northmedic
Expert Class
Posts: 384
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posted June 12, 2008 08:51 AM
 Edited By: northmedic on 12 Jun 2008 09:53
Well after talking with my local kawi dealer this is part of the inspection we are going to do i have ordered at my expense a 3 part flaw or crack detection kit , cost about 40 bucks but will give me the peace of mind i want in knowing weather my frame is ok or not . link attached to the product i ordered i am sure there are other kits out there .
http://www.rocol.com.au/pdf/technical/flawfiinder%20kit%20tds.pdf
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I,ll be right back
  
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tslewisz
Expert Class
Posts: 328
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posted June 12, 2008 10:30 AM
Add me to the list of those whose bikes failed the torque test. Motor is coming out.
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shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted June 12, 2008 10:38 AM
Edited By: shane661 on 12 Jun 2008 11:38
Edit.
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87gtNOS
Zone Head
Posts: 620
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posted June 12, 2008 10:48 AM
If they're gonna pull the motor out...they might as well fix the KNOCKITY KNOCK KNOCK!
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01 ZX12R
07 ZX14 - YEAH BABY!
03 ZX9R-traded in for the 14!!! June 07!
05 636-traded in for the 9 Sept 05
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted June 12, 2008 11:05 AM
quote:
Well after talking with my local kawi dealer this is part of the inspection we are going to do i have ordered at my expense a 3 part flaw or crack detection kit , cost about 40 bucks but will give me the peace of mind i want in knowing weather my frame is ok or not .
Water Wash penetrant a plus, but dual action (Flourescent AND Visual type penetrants) a negative... BUT, it will do the job. Just dont let the seapage from the edge of the weld (overhang) and weld porosity throw you off. Be watching it from the minute you wipe it clear (will take quite a bit of wiping to get it clean enough, BTW).
Also, technically you are supposed to strip the paint from the weld. No visual or dye penetrant method can work if the crack isnt open to the surface! Good luck and let us know your results.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted June 12, 2008 11:10 AM
Oh yeah: DO NOT spray it on! It's extremely messy stuff, and its oil based. Use gloves (its capillary action will soak it into your skin instantly, and it will not wash off), spray it onto a cue tip or wrap a rag around your finger (glove on) and spray just your fingertip to wet rag, them wipe on a light amount. Do not have to soak it, just wet it.
On the bright side: that penetrant is one of the worlds best break-free lubricants you will ever come across! I use it wherever WD40 doesnt get it done.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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northmedic
Expert Class
Posts: 384
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posted June 12, 2008 11:21 AM
quote:
Oh yeah: DO NOT spray it on! It's extremely messy stuff, and its oil based. Use gloves (its capillary action will soak it into your skin instantly, and it will not wash off), spray it onto a cue tip or wrap a rag around your finger (glove on) and spray just your fingertip to wet rag, them wipe on a light amount. Do not have to soak it, just wet it.
On the bright side: that penetrant is one of the worlds best break-free lubricants you will ever come across! I use it wherever WD40 doesnt get it done.
PM sent
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I,ll be right back
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted June 12, 2008 11:41 AM
Edited By: Sticks_n_Stones on 12 Jun 2008 12:43
PM sent back. 
Much much simpler just to have a NDT / NDI company do it for you with Eddy Current. They most likely would do it for free, since its so quick and simple.
Or just bring them to me if you are in the Puget Sound region. PM me for cell number if interested.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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chez
Expert Class
Posts: 134
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posted June 12, 2008 02:37 PM
No recalls in Australia...yet, but we are always last at these things... Checked my torque and it came in at 35ft/lbs...No cracks visible....
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Chez
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87gtNOS
Zone Head
Posts: 620
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posted June 12, 2008 05:11 PM
My Dealer has had 2 in for the check....one passed, the other took 10 ftlbs more torque to loosen the bolt. They are calling Kawi in the morning to see if they should pull the motor.....
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01 ZX12R
07 ZX14 - YEAH BABY!
03 ZX9R-traded in for the 14!!! June 07!
05 636-traded in for the 9 Sept 05
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BIGZXDADDY
Expert Class
Posts: 270
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posted June 12, 2008 05:35 PM
i was 700 miles away in maine when the wife called and read the recall notice to me. don't ride it ?! yeah right i'll just walk home. anyway i got home monday and just now got around to reading all the posts in this thread. omg what a bunch of drama queen bs. i guess some here have never had a vehicle with a problem or have never been sent a recall notice before. at least find out if you even have a problem before going off the deep end. thanks Suzukiguy for posting good ,credible info and thanks to the others who kept their heads, offered sound advice or otherwise acted like an adult. personally i am going to check the area with spray" magnaflux", check the frame bolts as per the tech sheet and if i don't find anything i'm not going to worry about it much and continue to ride just as i have been. i may or may not take it to the dealer, haven't decided but seeing how they couldn't even install the radiator correcly, probally not unless the frame is busted and needs replacement
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"never drive faster than you can see, besides it's all in the reflexes"
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ZREXER
Expert Class
Posts: 492
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posted June 12, 2008 09:48 PM
I am getting more depressed about this the more I read on this board and other '14 specific sites.
