Protecting the radiator

Has anyone ever put some aluminum window screen between the radiator and the black plastic louvers on there Silverwing to help stop rocks that get kicked up from damaging the radiator and stop bugs from plugging the radiator and stop the floting suff from the cotton wood trees and so on from plugging the air flow on the radiator . If anyone has done this how did it afect your coolent temp . Years ago I had the old 1983 model Honda Silverwing that I put the window screen on the radiator and even on hot days I never had any over heating . I have all so done this on all of my cars and trucks but they have big radiators . The screen is alot easyer to clean then the radiator.

Hi "wingman",
Don't know about all that pesky cottonwood stuff but there have been 2 or 3 others on this site who have put fender extenders on to help mitigate any other possible damage. Think there are even some pics someplace (even good ol' John Grinsel had some). As to the screen, can't see where that should be much of a problem. I would think the SWing should be able to handle it since it cools so well to begin with. At least that's my two cents worth.

By the way... if you come up with an easy screen installation method, let us know. Sounds like a good idea; just don't know how much trouble it would be.

I am not only thinking of the rocks from the front wheel but I am thinking of the rocks that fly up from the cars and trucks in front of my silverwing . A lot of us have had rocks hit are car windshield from the car a head of us and they hit hard . So I am thinking of saving my silverwing radiator before it happens . Sometimes its a long ways to push the silverwing home.

Probably wouldn't hurt anything but I've never heard of a SW getting any road damage to it's radiator. My Goldwings never did either for that matter and their radiators are about as much at risk as the SW's. Might be a bit of a solution looking for a problem.

exavid wrote:

Probably wouldn't hurt anything but I've never heard of a SW getting any road damage to it's radiator.

I though I remember reading one member of one of the forums had to replace their radiator due to damage.

Would a screen or a longer mudflap helped ... I do not believer there was enough details.

I have been thinking about the screen idea as well, My thoughts are a small tube of RTV adhesive and run a bead around the perimeter of the radiator opening as well as on the cross piece then simply pressing the screen on to / in to the bead of RTV. I am thinking that if it needs to be removed that should be easy enough with a small knive to scrape the bead away.

Frenchie

'93 Helix, '02 Reflex, '10 S'wing

I notice that the radiator fins are pretty exposed. Has anyne had a problem with damage to the fins or found a way to put some sort of screen in front of the fins?

x

Thanks, I did do a search and found that thread but not much in it in terms of concrete information or anyone who actually put a screen on the rad. Probably should have just revived it instead of starting a new one

bigbird wrote:

As members here delve into the nuances of their Swing, their curiosity drives them to seek info. My suggestion, before posting a question, is to do a search. Almost every imaginable Swing topic has been beaten to death many times over. That's not a bad thing, but searching does eliminate excessive and redundant posting.

Here you go:

https://www.silverwing600.com/t2792-protecting-the-radiator?highlight=radiator+screen

Take a look here,you must registrate to see the pictures,it´s realy nice!

http://www.maxiscootersportugal.com/forum/index.php?topic=2782.45

Just fit a mud flap or fender extender to your front mudguard to keep road crud and small stones away from the radiator.

exavid wrote:

...Might be a bit of a solution looking for a problem.

Sounds about right.

cjuzda wrote:

I notice that the radiator fins are pretty exposed. Has anyne had a problem with damage to the fins or found a way to put some sort of screen in front of the fins?

Yes, after 7 years and 80 000 km (Canada travel) I noticed a small coolent leak at the front of the bike.
I took it in and $1000 later I had a new radiator. I have the old one and have stared at it for a long
time, and can't find the hole! There is significant fin damage.

Every summer for four years I travelled along dirt roads with some stones and gravel, that probably did
not help, but I wondered if more protection of the rad would help.

If this happens again I'm going to use a blow torch and a stick of aluminum (if I can find the hole)
and hopefully reduce the replacement cost.

R653

Break an egg into the radiator; it's cheep!

MikeO wrote:

Break an egg into the radiator; it's cheep!

Mike,
The egg will plug more than the holes in the radiator. Could clog some of the engine coolant passages, not to mention the water pump. Hope you were just kidding

Obviously, it's not a long-term solution but is a very effective emergency, get-you-home repair.

Ross653 wrote:

cjuzda wrote:

I notice that the radiator fins are pretty exposed. Has anyne had a problem with damage to the fins or found a way to put some sort of screen in front of the fins?

<>Every summer for four years I travelled along dirt roads with some stones and gravel, that probably did
not help, but I wondered if more protection of the rad would help. R653

How about a mud flap?

... and keeping off dirt roads with stones and gravel until you do.