower metal tubes that come from the bottom of the sump and run up the front if the frame obstruct the mounting brackets, to be slightly more specific.

So I did a Google image search and every GS I saw with this belly pan didn't have an oil cooler mounted.

What are my options here? I'd rather not lose the cooler, but I'd also really enjoy the belly pan on my soft street fighter build.

[twocool]

http://www.gs500e.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=11459


There's a photo of an F model with belly pan, and oil cooler.........so it can be done....

Normally the F models have the full fairing...so no need of separate belly pan......

The belly pans seem to be intended for the E models...with no cooler....


Cookie

I bought a OEM Suzuki belly pan which a member here generously sold to me for my 2004 GS. I foolishly assumed it would fit due to OEM.

Last night, upon the mock up attempt before getting it painted, I noticed that fitment is an issue... it won't fit. The oil cooler is obstructing installation.

The lower metal tubes that come from the bottom of the sump and run up the front if the frame obstruct the mounting brackets, to be slightly more specific.

So I did a Google image search and every GS I saw with this belly pan didn't have an oil cooler mounted.

What are my options here? I'd rather not lose the cooler, but I'd also really enjoy the belly pan on my soft street fighter build.

[Iarn]

Thanks for the link!

I've defaired Eleanor, so she's naked now.
To me, the belly pan is a nice addition without being over-done, and I like being able to see the engine.

I personally don't see the need for fairings on this bike, and it annoys me when people see my faired bike and assume it's a crotch rocket. /rantover

[Iarn]

Hm, that bike looks heavily modified. I'm assuming that owner had much more advanced mod skills than I do.

I'm not sure I could make it fit by modifying the fiberglass, it'll likely end up destroyed.

What about removing the oil cooler. What would that change/harm? Is it even possible on the '04 GS-F

[twocool]

Removing the oil cooler, just to make a fairing fit???...seems like backward logic to me.

Sure you probably don't need the cooler...but then again...on those hot days...stuck in traffic, etc...it is peace of mind.....

It shouldn't be too hard to modify the pan to fit over one or two oil lines???

What about taking the F style fairing you removed, and cutting it down to just the belly pan?  Then it will fit right on....

As for full fairing vs naked....I say, whatever floats your boat.......

Functionally I don't think the fairings do anything...certainly not an improvement in aerodynamics, or speed...

Visually, I like the "look"...just my taste...but it's all for "show"....not for "go"...

The GS500 is what it is and that's all that it is...(quote taken for Popeye the sailor)

"I yam what's I yam, and that's all that I yam"

I couldn't care less whether somebody else thinks it's supposed to be a rocket, or a snail... 


Maybe the fairings keep a little wind off the rider???


Cookie

Hm, that bike looks heavily modified. I'm assuming that owner had much more advanced mod skills than I do.

I'm not sure I could make it fit by modifying the fiberglass, it'll likely end up destroyed.

What about removing the oil cooler. What would that change/harm? Is it even possible on the '04 GS-F

[Iarn]

I removed the fairing for myself, first and foremost. But it's nice not hearing my know-it-all hyper-safety-conscious boss telling me I'm going to die on "that crotch rocket" when I ride into work... haha

I agree with removing the oil cooler being foolish, and I'm not ready to jump on that immediately, but I also bought the pan and want to use it, ya know?

As far as modifying the original fairings, I could do that, but I've wrapped them and put them in storage to sell at a later date OR to return my bike back to stock IF I ever sell this bike, which isn't likely, as I think it's plenty enough bike for me. So that isn't much if an option for me, currently.

I feel like they'll need to be some sort of sacrifice here, since it isn't happily fitting.

[Iarn]

I think the main issue with fitment isn't so much the belly pan itself hitting the oil cooler tubes, it's more that the tubes disallow proper orientation of the mounting brackets that hug the frame...

[Janx101]

You need to fire up your 'bush mechanic/redneck'  brain area for this I reckon! ...

I don't know your belly pan or brackets (got a pic?) ... but. .. the brackets..  you can't turn them 180deg lengthwise (from their contact point on belly pan) to try clamp onto the frame where the cooler lines aren't?

[Iarn]

I'll attempt posting some pics this evening, if I have time.

[Janx101]

[Iarn]

Here are some pictures of the current compatibility issues I'm facing.

Proper way... blocked by metal tube.


Cleared shot of conflict.


Improper orientation... belly pan can't move far enough aft to accommodate.


So, I could orientate them properly and pinch the tube with the bracket... but the screw thread holes don't match up 100% flush that way, so risking cross-threading not to mention pinching the damn tubes!  ALSO, if orientated properly, the aft bracket cannot come forward enough to reach the aft hole in the belly pan. It's a frustrating mess. 

[Janx101]

Righto..... I can see what you mean now, I was thinking they be kinda flat shaped brackets like the original fairing ones.....

ok now this is how 'I' would approach the problem.... it's not correct or legit, and would need tweaking. (I doubt you want to modify your oem fairing brackets also) ... and don't want to risk forcing/bending the tubes forward to let current brackets clear.

Start with something cheap but still reasonably sturdy. Blanking plate from a PC desktop case?, the ones you use to cover the card slot holes at the back (you know them?) ..  metal that's a bit sturdy but still bendable with couple pairs of pliers .
You have threaded holes/existing bolts close by in the frame on both sides. .. so drill a hole in your cheapo blanking plate and just bolt it on there with the free end roughly where the proper bracket hole would be.

Push/bend your blanking plate around a bit to see if you can get a position match.  Remove it and vice/hammer/mould the shape you have to.

Drill a hole in the 'fitted' plate where it matches the belly pan holes.
Put everything on and see what you think?.

What you need is another template to take to a metal shop and say 'I need this but stronger, anything you guys can do to help?' ... or wander down to a bike breakers with the template and rummage through other fairing brackets to see if there's something that can work. .. ?

You have a belly pan that was meant for a earlier bike... so it's not really gonna plug and play

[Iarn]

Well, it'll be a fun little problem to solve, anyway... and far as the machine shop you mentioned... lucky for me I work in one 

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll think about it and see what I can do with it.   

[Janx101]

..... you work in a machine shop?! ...... and you asking 'us' ??! ... lol. ... yeah ok I get it that's it's good to ask other owners etc. .. but dang!

Make sure you pix your creation! ... and make notes so you can easy duplicate! ... 'custom fit' brackets for your problem could be a nice little sales sideline!

[Iarn]

You guys have the love of the GS500 in your hearts. You know what I'm saying?    Makes sense to ask y'all. Not to mention the machine shop I work at deals in very big pieces, so it wouldn't be a simple process machining such a thing and getting in approved and so forth.