help fixing grab bar

[zacharkins]

allright i bought my 666 (660) used  and the grab bar was definitly damaged before it looks like someone flipped it back on a wheelie and broke it.  anyhow   it needs to be fixed as it loosened up a little more this weekend i know for a fact that there is only one bolt on each side currently and i believe that the original holes are probably stripped.
one of the bolts on the left side has been drilled all the way through the rear frame with an extended bolt the other hole on the left has nothing in it,  i tried to thread a bolt from the exhaust hanger (it looked like the same size)  into it and itdid not "grab".

i am wondering if i should just go ahead and drill it out the rest of the way and use a nut and a bolt or buy a tap and re tap it to a slightly bigger bolt.

please help me with your advise and opinions!   thanks

as far as im concerned i already have one drilled through  whats the difference with having 4,   plus i save money by not buying a tap.  ya know!

[Peelz]

When I took mine out, it had a standard size bolt in it. Had to force it. It made it's own threads.    It was still holding when I traded it.

[zacharkins]

right on,  as long as it holds thats all that matters!     

[vern burny]

If you can pull the plastic plug off of the back of the sub-frame you will see the threaded insert that the grab bar bolts to.  You can drill thru and try and bolt it down but you are bolting to arounded surface and mine have always seemed to vibrate loose no matter what I have tried.  I would suggest trying to rethread it first then if you have to drill thru.

[zacharkins]

thanks for the advice i actually got lucky and found out that only one was totally stripped and was already drilled all the way through,  so i just had to order the bolts for it,  i guess they just vibrated loose?   im not sure but when i first checked the holes i had the wrong size bolt!   oops, im glad i double checked before i drilled though!

[swanny2069]

Other options to repair this would be to replace the threaded inserts with new inserts. Or remove the inserts and weld in nuts or threaded bungs. Or to simply drill all the way through and use a nut.

[caskey_b]

I would weld it right on to the subframe... ive done it in the past with atvs... i just took scrap metal and cut/welded what needed to be fixed on the grab bar... then welded it onto the subframe (also making some reinforcements).. they held up great        ive hit grab bar on highway doing 45-50 and no bend at all....Just some minor road rash to the bar itself... nothing a little paint cant fix

[Mad Dog]

The problem is then you're shifting the stress from the grab bar to the subframe.  Replacement grab bars are much cheaper, much easier to install, and much more plentiful than replacement subframes.

[caskey_b]

yes    i thought of that when i did it on my 400ex... but this time around i just welded scrap metal to the aftermarket grab bar...   i have one thread that is stripped but its still holding well

[Krandall]

Peelz and Mad Dog know grab bars on the 660.

[Peelz]

but...fixing my grab bar was futile. fix, break, fix, break the neverending struggle.....

[Colorado700R]

but...fixing my grab bar was futile. fix, break, fix, break the neverending struggle.....

trying to use conduit didn't help you bid for mechanical genius either

[Peelz]

but...fixing my grab bar was futile. fix, break, fix, break the neverending struggle.....

trying to use conduit didn't help you bid for mechanical genius either

That was for a flag mount only.