spray foam instead of cork

[bootz1981]

i read a thread about corkin your handlebars, i put dan adams fly bars on and now my hand warmers suck, in the shop they get so hot you cant hold on to them but out side say 5 above you cant even tell there on. instead of cork, could a guy use that "stuff" spray foam and get the same results?

 

[maxitout77]

Spray foam (or "great stuff") makes a marginal improvement. It is however NO WHERE NEAR as effective as cork. I used 1/16 cork, which does add a little bulk, I guess you can find 1/32. My grips now get soo hot, I have to switch em off/on all day. On those cold rides out end of the day, you will be thankfull. Best $5 you can spend IMO. And yes, stock grips will go back over.

 

[Scott]

Am I right on this...

1) strip off grips and current heaters (save if possible)

2) wrap cork (and also spray foam inside IF you desire)

3) reinstall heaters

4) reinstall grips and bar ends

5) be happy

 

[Oregonsledder]

Forget the foam, I did that and noticed very little improvment (may have been wishful thinking). I corked them and they are too warm on high but it's nice to know that if my hands ever get real cold I have the option of VERY hot grips.

 

[tbeaton]

cork works so good it melts your grips. see it on maxitout77's sled. spray foam does nothing.

 

[bootz1981]

Am I right on this...

1) strip off grips and current heaters (save if possible)

2) wrap cork (and also spray foam inside IF you desire)

3) reinstall heaters

4) reinstall grips and bar ends

5) be happy

im also wondering to!!!

 

[boondocker97]

Am I right on this...

1) strip off grips and current heaters (save if possible)

2) wrap cork (and also spray foam inside IF you desire)

3) reinstall heaters

4) reinstall grips and bar ends

5) be happy

Yep. And if you are installing new grips with closed ends it works best to have a friend blow compressed air in the other end of the bars so it expands the grip you are putting on. Put a wrap of electrical tape around the end after the element is put back on to keep it from peeling up when you are putting the grip on.

What you are trying to do with the insulation is combat the transfer of heat from the heater to the aluminum bar. Aluminum transfers heat very well and the cold air flowing over the exposed portion of the bars sucks that heat right out of them. That is why the cork works between the element and the bar, and the foam inside the bar does nothing.

 

[Oregonsledder]

Yep. And if you are installing new grips with closed ends it works best to have a friend blow compressed air in the other end of the bars so it expands the grip you are putting on. Put a wrap of electrical tape around the end after the element is put back on to keep it from peeling up when you are putting the grip on.

What you are trying to do with the insulation is combat the transfer of heat from the heater to the aluminum bar. Aluminum transfers heat very well and the cold air flowing over the exposed portion of the bars sucks that heat right out of them. That is why the cork works between the element and the bar, and the foam inside the bar does nothing.

If you glue the element back on properly, no tape is required. A little soapy water and air and the grips go on pretty easy after corking tem.

 

[sledheadd]

Where would one get some of this cork you speak of?

 

[maxitout77]

cork works so good it melts your grips. see it on maxitout77's sled. spray foam does nothing.

This is true. SPI hot grips melted a hole right through my RSI grips. Switched back to Poo factory grips, good to go.

I would recommend heat shrink over the element (even two pieces) and grip on top of that.

 

[gcmci]

A craft store would have some ben franklin's michael's

 

[06redrevx]

Corked the bars on my 14 today, took maybe 20 minutes tops.
Here is what I did.

Went to my local Ski doo shop and bought a cork kit for $7.98
The cork has an adhesive back that peels off so it sticks to the aluminum perfectly. The kit is for the Doo curved bars so I trimmed them accordingly with scissors to fit the Pro bars

Took the bar hooks off, then used compressed air to remove the grips. All you need to do is get the tip of the air chuck under the grip edge and it will come off very easily.

Use a heat gun to get the grip and bar very hot, then slowly peel the grip off the bar and set aside. I used a sharpie to mark the wire location so I got aligned just right.

Peel the adhesive back off the cork then stick it to the bar.

Last year I used 3m spray adhesive to stick the grip on the cork, but today I just stuck the heater to the cork then heated it a little with my heat gun and the glue became very sticky and adhered perfectly.

Then I rolled the grip back on the bar a little. I plugged the bar end on the other side with the bar hook, then using a large washer on the end of my blow gun I applied air to the end of the grip and it walked on effortlessly.

Repeat with the other side!

Sorry no pics, I should have taken some.

This is such an easy and very effective mod that I highly recommend. Night and day difference for toasty hands

 

[rags319]

Corked the bars on my 14 today, took maybe 20 minutes tops.
Here is what I did.

Went to my local Ski doo shop and bought a cork kit for $7.98
The cork has an adhesive back that peels off so it sticks to the aluminum perfectly. The kit is for the Doo curved bars so I trimmed them accordingly with scissors to fit the Pro bars

Took the bar hooks off, then used compressed air to remove the grips. All you need to do is get the tip of the air chuck under the grip edge and it will come off very easily.

Use a heat gun to get the grip and bar very hot, then slowly peel the grip off the bar and set aside. I used a sharpie to mark the wire location so I got aligned just right.

Peel the adhesive back off the cork then stick it to the bar.

Last year I used 3m spray adhesive to stick the grip on the cork, but today I just stuck the heater to the cork then heated it a little with my heat gun and the glue became very sticky and adhered perfectly.

Then I rolled the grip back on the bar a little. I plugged the bar end on the other side with the bar hook, then using a large washer on the end of my blow gun I applied air to the end of the grip and it walked on effortlessly.

Repeat with the other side!

Sorry no pics, I should have taken some.

This is such an easy and very effective mod that I highly recommend. Night and day difference for toasty hands

So how does heater stick to the cork. Is it self adhesive on both sides. Thanks

 

[rags319]

Also you got a ski-doo part #. Thanks

 

[jeepin270]

Anybody take any pics

 

[06redrevx]

Also you got a ski-doo part #. Thanks

Part # 506152611

When I pulled my heaters off the bars they were still sticky, all the glue was still on the heaters so I just stuck it to the cork.
You may want to use the 3m spray adhesive as well!

 

[bootz1981]

what if a guy was to us heat shrink tubing for like a 1-1/4" wire cut to length, heat and shrink on...think that would work?

 

[06redrevx]

Heat shrink tubing may work but I think it would create a lot of friction putting the grip back on?

 

[bootz1981]

why would it be any diff, the heater would still be on the outside

 

[06redrevx]

I misunderstood, thought you were talking about heat shrink to hold the heater on. You were talking about using it instead of cork.
Not sure, might work!