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Cat handwarmers (saving from old SW 4M)

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CatWoman

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Jan 26, 2004
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NW Montana
CatWoman 2-20-07:

I went to get some Great Stuff foam today....recalling that medium density was what was recommended. I went to the Hardware store today....and none of the cans specifically say "medium density".

They have "windows and doors", "gaps & cracks", "big gaps", and "Pro". Salesman wasn't helpful at all......so I just wanted to verify which kind to get before I fill in my bars.

I went to the Great Stuff website , and none say medium density.

Thanks!

Sandy

arcticridr
MCW, just get the gaps and cracks only difference is the expansion rate of the two, the more expansion the more mess ya got to clean up afterwards!! Yet you want it to fill the bars, I just went and checked mine, it is the gaps and cracks!!!

Lucias
the dumbstick just hit me which happens often.. but why are you filling your handlebars with foam?

dmkhnr
My hadwarmers get warm at best. Would this help with my situation, or do I need good, hot, warmers first?

canbar
helps a lot

dmkhnr
Thanks,
Do I fill the intire bar, or just the handgrip portion???

Winter Brew
A word of caution...when you fill the bars, put something to catch the "squeeze out" as it cures, it has petroleum product and may harm paint.

007
When you fill your bars make sure they are warm and you leave in a warm space to set up.

I used the Great Stuff and filled mine and the wifes sled before left to go riding and it was cold out. Well It apeared that it had set up until the hand warmers got hot and then it started oosing out like crazy. Long story short the wife was pissed and I have to buy her some new bibs cause that stuff does not come off!

KJP

CatWoman
Tested the electrical on the handwarmers, and though everything tested out fine, my left side gets warmer than the right.

Previous thread here gave great info about putting the foam in the bars, and how much it helps to hold the heat better (which makes sense).

Cure time for this stuff is 8 hours at 75 degrees (according to the can).

arcticridr
Depending on your sled/warmers it will make a 15 to 20 degree difference, I put the moose warmers on my KK and already had the bars filled , ya cant run em on high for very long they get smoking hot, good on those really cold days and with the bar riser your hands are more out in the open !!! :beer;

arcticridr
MCW, had the same problem on my 800 and my KK one side was warmer by quite a bit, did all the resistance checks and so on all checked good,(then how come my right hand was always colder) so I just went ahead and replaced the elements with the moose ones, what a difference, im thinking if you are hard on your grips like I am always pullin them part way off sidehilling etc, it causes one or more circuits of the warmer to short out against the bars not a direct short but kinda a intermittent short causing them to not heat up. Also take some CRC QD electric cleaner , put the little spray tube on the nozzle and spray the crap outta the switches inside, can usually slip the little nozzle inbetween the rubber boot and the switch lever itself, contacts will build up corrosion from moisture and voltage !! only use CRC QD not brake/electric cleaner, otherwise it will melt your plastic, foam em up and you will be runnin em on low most of the time!!!! l8tr

CatWoman
I'm not really hard on my grips....though I do hang on! Grips are still in place, which is a good thing.

I did put the foam in last night, so will get to test it out this week-end and see how it works. I had a fire going for several hours before I put the stuff in, and stoked the fire good before I left so it would stay going for cure time.

Interesting process. Hard to know just what is the right amount to put in. I was squirting the stuff in and it seemed like it just kept going. I wasn't seeing anything come back out, but decided to switch over to the other side and fill it too. I did have some overfill that oozed out for awhile after that. That wasn't a problem for me as I was polishing/cleaning on my sled, so periodically I just kept wiping away any excess that came back out of the grips. I could see if a person just sprayed it in and left it.....that could be messy.

I bought the small can, and it still has a lot left in it.

I'll be testing it out tomorrow when I go riding.

Thanks for the tips!! :face-icon-small-hap

Sandy

CatWoman 2-24-07
Well day one with foam in bars. This morning I was thinking that they really weren't that warm. My hands weren't cold, but grips not overly hot. But then when I made a stop, and the guys I was riding with had to switch gloves and warm their hands before we took off again......I realized that indeed they were working well. :face-icon-small-hap

Later in the day when it was warmer out, and I was playing hard......they definitely were much warmer than before. So it works! :)

The way out.....again guys had to switch gloves and warm their hands.....while I was fine. :face-icon-small-coo Definitely worth doing!
 
T
Dec 19, 2007
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That is a great idea, I'll have to try that on my ZR which the handwarmers have never been good. Question is, how to you get the stock handwarmer grips off to get the foam inside?
 

CatWoman

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You don't take the grips off.....not sure on the ZR, but both the hubby's and my sled have holes in the end of the grips. Aren't they all like that (not being smart, just truly curious)? :confused: Just squirt the foam in through the hole in the grips on both sides.

Sandy
 
T
Dec 19, 2007
206
12
18
I tried it out, its messy - stuff will come out both ends of the handle bars until it sets up. That being said, I tried it yesterday and it works. For the first time my handwarmers work.

Now, any sugguestions on how to get the wimpy thumb warmer to work better? Is there a better option then the stock thumb warmer?
 

messickzr

Active member
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Dec 1, 2007
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Iowa
I forgot all about doing this... Tried it on my M7 and it really helped. Last time out on the M8, my hands were cold. This should certainly help!
 
M

miko

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2007
505
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So. Dak.
I filled my bars also and it helped but my warmers still suck compared to my wifes.
Does anybody have the part number for the moose warmers that I've heard so much about?... And where to buy them.
 
A
Nov 26, 2007
962
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Lewiston, Idaho
Has anybody done this on a new M-Series, I want to do mine but on the new M sleds they have that end cap that screws on so I think I would have to pull the grip and possibly drill out the end of the handle bar to put foam in there. I was just wondering if anybody had done theirs.
 

Bubba

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Sep 19, 2008
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turkey ridge sd
Thanks so much for this advice. I ride a 2004 1M 900 and my hands froze!:face-icon-small-fro I have rotten circulation in my hands and feet. Anyway I ordered the Moose Handwarmer kit from Dennis Kirk. My husband also filled my handgrips with the Great Stuff foam. I just went outside and felt my grips.....toasty!!!! I plan to order a thumb warmer next. The part number I ordered was #39-1957. We pulled off the old grips and replaced with Gel Wrap Grips, # 59-5914. Dennis Kirk is fast with shipping items out also.:) Thanks again for this great and helpful advice. Will be riding in Little Belts next week so will see the true test then. KJ,PT
 
T

twistedtunnel

Member
Dec 6, 2007
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i got my rsi warmers on my sled now and it is a night and day difference, sleds should come stock with these. I haven't put the foam in the bars yet but i don't think i will need to with these.
 
O

OutdoorJunkie

New member
Feb 12, 2008
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Meridian, ID
I put the foam in my bars, in my 03' MC, and I think it was a good improvement. It's pretty easy to do even with the grips on...definately worth the $4 for the can of goo! :)

Thanks for the great tip! Also, FWIW, I've heard similar greatness about the RSI warmers...that will be my replacement pair when I get there.

--Rob
 
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