Talon Custom Talon R trailing arm gaurds with blast shields

J

JimmyTalon

Active Member
Apr 13, 2019
130
235
43
SE Minnesota
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  1. Talon R
After putting a few miles on my R, I could see it wasn't going to take more than a few hundred miles for the rocks and gravel spray to remove all the powder coating from the bottom of the trailing arms and from the shock mount area. So I ordered the Honda trailing arm protectors. Nice enough product, but not enough to do the entire job of protecting the arm, the lower shock mount, and that ball joint boot way at the back end of the T.A.
So I started designing my own. Finished one design and built a set of parts for the drivers side, but wasn't happy with the complexity and construction difficulty of that first design.
So a second, completely different concept was attempted. This newest concept is a winner, and continues to satisfy all requirements. It combines a clamp-on channel type arm protector, with a blast flap. Photos of drivers side.

ATTACH]127288[/ATTACH] ATTACH]127289[/ATTACH]

As I prototyped this first one, I templated everything, so the other side should be easy enough to build tomorrow.
There are two stainless steel plate parts which serve to clamp the HDPE flap part to the channel part. Only HDPE plastic touches the Honda trailing arm, the stainless plate parts do not touch the trailing arm, so no paint damage. No holes are drilled in the Honda, everything clamps in place. The blast flap is replaceable in case it ever does get bent or torn.
I'll fabricate the passenger side setup tomorrow. Looks like a winner to me.

20190504 105136 20190504 105150
 
Last edited:
J

JimmyTalon

Active Member
Apr 13, 2019
130
235
43
SE Minnesota
Ownership

  1. Talon R
Here is the final part (after numerous prototypes) for the rear 1/3 of the trailing arm and ball joint boot protection. This version covers as much painted steel as possible, with reasonable construction time. Combining this channel design part with the channel and blast flap assembly which covers the front 2/3 of the trailing arm (above post), the arm, shock and ball joint boot are very well covered.

20190507 102056 20190507 102141
 
D

DRKnight

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2019
136
269
63
Yuma, AZ
Ownership

  1. Talon X
I just installed your fender liners, and seen this post of your trailing arm protectors. Looks good.
I have the X and I think I will do just a blast plate protector for mine.
Can't wait to see if you come up with some good ideas for dust control. That is a big issue for me living in Arizona and I am trying different ideas right now. Honda must have been doing all there tests in a wetter environment and forgot about us guys and gals in the dusty desert.
 
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J

JimmyTalon

Active Member
Apr 13, 2019
130
235
43
SE Minnesota
Ownership

  1. Talon R
DRKnight, I'm not sure where the dust will come into the cabin yet, I haven't had that experience yet. But I had done one thing that might help.
Pull the drivers seat, you'll see the issue. When I had the seats unbolted and out, I saw 4-6 large holes in the cab floor on each side, drivers side being worst. So I used 2 inch wide black gorilla tape to cover every hole possible. I found, with patience and a scissor, I could cut pieces neatly and span over all the holes. Some of these holes are 5x5 inches approximately! Then I carefully cut four round 3/8" holes thru the gorilla tape to expose the threaded holes in the steel frame for the seat to mount . And now that the seats are reinstalled you can't see hardly any of the tape, plus it's black so what little you can see you don't notice. I could post a photo but it's all black and not very photogenic.
Pull the drivers seat, you'll immediately see the issue.
Hope this helps you.
 
D

DRKnight

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2019
136
269
63
Yuma, AZ
Ownership

  1. Talon X
I bought Blast shields for my X from RB3 and they have helped a lot. In 550 miles the sand and gravel had taken the paint off the trailing arms at the rear where it curved into the hub and was blasting the brake rotors also. It would have led to a lot of brake pad wear.

I have just about totally gotten rid of the dust in my cab. I plugged all the interior opening like you mentioned, JimmyTalon.
but was still getting excessive dust coming in around the doors.
I bought some different kinds of automotive door seal material and flat sheet stock and sealed up the door gaps.
Went out in the desert tonight and could not believe the difference, sealing up around the doors that it made.
 
J

JimmyTalon

Active Member
Apr 13, 2019
130
235
43
SE Minnesota
Ownership

  1. Talon R
Drknight, THANKS for update! Could you please snap a couple photos of what you used and how it's installed on the giant door cracks? I've looked at those a few times but because of the motion I have not yet figured out what to use.
 
stellarpod

stellarpod

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Lifetime Member
Apr 18, 2019
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OKC, OK - USA
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  1. Talon X
I bought Blast shields for my X from RB3 and they have helped a lot. In 550 miles the sand and gravel had taken the paint off the trailing arms at the rear where it curved into the hub and was blasting the brake rotors also. It would have led to a lot of brake pad wear.

I have just about totally gotten rid of the dust in my cab. I plugged all the interior opening like you mentioned, JimmyTalon.
but was still getting excessive dust coming in around the doors.
I bought some different kinds of automotive door seal material and flat sheet stock and sealed up the door gaps.
Went out in the desert tonight and could not believe the difference, sealing up around the doors that it made.


I'd love to see some pics too, DRKnight.

Steve
 
MFG

MFG

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2019
191
293
63
East Texas
Ownership

  1. Talon R
I'd love to see some pics too, DRKnight.

Steve
I did a similar thing to help with dust and heat. I bought some sound deadening material made for car audio and covered the floor and behind the seats. I also covered all the holes I could with the black gorilla tape. This helped with the noise, heat and dust.
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MFG

MFG

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Mar 14, 2019
191
293
63
East Texas
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  1. Talon R
how did you remove the rear part of the seats?
Four bolts hold the seat frame in. Just unbolt them and the seat back and the frame come out as one unit. If you look close at the picture you can see the rear studs for the seat brakes sticking up at the back.
 

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