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Radiators! Need a new left side

By Zeug,
in CRF450X

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Zeug

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Well,

Rolled the dice and lost. Picked up my X two weeks ago and on the third ride out smashed a rad. I had the rad guards on my list of thing to do but had a few questions so I didnt buy yet. ? Now I am in the market for a new rad and guards.

First off was riding 717 trail in Devide, CO. In a whoops section about 2 feet high. Nailed it and was smiling ear to ear as I floated over feeling like a pro. Problem is I'm not a pro:eek: Trail went left and I couldnt get it slowed down enough to turn. Ribs are a bit sore but nothing else.

Left rad is smashed laterally from the side and leaking. I ride with a few guys that have the triangular braces in the back of the rad. I am not sure this would have helped me. Does this stiffen the outside edge of the rad? If not i immagine i would need the front guards as well. Second queston would be if cooling suffers with the front guards. No problems so far with cooling but have heard storries here.

Also, looking at brand reccomendations and why.

On the Rad itself, should i just buy new or try to have repaired? Who has good pricing online?

Thanks,

Kent

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Zeug

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PlanetRacing has the best pricing on OEM stuff.

They have left Radiators at $ 139.95.

In supporting TT, you might see if they'll price match and buy it here.

Cool $140 isnt as bad as i thought. I would def be interested in supporting TT if they are close.

Any input on the guards?

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Zeug

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I like the Roosters. They have the bend back support as well as bracing across the radiator that transfers all the side load straight to the frame. They also have no grating across the front to impair airflow.

Here's a install "how to" I wrote up:

http://www.crfsonly.com/howto/450x/rooster/crf450x-how-to-install-rooster-rad-guards.php

Some like the extra protection of grating across the front. The Flatlands or the UNIBIKERS will provide that kind of protection. The Flatlands being the less expensive of the two.

I've ridden with lots of guys who run both types and no one I've ridden with has experienced overheating problems, even on the slow speed stuff.

Shy away from the Works Connection type braces. They offer only minimum protection from bend back and NO side support and they are as expensive as full protection models.

Sweet, that is the kind of feedback i need. My neighbor has the WC. I wasnt impressed either.

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Zeug

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Flatlands here. Great Guards. No cooling issues here and i have ridden in 115* weather in the Mojave Dez. Also look into the Flatlane Skid. You can pic them both up for $144 a set.

This looks like a great deal. OK, no cooling issues.

How about the side impact protection? It looks like they wrap around the side from the front. Possibly the same amount of protection as Agent Smith above?

Do these include the rear brace like AS above as well?

Thanks,

Kent

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cutbow

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I agree with AS on where to buy the radiator from. I crashed my 250x into a small tree on the left side. I didn't have any protection at the time on the rads, so I ended up having to buy a new radiator, which I found at PlanetRacing through Ebay. At the same time I purchased the Unabiker guards. The main reason was the front protection as well as the side protection that they provide. The new 450X was equipped with the same guards in the first few days.

Hey, also I was out in Colorado the first part of August. On our way home we stopped in Woodland Park and rode the 717. We met an older guy from CO Springs in the parking lot that volunteered to be our tour guide for the area. For the next four hours we did all we could do to keep up with this guy, I was wide open in third gear most of the time, and he was riding a crf230 . He was amazing on that bike.

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Zeug

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All this talk about smashed radiators makes me wonder if anybody has had to nurse an X back from a long ride by blocking off one rad side and whether or not it ran ok. A rad plug kit might not be a bad idea. Yes I have WC guards.

I had to ride for about a half hour after i toasted mine. It was a small leak however and spewed from the top so I could monitor the flow.

Stopped halfway and refilled with about a cup of water from a camelback. I was sweating it until i saw it only took a half cup.

Kept it in second and 1/4 throtle. Never got hot.

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robr54

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I bought the Flatland rad guards and skid plate on the same day I picked up my 05 X new a couple years ago. I finally tested them today. I highsided on a dirt road at about 30 mph and not until I got back to the truck did I notice that the left side guard is all twisted. The rad has a slight twist also, but otherwise looks good. I will need to disassemble and straighten the guard out quite a bit.

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skoot22

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I thought you never crash????

No thats Hank that never crashes, but it has been a while since i actually went down. I think the last time i actually crashed was at Gorman on that damn fire road or powerline road, whatever it is. Rang my bell pretty good with Rad Rick and that bunch. Did get a little rad impact off of that, but it did not even hurt the guard, my shroud cracked a little but its still cool.

I would say that you never crash either, but ah nevermind. ?

You'll have to give that big ass rocky hill another try.

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