More bikes are being found with cracks every day on both bikes over and under the torque figures.
As much as I try to stay upbeat about this, it is really starting to kill my love of this bike. I am riding it more conservatively now...........more like a cruiser bike then a performance bike. If I don't feel safe riding it in the manner it was designed for, what is the point of keeping it?
A frame is like the foundation of your house. If the foundation of your house is crumbling, it does not really matter if the rest of your house was built perfectly.
I can accept crashing a bike because of my own stupidity, but to possibly have a major, perhaps fatal crash because something as critical as the frame failing is unacceptable.
I have a great life, a wonderful loving family, I am getting to feel this bike poses too much risk. My wife loves to go for a ride as do my kids, but I already find I am nervous potentially exposing them to what I am feeling more and more is unacceptable risky.
I had planned to keep this bike for a long time, but I am convinced that it will crack now sooner or later. You can't avoid every pot hole out there.
I'm not totally buying into the whole 'over torqued bolt' explanation from Kawasaki. The torque values are low. If the frame is so fragile that it will fail from what I view as relatively minor over torquing, then the frame is simply not strong enough in a few critical areas.
My SV 650 is much, much more robust in the connecting areas of the lower shock mount. This is on a much lighter 70 horsepower bike.
My bike does not get ridden hard as compared to many of the riders on this site and others so I thought that maybe I would be ok. But I am reading about other conservative older riders on mostly stock bikes that are failing the inspection or cracks are being found.
I have very little confidence that the average dealer can rebuild a bike from the ground up with a new frame that I would feel safe going 185 mph on. Too many seemingly minor assembly errors that could prove fatal.
I will take a bath on selling this bike, but my safety and peace of mind is worth much, much more. No idea what I might buy.............I'll ride my SV-650 in the mean time I guess.......
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northmedic
Expert Class
Posts: 384
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posted June 12, 2008 09:49 PM
so did the flaw check at work here tonight some pics
now with the developer on it no cracks
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I,ll be right back
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slates
Expert Class
Posts: 377
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posted June 13, 2008 03:51 AM
quote:
I am getting more depressed about this the more I read on this board and other '14 specific sites.
More bikes are being found with cracks every day on both bikes over and under the torque figures.
As much as I try to stay upbeat about this, it is really starting to kill my love of this bike. I am riding it more conservatively now...........more like a cruiser bike then a performance bike. If I don't feel safe riding it in the manner it was designed for, what is the point of keeping it?
A frame is like the foundation of your house. If the foundation of your house is crumbling, it does not really matter if the rest of your house was built perfectly.
I can accept crashing a bike because of my own stupidity, but to possibly have a major, perhaps fatal crash because something as critical as the frame failing is unacceptable.
I have a great life, a wonderful loving family, I am getting to feel this bike poses too much risk. My wife loves to go for a ride as do my kids, but I already find I am nervous potentially exposing them to what I am feeling more and more is unacceptable risky.
I had planned to keep this bike for a long time, but I am convinced that it will crack now sooner or later. You can't avoid every pot hole out there.
I'm not totally buying into the whole 'over torqued bolt' explanation from Kawasaki. The torque values are low. If the frame is so fragile that it will fail from what I view as relatively minor over torquing, then the frame is simply not strong enough in a few critical areas.
My SV 650 is much, much more robust in the connecting areas of the lower shock mount. This is on a much lighter 70 horsepower bike.
My bike does not get ridden hard as compared to many of the riders on this site and others so I thought that maybe I would be ok. But I am reading about other conservative older riders on mostly stock bikes that are failing the inspection or cracks are being found.
I have very little confidence that the average dealer can rebuild a bike from the ground up with a new frame that I would feel safe going 185 mph on. Too many seemingly minor assembly errors that could prove fatal.
I will take a bath on selling this bike, but my safety and peace of mind is worth much, much more. No idea what I might buy.............I'll ride my SV-650 in the mean time I guess.......
ZREXER - you stated my feelings exactly...I'm currently talking to the dealer about a possible trade in for a 2008 14 or possibly a busa...it may be an over reaction, but better safe than sorry.
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black zx14 - Brock's Gen3 Carbon, PCIII, no secondaries, Carrozzeria wheels, Sato rearsets, Pazzo levers, GPR V4 steering damper, Puig windscreen, Tiger Racing chain guard
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87gtNOS
Zone Head
Posts: 620
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posted June 13, 2008 04:06 AM
I'll third that feeling!
What has Kawi done to prevent this? And why is no one mentioning the actual tearing that we saw with the pics posted here last year?
Until this recall, I had not seen a CRACKED WELD.....I've only seen the ripped frame about an inch from the welds.
