MachineArt X-Heads

[Bendy toy]

My RHS X-head rocker cover protector was rattling today. Both front and back lugs have shattered on the X head and the bottom one is cracked. Its not been thumped or abused in any way. The cylinder head is fine.

The only thing I can think of is that I should have used spacer washers between the head and the cover lugs. I did not use any spacers so must have pulled the lugs in too much so they snapped off. The LHS looks fine but I now need to check that as well.

Moral take great care fitting any aftermarket stuff and if possible measure the parts first. I have some large enough callipers that I could have put across the cylinder head but didn't think that is was necessary. Clearly it was.

 

[Bendy toy]

More info to add and its not especially good news.

I was really impressed with the fit and finish of the X-Heads but my opinion is changing. I suspect the RHS rear mount cracked because the moulded shape was not quite right so the bracket/lug could not sit flat against its mount. Pull up the screw and the plastic cracked. But the front has also cracked and that was aligned fine. Ive now noticed the bottom mount is cracked. Maybe due to the the other mounts having broken, but it was only carrying its own weight.

So it looks like the material is too brittle to do a reliable job. Its a great shame because had Machine-Art used polypropylene instead of the much more costly polycarbonate, they'd be as tough as old boots and less costly to make.

 

[Greenman14]

I'd be really disappointed at this. Machine Art X heads look the business and give better cover than any others but they're not cheap. I would expect better for my money. Have you tried for a replacement set? I can't believe fitting these is beyond you Bendy.

 

[Bendy toy]

My X-heads originally came from Nippy's. But I bought them 2nd hand so can't send them back. No disrespect to my seller he had sold his bike so never used them. They were all packaged and untouched.

Fitting the X-heads is a doddle. The instructions say to just fit it no spacers nothing fancy. Simples.

As my RHS cover has had its end mounts snapped off, I can't say exactly why it failed. But it looks like the rear lug fouled under the rocker cover gasket flange so couldn't sit flat against the cylinder head mounting point. Of course it could have been checked (with a small mirror) but there was no reason to think there's a problem. The plastic is pretty hard stuff so screws tightened as normal & no issues expected. Later of course its broken. Shattered in fact.

While trying to see the cause I noticed the "shut line" between X-Head and rocker was closer at the front. Something was causing it to sit too far back. Most likely the back mounting point is too fat and so can't fit around the engine properly. The plastic is tough so the screws went tight but being bent inwards, it shatter after a while of use.

I can't afford to just throw away these covers so have now filed away the last remnants of that rear lug and made a bolt on repair plate from 2mm aluminium. That's had to go on the outside with countersunk screw heads because there is no space between the rocker cover edge and the X-Head plastic. There was not even enough space to use flanged dome head screws which are only about 3mm tall.