So I installed some SW-Motech crash bars on my GS last night, and while torqueing the nuts down to the recommended 46 Nm the 280mm stud snapped (and I wasn't even at the torque yet). This morning when I was in the garage I noticed another nut sitting on the ground, I picked it up to find a chunk of threaded stud in the nut. Apparently overnight the 195mm snapped as well. Sent an email to SW-Motech and haven't gotten a response yet.
Has anybody else had this issue? They are custom manufactured M10 studs (195mm, 280mm, and 320mm lengths), so finding an off-the-shelf replacement is impossible. I'll be ordering some class 12.9 threaded rod off McMaster-carr today to make my own...
I am in the exact same situation. Happened on Monday actually.... Went to install and sheared the shortest one off. Next morning saw another rod laying on the ground and nut/rod combo laying across the garage. Their hardware is jokingly soft.
Here is their response after asking about replacement... (thru twisted throttle)
QuoteHello! We are Twisted Throttle LLC, the North American distributor for SW-Motech. We handle all of their sales and support in the United States. Thank you for your email. We are able to get you a replacement rod from SW-Motech. The part number for that bar is GEW.00.10.320.01 and our price for this rod is $15.00 plus shipping. We do not normally stock this part and will have to order it from SW-Motech. Special orders from SW-Motech take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to fill.
Yea... Ok.. $15 for a part that does not stand up to its intended application (with zero abuse on my part). I honestly thought about buying it until I saw the second one fail. PASS.... I bought 1 meter of yellow-zinc m10 all-thread from McMaster for $17 shipped and got $3 of prevailing torque nuts from Ace Hardware. I am going to cut all new rods tomorrow and finish the install.
The bars look amazing... But their hardware is pure garbage.
I got the exact same response from SW-Motech, passed off to twisted throttle with the same run-around, they even told me that I over torqued them >:(... I did the exact same thing and bought some class B7 M10 threaded rod off mcmaster as well. Torqued up fine with no snapped hardware, still holding solid. Sent another email to SW explaining the situation and even offered to send my failed hardware to their engineering dept in germany for inspection, no response yet...
How do you guys like the crash bars aside from the apparently poo soft rods? Was looking at picking some up for my bike as I am a new rider so figure I am likely to drop it at some point. Compared to frame sliders? They look way cooler than sliders IMO anyway which is why I was leaning that direction.