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Coolant heated handle bars

Sheetmetalfab

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……..
Will enough coolant make it to the end of the bars and keep them warm enough if you just tap a simple inlet and outlet into the bars without forcing the coolant to the bar ends by plugging the center and running the internal hose?

I’m wondering the same.

The aluminum transfers heat (near pure conductor) very well.

Would be one less fail point for the bars and one less potential leak point.

(Plus i’m Lazy)
 
K
Sep 22, 2016
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Bend, Or
I got some messages about making these coolant bars that i made up last season. So here's a breakdown on what I did
-used some 5/16 hose for inside of the bars or maybe was 1/4" , drill an tap 1/8" npt centre of bars, fill centre section with some epoxy or hi-temp silicone an plug (you probably could get away without using the internal line and plugging the center section but i like the idea of forcing the coolant to the ends of the bars) “

So the hose is just “floating” in the epoxy carrying the water from the supply side of the bar to the discharge side?

Thanks, i was trying to picture how you would connect the hose to the 1/8” bulkhead fitting inside the bars.
 
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Tahoe54

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Great thread! Does anyone know if Raze routes coolant to the bar ends? Also, still not clear how you get epoxy in the center, anyone have a pic?
 
Will enough coolant make it to the end of the bars and keep them warm enough if you just tap a simple inlet and outlet into the bars without forcing the coolant to the bar ends by plugging the center and running the internal hose?

A buddy did that last year, did not work at all. Center of the bars was hot, the ends had almost no heat in them, not enough to feel through the grips.
 
M

MFJ

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Jan 14, 2016
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Thank you, thats what I was afraid of. Next question, is it an issue when you close the ball valve to stop the bar heat? Doesn't this prevent the thermostat from serving its intended purpose?
 
Thank you, thats what I was afraid of. Next question, is it an issue when you close the ball valve to stop the bar heat? Doesn't this prevent the thermostat from serving its intended purpose?

There is a kit that allows a secondary bypass so that you can close off flow to the bars. I've heard about it, even seen it but I think you have to request it when ordering. I think the original idea was that if you close the valve because it's too hot then the thermostat is already open so it's not an issue (that's just me guessing though).
 

jrusher

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Great thread! Does anyone know if Raze routes coolant to the bar ends? Also, still not clear how you get epoxy in the center, anyone have a pic?

Drill and tap 1/8 npt in centre of bars insert internal hose epoxy middle and plug done
 

jrusher

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Jrusher, do you have the name of the 1/4 turn valve you used?

I got the ball valve from fastenal
- part #0443044 ball valve 1/4" npt male x 1/4" npt female
- plug for middle 1/8 npt pipe plug with a recessed allen head
- (2) 45 degree 1/8" x 4An fittings for inlet and outlet at bars
- (1) 1/4" npt x 4 An 90 degree fitting for return to outlet of rad
- (2) braided lines from a speed shop 4An i used 22 inch lenghts on my yz450 with a 1 inch riser
 

jrusher

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What do you think about just using regular rad hose and barb fittings instead of the AN/JIC pressure fittings?

That type of hose would be to big an bulky . The smaller the line the easier for routing it around the tight spots on bike
 
M

MFJ

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Jan 14, 2016
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Bad idea to do this with the stock 7/8" bars on my Honda?
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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I'm sure it would work fine, the only issue you might have is the diameter of the bars might not provide enough meat for the AN fittings. You might also have to weld some small bungs on the center of the bars for the AN fittings. The smaller ID of the bars might actually work to your advantage for plugging the center etc. although it might require a smaller internal tube.


M5
 
M
Oct 12, 2017
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I would be hesitant to do it without tapered bars. There's so much more meat in the thick area of tapered bars. Personally, I'm working on a design where I tap the 1/8 ports between the two bar clamps, not outside of them. The reason for this is that it will create much less of a stress riser, keeping the bars stronger for summer conditions, as strength wise there is already redundant material between the two bar clamps. Whereas, on either side of the clamps, drilling will definitely weaken the bars in the event of a summer time fall. If you put both inlet and outlet ports between the clamps, there should be no need for a third plug for the epoxy. Just squirt it through one of the ports and clean re-tap after the epoxy hardens.
 
M

MFJ

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Jan 14, 2016
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I would be hesitant to do it without tapered bars. There's so much more meat in the thick area of tapered bars. Personally, I'm working on a design where I tap the 1/8 ports between the two bar clamps, not outside of them. The reason for this is that it will create much less of a stress riser, keeping the bars stronger for summer conditions, as strength wise there is already redundant material between the two bar clamps. Whereas, on either side of the clamps, drilling will definitely weaken the bars in the event of a summer time fall. If you put both inlet and outlet ports between the clamps, there should be no need for a third plug for the epoxy. Just squirt it through one of the ports and clean re-tap after the epoxy hardens.

Thanks for sharing, I think that will be the way to go. I was worried that 7/8" bars might not provide enough thickness for the fittings to bite into.
 
M
Jan 14, 2004
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I will be putting valves on both lines near the motor so I can shut off the bars in the event of a break in a line. At least you could add some water to the rads and ride out. I had an AN fitting break on a turbo sled one time and ended up going out on a rope. Not cool.


M5
 

Sheetmetalfab

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……..
Looked at sink lines and decided they were too abrasive and stiff.

$40 in parts and rubber fuel line

1/4” fuel line.
Barbed fittings at the bars.
Tied into the bypass wide open. (No valve)

(My brothers raze bars never get too hot.)

No tube to push coolant to the bar ends.

Bars get nice and hot.
We’ll see how they work.

1c34e676555ca99b30953c17b5546012.jpg


b7ff904f1af73f6fe0a30b316626568d.jpg


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Had to do reducers from the 3/8” bypass line to the 1/4” id fuel line.

I don’t have pictures of the slugs in the bar ends.
Solid Aluminum turned on the lathe with two o ring grooves.
Light grease and held in the bars by the handguards.
 
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