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01 ZX12R
07 ZX14 - YEAH BABY!
03 ZX9R-traded in for the 14!!! June 07!
05 636-traded in for the 9 Sept 05
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slates
Expert Class
Posts: 377
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posted June 13, 2008 04:14 AM
Over torqued was one problem....but do they have a second problem with the quality of the welds even if the bolts are correctly torqued? This is the million dollar question...
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black zx14 - Brock's Gen3 Carbon, PCIII, no secondaries, Carrozzeria wheels, Sato rearsets, Pazzo levers, GPR V4 steering damper, Puig windscreen, Tiger Racing chain guard
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tslewisz
Expert Class
Posts: 328
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posted June 13, 2008 04:38 AM
I asked about trading for an '08, just because I didn't want to be without a ZX-14 for as long as it would take to swap out the frame, if it comes to that. Salesman looked up the book and said they'd give me $4800 for it. Not what I was looking for.
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suzukiguy
Parking Attendant
Posts: 16
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posted June 13, 2008 04:55 AM
Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond at all last night to any of the questions here. I am going to bring my camera to work and try to get some photos of the ones with cracks, I'll try to edit and light them to make it as visible as possible. Not sure when I'll be able to post them. If not tonight will probably not be until Sunday night.
If I get a break in the action today I will try to respond to some of the other queries during the day.
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted June 13, 2008 05:36 AM
suzukiguy: email me the photos and I'll post them for you if you want. tlperman@comcast.net
Northmedic: glad to hear its not cracked. Just one thing: the developer should be a light coating... lol for a beginner, you done well my paduwan. 
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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northmedic
Expert Class
Posts: 384
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posted June 13, 2008 05:56 AM
i wanted a light coating but it just came out lol
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I,ll be right back
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man00
Novice Class
Posts: 93
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posted June 13, 2008 07:49 AM
How many so showed up as having a crack frame? I only seen one or two on three different forums
now I haven't read each and every post about this issue so I may be missing some??
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ZREXER
Expert Class
Posts: 492
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posted June 13, 2008 09:24 AM
I've taken a deep breath since my post of last night............
I will continue to monitor my own bike on a frequent basis.
I will not be taking my bike to a dealer for a check right now, because there seems to be a lot of confusion at the dealer level as to how to go about his check and how carefully they are checking. As far as rebuilding on a new frame, I would be happier being bike # 10 versus bike #1
Even if your bike passes, this will be something we will all have to monitor as long as we own the bike.
No more passengers on my bike. I told my wife and kids I can accept the risk for myself, but not them..........lots of insurance if frame failure does me in (I know odds here are pretty dam low), they will be looked after..........sucks for me though!
I have gotten past depressed and I am now generally just very pissed off at Kawasaki. If ultimately I need the frame replaced, so be it. if the bike comes back not quite right I will keep taking it back until it is right. It is Kawasaki's problem. If it costs them thousands to make my bike right, then fine............why should I have to lose money and take a bath either selling or trading my bike because of assembly or design flaw?
As far as trading on an '08.............until they substantially redesign the frame, I will not get another '14. I am not convinced the revised casting process Kawasaki is using will solve the issue. It took almost 2 years before this issue came up, let's see how the '08's are doing in 2010!
It is surprising this frame issue does not seem to be an issue with the ZX-12's? I understand the frames are very similar..........but then Kawasaki in their promotional information for the '06's claimed the frame on the '14 was lighter than the former frame on the Zx-12!
As word spreads among the bike community, this is going to hurt Kawasaki's sales on all their sport bikes.
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BIG BLUE_ZX14
Expert Class
Posts: 374
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posted June 13, 2008 10:12 AM
My bike is under the knife as we speak having the engine removed. When my dealer first talked to Kawasaki (a week ago) they said no dealers had reported cracked frames. When I dropped my bike off yesterday they said Kawasaki had several (that was their wording) reports of cracked frames. If the dealer has to replace my frame they said it would be in their shop for three weeks or more. Thats sounds excessive to me. I kinda like the idea of just trading for an 08 but im sure we will be screwed on trade-in value.
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2012 Blue on Black ZX14R with Go Faster Stuff...
2007 Blue ZX14 Gone...
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blackbullet76
Pro
Posts: 1134
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posted June 13, 2008 10:31 AM
I just got mine back this morning. They said it was ok. It was torqued to 18 ft lbs. They called kawasaki and they said to loosened it and retorque it to 11 ft lbs. They inspected the frame without pulling the engine and they said it was ok. I did my part, so if it happens to break in the future, my butt is covered.
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2007 ZX-14 black
Brocks s-meg exhaust
PCIII w/track map
BMC race filter
Flies removed
16 tooth front sprocket
Speedohealer
APE cam chain tensioner
Vortex rearsets
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tigerp7147
Parking Attendant
M4 drag pipes
Posts: 15
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posted June 13, 2008 10:50 AM
Kaboom...... just got back from the shop this morning... motor is being pulled and further inspection is needed...
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Which way did he go
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