Hail dings on oil cooler '12 R1200RT

I got these hail dings trying to ride my 2012 R1200RT to cover on I25 just north of Cheyenne WY, the rest of the bike appears to be ok. My question is do you think I should replace it or just get a Wunderlich protector to put on it and call it good? I know, sure wish I'd bought the protector beforehand.

Its nothing to be concerned about as long as the cooler isn't leaking.

A few facts for you

While that screen you menti0n would have kept hail out, it also disrupts air flow and SIGNIFICANTLY reduces cooler performance. If you consult any of the std texts o vehicle aerodynamics you will see that even what appears to be the least obstructive screen reduces air flow through a cooler by at least 20%. In normal use this is not enough to make a vehicle overheat but at the margin of capability it is enough to make a real difference.

So take a look at your dinged cooler. Maybe also a 20% reduction? Same conclusion applies..

With patience and some tools that fit, fins can be straightened to remove lot of the damqage but its not necessary just for normal street use.

The usual reason for fitting screens is a combination of appearance and keeping out large bugs that can accumulate in the fins. Knowing the engineering effects, I find the appearance aspect unappealing- not my idea of a sensible thing to do. Re getting the bugs out- nothing works anywhere near as well as 10 or 20 minutes of riding in a frog choker- your cooler comes out looking like new....

Yes my track cars sport screens on their low mounted intakes for oil coolers and intercooler / radiator. But I fabrcated these for their special purpose and the systems are large enough to deal with the screen obstructions with no issue as proved by data logging from the relevant sensors. On track the screens can collect a buicketful of tire hunks and small rocks in a single session but that is not relevant to a BMW motorcycle where the cooleer is well off the ground and there is no where near as much debris striking the vehicle (probably less than 1% of what happens in track use of a car).

Dear Bkrnrd (real name? We're friendly around here..)

Please read: http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=46055 - I've added that info to your thread title. Please do so yourself in future posts to the tech forums.

As far as your concern - there are tools sold to straighten fins.. basically sort of a toothed metal tool that restores the space between the fins. Auto parts stores or air-conditioning supply places carry these.. and I imagine you can find them in the Interwebz via Googling.. Trick might be to find one with the correct spacing, but since things like cooling cores are made in bulk and then cut down to fit what they need to fit, chances are there is a metric one kicking around somewhere that would do the job.

BTW - if your insurance has a comprehensive clause - weather related damage should be covered under that clause.. and it's very cheap to have very low deductable on comprehensive (which covers you for damage that isn't collision related, and or animal/deer strikes..)

Oil cooler

Thanks for the info guys, my real name is Mike, updated my profile to show it. I do have comprehensive coverage, I think I will clean the bike good and check for any other damage before I decide to file a claim.

Solution?

Maybe this will help?


http://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-fin-straightener-37892.html

Anchorbend said:

Maybe this will help?


http://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-fin-straightener-37892.html

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Anchorbend said:

Maybe this will help?


http://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-fin-straightener-37892.html

Click to expand...

Very cool

Additionally if you dont want to pay Wunderlich prices you can make your own screen from sheet stock from HD or Lowes - takes about an hour to cut to fit and then install with existing screw