Our permanent lift adapter - PROBLEM, WORKING ON A RECALL.

[MarkT]

If you got my Horseapple Ranch Permanent Lift Adapter, don't lift with it unless you have a belly tank supporting the end, until I update with more info.

One of them bent, when lifting the (heavier) Interstate without a belly tank.  It appears the back edge of the engine pressed a crease into the box tubing, creating a weak spot at the fulcrum right where the force is the strongest.  I am working on Permanent Lift Adapter v. 02, which will address this problem with reinforcement or be made of thicker wall box tubing, and tested for the force needed to bend it.

I expect to have an update by the end of this week.  This will involve a recall or replacement, details yet unknown today.

[RDKLL]

Mark,

Thank you for that information. I am sure all with your adapter will look forward to any updates.
Just another reason to love all of my Horseapple Ranch products!

Tony

[MarkT]

The solution will be to replace all the adapters sold, with new ones built with 11 ga 0.120" wall thickness box tubing on the long dimension.  That is twice as thick as v.1 which was 16ga 0.060".  I picked up the tubing this morning.  I can't start on building the replacements until I ship some pipe orders.  Meanwhile, if you don't have a belly tank to support the end of the lift adapter, please hold off using it until the replacement arrives.  If you received one of the free ones given away at Inzane, please advise as I don't have records of who got them.

[Skinhead]

Mark, I don't have one, but how about adding a block of wood between the adapter and swing arm temporarily if folks need to lift prior to receiving V2?

[Earl43P]

Meh, I use mine every time I clean my IS.

I get the weight biased fully aft, rear tire just barely touching the ground, front still planted.
Looked at the adapter yesterday, no bending yet.

When I say fully aft, the jack arm is fully supporting the adapter end, no overhang.

I jiggle it pretty vigorously cleaning the windshield.

[MarkT]

It's not clear to me how the user in question managed to bend it but he says he didn't have extra weight on the IS and it collapsed.  I tested the strength of the smaller 1/2" box tubing ends some time ago when asked if it could bend and it took right at 500# to begin bending ONE of them.  See http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,84586.msg832649.html#msg832649

And there are two 1/2" tubes, and the weight is divided between those 2 back tubes and the front where the 3/4" tubes are directly under the engine.  And it was the 3/4" ones he bent.  MUCH stronger than the 1/2" tubes.  I wonder what really happened.  He did not explain it sufficiently for me to replicate his failure.

But.  Due to liability potential, I am now going to build it with huge overkill. I could set up another bending test on the 20 ton hydraulic press but I'm pretty sure with .120" wall thickness I would find it takes more than a couple TONS of pressure to start bending one.  Literally.  I would have to set up compound leverage to measure it using a shipping or bath scale and with such levers it would likely introduce measurement error - I think just overbuilding it will be way more than adequate.

If a user wants to stick a block of wood in there to brace it and go ahead and use it until I get the replacement out - with appropriate due diligence I'm sure that would be a viable workaround.

[RDKLL]

Mark,
Disregard the portion of my email asking about the recall!

Should have searched first